Ulster GAA

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The Ulster Council (Irish: Comhairle Uladh) is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, and handball in the province of Ulster. The headquarters of the Ulster GAA is based in Armagh City.

Ulster GAA
Most All-Ireland titles
File:Ulster GAA.png
Irish:	Cúige Uladh
Location:	North
Province colours:	Gold and black
Major grounds:	Casement Park, Belfast St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
Hurling:	none
Football:	Down and Cavan (5 each)
Most provincial titles
Hurling:	Antrim (48)
Football:	Cavan (39)
Interprovincial Championship wins
Hurling:	0
Football:	28
Standard kit
Regular kit

The first Ulster GAA Convention was held on the 22nd March 1903 in Armagh. Belfast solicitor George Martin was elected as first President with L.F. O’Kane (Derry) as first Secretary. Victor O’Nolan (Tyrone), the father of writer Flann O'Brien was elected Vice-President.^[1]

Constituent counties

Special counties

The following, while not administrated by the Ulster Council, play in the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship:

File:Munster vs Ulster (football) - Railway Cup 2008.jpg

Tyrone's Davy Harte (right) representing Ulster in the 2008 Railway Cup football semi-final against Munster

Competitions

All-time top Ulster scorers

As of 3 June 2008 according to the BBC.^[2]

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total score	Championship years
1	Oisín McConville	Armagh	11-197	230	1997-
2	Peter Canavan	Tyrone	9-191	218	1989-2005
3	Paddy Bradley	Derry	13-170	209	2000-
4	Paddy Doherty	Down	15-159	204	1954-1971
5	Peter Donohoe	Cavan	17-133	184	1945-1955
6	Seán O'Neill	Down	17-125	176	1959-1975
7	Charlie Gallagher	Cavan	10-142	172	?-?
8	Steven McDonnell	Armagh	15-111	156	2000-
9	Seán O'Connell	Derry	11-118	151	1957-1975
10	Ronan Carolan	Cavan	2-138	144	?-?

Notes:

Includes Ulster Championship, All-Ireland Championship and Qualifiers.

All-time top Ulster goalscorers

As of 15 June 2008 according to the Sunday Tribune.^[3]

Rank	Player	County	Number of goals	Championship years
1=	Steven McDonnell	Armagh	17	2000-
1=	Peter Donohoe	Cavan	17	1945-1955
1=	Seán O'Neill	Down	17	1959-1975
4	Paddy Doherty	Down	15	1954-1971
5=	Paddy Bradley	Derry	13	2000-
5=	Ger Houlihan	Armagh	13	1984-2000
5=	James McCartan Snr.	Down	13	1958-1967
5=	Brendan Coulter	Down	13	2000-
9=	Joe Stafford	Cavan	12	1943-1949
9=	Enda Muldoon	Derry	12	1997-
9=	Jason Reilly	Cavan	12	1997-
12=	Seán O'Connell	Derry	11	1957-1975
12=	PT Treacy	Fermanagh	11	1960-1973
12=	Oisín McConville	Armagh	11	1997-

Notes:

Includes Ulster Championship, All-Ireland Championship and Qualifiers.

Hurling

Antrim's Aaron Graffin (right) representing Ulster in the 2008 Railway Cup hurling semi-final against Munster

Ulster has always been the weakest of the provinces in hurling terms, possibly due to the difference between the hurling promulgated by the early Gaelic Athletic Association and the "commons" game played in Ulster. The Ulster hurling team have only won four Railway Cup semi-final games in their history (1945, 1992, 1993 and 1995),^[4] they however lost in each of those Railway Cup deciders.^[4]

There have been some successes over the years, mostly by Antrim teams:

1943: Antrim defeated Galway and Kilkenny, but lost to Cork in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final
1982: Gerry Goodwin (Tyrone) won the All-Ireland Poc Fada Championship
1983: Loughgiel Shamrocks (Antrim) won the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
1989: Antrim defeated Offaly, and subsequently lost to Tipperary in the All-Ireland final