Distinguished Players
Over the generations and throughout each decade the club has produced a host of highly talented footballers and teams. Some examples are given in this section but each of these players will recognise that they alone could not have achieved anything without their colleagues.
- John Green - Ulster Club Champion, Captain for 3 years
- Jimmy Symth - Clan-na-Gael and Armagh All-Star
- Colm McKinstry - Clan-na-Gael and Armagh All-Star
- Jim Mc Kerr - Clan-na-Gael and Armagh All-Star
- Diarmard Marsden - Clan-na-Gael and Armagh All-Star
- Barry John O'Hagan - Clan-na-Gael and Armagh
- Tommy Mc Kerr - Clan-na-Gael and Armagh
- Ray Mc Gibben - Clan-na-Gael and Armagh
Others including Brian Seeley, Gerry Mc Stay, Noel O'Hagan
John Green
When Brian Seeley began his job to put Clan-na-Gael back on the map in the late sixties, it was to John Green in particular he look to provide the steadying influence which only experience can give. In the build up to the 1968 championship final a pen portrait of John declared that he was "a veteran and in his mid thirties". His team mates seized upon this mistake with relish and throughout the remainder of his long and distinguished career he had to get used to being labelled as a veteran. When asked to give an explanation as to how this mistake had occurred in the first place he wryly suggested that perhaps it had something to do with the fact hat he had been on the scene from his early youth (having played regular Senior footballl from he was fifteen years if age) or rather more close to the truth it could have been Brian Seeley who supplied the pressmen with the information for the pen portraits. Anyhow the notion stuck in he public image and John was being talked of as an 'evergreen', ' a veteran', while still in his mid-twenties.
He began playing with Clan-na-Gael seniors in 1957 while still only 15 years old and can recall the times in the late fifties and early sixties when it was as much as the Clans could do to find a full quota of players for a game. John officially retired from football at the end of 1975, an eighteen year long career in which he came to be regarded as one of the finest centre-half backs in club football. He only played for the county team on three occasions and when asked about his attitude to the Armagh team it was an example of his unassuming modesty that he never took it seriously in the grounds that he did not consider himself good enough for the job. It was at club level though that John experienced his finest moments. Perhaps his finest hour was paradoxically one of the Clans greatest disappointments. It was Clans first trip to Croke Park for the All-Ireland Club semi-final in 1972 against St. Vincents of Dublin. John played as though Croke Park was his everyday bailiwick but his Herculean efforts could not inspire his colleagues to victory on that occasion.
On looking back on his career john picked out two games both played at Davitt Park, as the greatest ever Clan-na-Gael team displays. One was the Ulster club game against St. Johns of Belfast when Gerry Armstrong, who later joined Tottenham Hotspur, threatened to rip the Clans defence to shreds. A great Jimmy Smyth goal at the other end knocked the fight out of the Belfast men and the Clans won a famous victory. Later came the All Ireland club semi-final with University College Cork which featured towering Irish international rugby player Moss Keane in their side. John reckons that the Clans first half display that day was their best ever.
So John Green tenacious half-back for the Clans for eighteen years has many stirring memories to look back on and during those eighteen years he captained he team picking up six senior championship medals, one intermediate, three Ulster Club Championships, five All County Division 1 medals and one All County Division 2 as well as many tournament trophies.
Never spectacular, never the player to catch the eye, it was his lion hearted work that held the Clan-na-Gael defence together through many memorable games. John Green did not rest on his laurels when he finally hung up his boots, he turned to administration and served on the Committee for a number of years and was elected as Club Chairman for a number of years. Despite the rumours to the contrary, John was not a member of the panel which selected a Clans Millenium Team in the recent past.
Jimmy Smyth
It was a stroke of fate that brought Jimmy Smyth in to Gaelic football in the first place. Born in the Donaghcloney area and brought up in Waringstown, he was a pretty useful bowler as a teenager and was a regular on the Waringstown Graham Cup teams. However his parents decided to move into Lurgan and but for that he may have become a (in)famous cricket player.
That was the first time he met up with the late Gerry Fegan who introduced him to Gaelic games and form then on he was converted. He attended St. Coleman's College in Newry but still was not good enough to make their Corn Na Nog team. With a bit of hard work made it to the Rannafast Cup team and won an All Ireland senior colleges cup medal in 1967. Twelve months later he won a MacRory cup meDal. His next taste of success was with St. Joseph,s College of Education (the'Ranch') when training to be a teacher. It was there that he won both the Dr.Rodgers Trophy and the Ryan Cup on two occasions. The biggest influence on Jimmy then were Gerry Fegan, Gerry O'Neill and Fr. Trainor at St.Colmans and Jim McKeever at St. Josephs.
Jimmy went on to greater things and joined the Clans just as they were heading for the Glory days. He was on the minor team that won three county championship titles in row and made his senior team debut in the semi final of the Davitt Cup against St. Coleman's from Kilwarlin in Davitt Park in June 1967. Eighteen years on when he retired from football he had accumulated a massive haul of honours both with the Clans and the Armagh county team. His honours with the Clans included 10 Senior Championships, 3 Ulster Club Championships, 7 All County League Division One medals, 3 Minor Championships and not forgetting a British Championship medal with London club Sean Traceys.
At county level Jimmy reached the pinnacle of success when he captained Armagh to an Ulster Championship title in 1977 and who could forget those three brilliant points he scored against Roscommon in the All-Ireland Semi Final to earn them a draw. Armagh went on to beat Roscommon in the replay but ,unfortunately for Jimmy and the Armagh team, they lost to Dublin in the final.His leadership was duly recognised though and he collected an All Star award that year.
Jimmys great games for the Clans? One in particular comes to mind. The Clans took on Crossmaglen Rangers in the championship final of 1969 and as a callow youth he 'took the then mighty Thomas McCreesh to the cleaners'. McCreesh, an experienced county and Ulster player was at the height of his career but he presented little opposition to the not yet twenty year's old Smyth on that famous day. Not that Jimmy sped past him. Even at that tender age the future All-Star was never renowned for his sped of the mark. Rather it was his vision, his ability to spot openings, to put but better placed collegues in possession which was McCreesh's and Rangers undoing. That is just one of the many great moments which dotted Jimmy's career. There were many, too many in fact to document on this page. (but if you care to call with him soon, before he gets too far on, he will tell you stories even 'Kelly' could not match).
Unlike many players who retire and give nothing back to Gaelic football, Jimmy still retains his interest in the Clans and its underage teams which he has helped steer to many honours over the past decade, still finding time to manage St. Pauls J.H.S. and acting as a commentator on Gaelic games with the B.B.C. A new challenge now faces him as a mentor with the County Senior team and we all wish him well.
Colm McKinstry
Colm started his football as a goalkeeper with St. Pauls secondary intermediate school in Lurgan (now St. Pauls Junior School) in 1962 when he collected his first winning medal, a school league trophy. His trophy collection increased when he collected two league medals with the Clans Juvenile team and an Armagh Juvenile Championship medal in 1965. He was still a goalkeeper then but he took on the role as a midfielder on the Clans Minor team which lifted three league titles and three Armagh Minor Championship medal in succession 1965, '66 and '67. He had a few outings on the county minor team but did not meet sucess at that level.
It was not until he joined the Clan's senior team in 1967 that his brilliance began to emerge and from then on he claimed the midfield role as his own on the Clans team and later in the Armagh County team. There was one year that was particulary disappointing to Colm when he fell out of favour with the county selectors. That was in 1974 but I 1975 Gerry O'Neill brought him back to play against Fermanagh in the Ulster Championship. It was an opportune time to return to the Armagh team as two years later his talents were witnessed by millions all over the world as Armagh contested the All-Ireland final against Dublin in Croke Park in 1977. On that occasion the late Micheal O'Heir referred to him as "The Man of the Mighty Reach". He continued to thrill the Armagh Gaels and he was duly rewarded with an All-Star award in 1980.
During his career with the Clans he collected 11 Senior Championship Medals (which is still a record in Armagh), 3 Ulster Club Championships Medals, 7 Division One League Medals, 1 Runner-Up All-Ireland Club Championship Medal, 3 Minor Championship Medals and 1 Juvenile Championship Medal as well as many trophies from tournaments. He was also voted as Clans Senior Player of the Year three years in succession and also Armagh County Player of the year. At county level he added three Ulster Championship Medals, N.F.L. Division 2 and 3 Medals and an All-Ireland runner up medal.
Jim McKerr
Jim McKerr was without doubt one of the most colourful characters at both club and county level during his playing career. Jim holds 4 Armagh Senior Championship Medals, 1 Ulster Club Championship Medal, 3 All-County League Division One Medals with the Clans. With Armagh he collected 3 Ulster Championship Medals, 1 National League Division Two Medal, 1 Railway Cup Medal, 1 McKenna Cup Medal and was voted as the B and I player of the Month, February 1981. But the one medal that he has a special fondness for is the All-Ireland special U-16 Hurling award he won with his county in 1973.
Jim's greatest assets were his calmness under pressure, his ability to read the flight of a suddenly breaking ball and his deeply held conviction that a clearance should never be resorted to, but should herald the beginnings of an attack for his club or county. Thus, when Jim got possession, however tight the situation, it was tenet of his footballing faith that the ball should be studiously parted to a colleague, never kicking wildly and trusting in luck. During his footballing career Jim proved himself to be one of the best left backs, centre half backs, full backs, etc., etc. That was Jim McKerr. The constructive footballer to the fingertips, or should one say to the big toe of his left foot.
Diarmaid Marsden
Diarmaid Marsden is another player who came through the ranks of Clans underage teams and is now one of the best known players in the country. Like Barry John O'Hagan he has a host of honours at underage and it was clear, even when he played on the U-10 and U-12 teams that he was going to be a player of top class.
He collected three Minor Championship Medals with the Clans and has Dalton Cup and Hogan Cup Honours. After missing out on an All-Ireland Minor Championship Medal in 1992 he graduated to the Armagh Senior team the following year and has been an inspirational figure to his colleagues on both the Clans and County team. 
1999 was without doubt his best ever season with the Armagh county team despite being plagued with injuries. When things looked black for the Armagh team during the Ulster Club Championship his appearance from the substitutes bench worked wonders for the rest of the team and he had the knack of scoring goals when they are most needed. His displays for Armagh earned him an All-Star award thus creating a record for the Clans the only team in Armagh to have three individual All-Stars in their ranks. He has played on the Ulster team in the Railway Cup and for Ireland in the Austrailian Rules Series. Among his honours are 2 Armagh Senior Championship Medals and three Armagh Minor Championship Medals with the Clans, Hogan and Mc Rory Cup Medals with Saint Coleman's College and a Sigerson Cup Medal as Captain with Queen's University.
In 2000 Diarmaid again played a central role for Armagh in retaining the Ulster Championship and fielded against Kerry in the All-Ireland Semi-Finals against Kerry. 2002 was Diarmaid's finest hour when he played a staring role in the All-Ireland final, scoring 3 points and helping Armagh create History by defeating Kerry 1-12 to 0-14 and lift their first Sam. He also captained the successful Queens University team who won the Sigerson Cup. Peter Mc Grath (Down) rated him as one of the best college players he ever managed.
Barry John O'Hagan
Barry John made his senior debut in September 1990 in al league game against Carrickcruppen while still only sixteen years of age and he played six Senior games altogether during that season. In those six games he displayed his great scoring talents that has become a hallmark of his style, recording 1-15, finishing in joint fifth place in the Clan's scorers list. The following year he improved on this registering 1-49in twenty games finishing in second place behind Paul Henderson. He held his place in the top four of the Clans scoring lists and in 1994 came tops with 6-61 and on two more occasions he heading the scoring lists with 2-56 in 1996 and a whopping0-85 in 1999 which more than anything else helped the Clans win their tenth Senior league Title.
Barry John collected many trophies with St. Pauls J.H.S. and at college level as well as with Clans at underage level from U-10 to Minor. He was a member of the three in a row Minor Championship winning team in 1990, 1991 and 1992. Later that year he was unlucky not to win an All-Ireland Minor Championship Medal with Armagh when they lost to Meath in the dying seconds of the Final at Croke Park. He is also in possession of two Armagh Senior Championship Medals won in 1993 and 1994.
He graduated to the Armagh Senior team and was a member of the panel until 2002. During the 2000 season he rejoined the Armagh senior panel and played a vital role in Armagh securing the Ulster Championship for the second year running. He also played in the All-Ireland semi-final but the county was defeated after a reply by Kerry. 2002 was Barry John's finest hour when he came on in the All- Ireland final and played a vital role in helping Armagh create history in defeating Kerry and win their first Sam. A player with total committment, he remains one of the most competitive footballers in the County and a leader by example in his club.
Tommy McKerr
While Clan-na-Gael since their establishment have produced many great players, in Tommy McKerr or 'Tidsey' as he was more well known, the club never had better. Famous for his long kick and as a man who was known to stop everything and anyone who came his way, but in the words of the late Liam McCorry of Clann Eireann, "He was tough and it's much to the credit of his memory, he never at anytime played it rough with the younger players on the opposing side." Back in the forties he captained the Clans and gained Armagh Senior Championship Medals in 1949 and 1950. This was the same team that scooped the Gold Medals, at what could be best described at the unofficial Ulster Club Championship which was played at Corrigan Park, Belfast. He was also selected to play for the county team and was a member of the Armagh team which won the McKenna Cup in 1950.
It may not be generally known, but he was in fact an all rounder, his second sport being that which had a long and honoured tradition amongst Shankhill people, the national game of Handball. This was the national game on which practically everybody in Shankhill and its surrounding area, particularly those who hailed from the 'Brigette' were weaned on. In fact in the halcyon days when the old Shankhill Alley was in the charge of Willie John Thornbury, the 'Shankhill Four' consisting of Tommy McKerr, his brother Gerald, 'Pooler' McCann and the all time great Harry 'Ginger' Haddock represented Armagh and reached the Junior All-Ireland final at Croke Park.
Not only during his sporting career did he represent Armagh at county level in football and handball, he had the ability to become one of the finest boxers, capable of winning titles. During his boxing career he lost only three decisions. He fought as 'Joe McKerr' to fool his mother who disliked boxing and progressed to fight Jack Lord for the British Cruiser Title Eliminator, during this bout he flattened Lord but would not take full advantage of his superior skill and subsequently lost the decision.
Tommy was also an accomplished Referee not only in Armagh but also in other counties ,and when the All-Ireland Senior Football Final was played in New York Polo grounds in 1947 between Cavan and Kerry he was nominated as the possible Referee.
Later in life he took an active interest in darts and played for many local sides, while still maintaining a great interest in his first love, Clan-na-Gael. His three sons Gerald, Barry and Jim followed in his footsteps and played with the Clans, all three winning Armagh Senior Championship medals. After a long and fulfilling life Tommy passed to his eternal rest on the 13th October 1988.
Ray McGibbon
Many of Ray's rivals on the pitch in the forties and fifties will remember him as a tough but fair player who loved the Gaelic code. He first came tot he fore in 1945 when he played on the Clan-na-Gael Minor team twhich won the Lurgan and District Minor League in 1945 and again in 1947 when they won the All county Minor League beating Armagh champions Keady in the final at Davit Park.
Ray soon rose to the senior ranks and was a member of the Clans team that won the Armagh Junior Championship in 1948 and then went onto win 2 Senior Championship Medals in 1949 and 1950 as well as the famed Gold Medal in Corrigan Park, also in 1950.
His displays with the Clans soon came to the notice of the county team selectors and in 1951 he and his team mate Gerry McStay won Ulster Senior Championship Medals with Armagh, his hopes of playing in an All-Ireland senior final were dashed when Armagh were beaten by Mayo in the semi final at Croke Park.
Ray continued to give service to the Clans until he retired in 1958. His son Kevin played for the Clans winning 3 Armagh Senior Championship Medals and his Grandson Jonathon plays in the present Clans underage teams.
Brian Seeley
A member of a family steeped in Clan-na-Gael tradition. Brian, son of Charlie Seeley from Edward Street, represented the successful Armagh minor team which won the Ulster Final in 1951. At nineteen years of age he played centre half forward for the first Armagh Senior team to reach the All-Ireland Final against Kerry in 1953. He continues to play for Clan-na-Gael into the late 1960's when he opted for management and led the club to its three Ulster Club Titles. Brian's brothers Rory, Leo and Jim B also represented the club with distinction, and his grandsons Michael and Ronan are today seeking their break through at the highest level.
Gerry McStay
Gerry McStay reckoned alongside John Green as the most complete centre half back to have worn the blue jersey. It remains a mystery to all how he was left on the substitutes bench when Armagh lost to Kerry in the 1953 All-Ireland Final. In the previous rounds Gerry had proved to be one of Armagh's most resilient and consistent performers and no doubt Armagh's defeat on the day may have been a victory with his inclusion. Gerry continues to play with his club up until the 1960's and today his daughters Denise and Catherine are mainstays of the Camogie in the club.
Noel O'Hagan
Typical of the clubs family traditions Noel is one of three brothers - with Jim and Sean - who played throughout the 'Glory Years'. Noel captured three Ulster Club medals and when Armagh reached their second All-Ireland Senior Final in 1977 it was amazing that he remained on the substitute bench throughout the game. Latterly Noel undertook management of the senior team winning two Armagh Championships in the early 1990's and remains today as the Senior Team Manager. Father of Barry John and Mark, tradition once again lives on.