Cavan and Swanlinar star Gearoid McKiernan.
In this week’s ‘My Club’ feature, Cavan star, Gearoid McKiernan, tells us all about Swanlinbar.
By Cian O'Connell
Founded in 1904 Swanlinbar continue to produce spirited football teams in Cavan.
Immensely proud that Gearoid McKiernan is the current Cavan captain Swanlinbar remain relevant.
Situated in the valley between Commas Mountain and Slieve Russell Mountain Swanlinbar acquired their present ground in 1975.
A centenary commemoration took place in 2004, while the official opening of the redeveloped pitch happened in 2006.
Cavan Junior Championship winners in 1998, 2006, and 2010 Swanlinbar claimed provincial glory in Ulster in 2010.
That success led to a Croke Park appearance in February 2011, but Swanlinbar were well beaten by a smashing St Mary's, Caherciveen outfit in the All Ireland Junior Final.
Throughout the decades Swanlinbar were forced to amalgamate with other local clubs such as Corlough.
The emergence, though, of Cavan players such as Thomas Prior, Michael Cunningham, and Gearoid McKiernan confirm what Swanlinbar has achieved through sheer hard graft.
For more information on Swanlinbar GAA click here.
Gearoid McKiernan talks to GAA President Aogan O Fearghail.
Q: Can you tell me a bit about your club and how you started playing?
A: Swanlinbar is my club, we are a very small club, we are nearly the smallest club in Cavan population wise. As a kid my parents brought me down at the age of six or seven, and I haven't really looked back since. I've been involved in every underage group since. It is a great little club. I'm very proud to be from Swanlinbar, I'm very proud to play for Swanlinbar. They are great people for supporting Cavan too, they would always wish me luck.
We won the Cavan Junior Championship in 2010 and we went on the contest an All Ireland Final in Croke Park in February 2011. That was great for the whole town and the club too. We are an Intermediate team still at the minute, we just haven't bridged that gap to get to Senior. Hopefully we will someday.
Q: It must have felt like some achievement for a small club to run out at Croke Park?
A: Definitely it was. I think you only realise years later how big it actually was. At the time you're just in a bit of a bubble, but I just remember the whole town being decked out in flags and colours everywhere. Young kids in the place were delighted in school, the other players were buzzing, the town as a whole, it was great. Looking back it was one of the fondest memories I have from my time playing football so far.
Q: Down through the years have many guys from the club represented Cavan?
A: When I was growing up Thomas Prior would have played for Cavan and his brother Damien would have played a bit too. Thomas played full back for Cavan for four or five years. He played the last time Cavan were in an Ulster final in 2001.
He was full back that day and growing up I would have looked up to him big time. He was playing for Cavan so he would have been seen as the Swanlinbar star. I still look up to him to this day knowing he played for Cavan and represented the club so well.
The Swanlinbar team before the All Ireland Junior final in 2011.
Q: Did you play for Swanlinbar with him?
A: When I started off, he was finishing off, but I won a Junior Championship with him in 2006. I got to win one medal with him, I think I played with him for three years or so.
Q: For a small club any guy who represents the county gives the place a boost?
A: It was massive for me to watch him, I can remember getting pictures with him so it was great for us to see him playing for Cavan. To be from such a small town seeing him play such a key role for the county team, we all really looked up to him.
Q: There is a huge spread of clubs in the Cavan panel at the moment, when you were playing underage did you find it tough to get noticed?
A: Whatever club guys come from in Cavan it was never held against them, that is definitely fair to say. Every club always produces one or two star players. At the minute every club is in Cavan. Against Galway 15 different starters, and five of the boys who came on were all from different clubs. It is very rare to see that, normally whoever is your county champions or the best senior teams will always have the biggest representation. Thankfully that isn't the way in Cavan, no matter what rank you are in, Junior, Intermediate or Senior you always have a chance to play for Cavan. If you are good enough you'll get picked.
Swanlinbar were beaten in the All Ireland Junior final in 2011.
Q: A lot of underage work seems to be taking place presently?
A: Yeah, definitely in the county as a whole. For us in Swanlinbar numbers are very bad at the minute. We are joined with three or four neighbouring clubs. It isn't ideal being joined with others, but you have no other option when you might only have three or four boys at the age from each club. It isn't ideal, but it is important that those guys always get games too. We probably haven't produced as many players in the last few years. Maybe some guys when they get to 17 or 18 are quitting going on to different things which has had an impact on the club.
Hopefully those involved can keep the good work going, though, because if that wasn't happening you wouldn't have a club either.
Q: Can you do a bit of coaching?
A: I try to get down to do a bit when I can, but it is hard. You are busy with work commitments and county commitments and your own club football as well. I try to get down when I can, but there is great underage coaching going on in Cavan. We have the likes of Patrick Reilly down in the field every night, Damien Leydon helps out with all the underage teams. Some of them boys coached me all the way up, they are still producing players when they can.
