Reverend Father C. Tierney
Father Cornelius Tierney.
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Father Tierney was born in 1872 at Clones. he became a student at Saint Macartan's seminary, Monaghan, in 1890 and was Bursar and Professor there until 1911. He was appointed Curate to Saint Joseph's Parish, Ballyshannon in 1911 and served there until 1918 when he left to join the Columban Mission to China. He served as Bursar in the seminary at Shrule, County Galway and collected funds for the Mission to China before departing with the first batch of Missionaries on 19 March 1920. Father Tierney served in China until his death from Malaria on 28 March 1931. his ill health and subsequent death were attributed to brutal and degrading treatment at the hands of the Red Army. Father Tierney is buried at Kien Chang.
In 1954 the GAA Park in Ballyshannon was dedicated to the memory of Father Cornelius Tierney. In that way the name of Father Tierney lives on in the parish and the town where he once served.
The following extract is from the programme for the match played between Donegal and the 1953 All-Ireland finalists, Armagh, at the official opening of Father Tierney Park on Sunday, 9th May 1954. The game was played for the: "Erne Cup and set of silver medals (Presented by Traders of Ballyshannon)." Entrance was 3 pence and the referee was a John Wilson. The game finished 1-6 to 0-5 in favour of Donegal.
Sagart Aroon
Today we honour the memory of a great priest and a great Irishman, the late Rev. Cornelius Tierney B.D., whose burning devotion to the ideal of an Ireland Gaelic and free marked him as a man among the leaders of the national resurgence movement. As president of the local Craobh of the Gaelic League during the years when hundreds of Irishmen made the supreme sacrifice for freedom he inspired the youth of the town to be loyal to the language, games and traditions of Roishin Dubh
Volunteering for the Foreign Missions he was appointed Director of Saint Columban Missions in Kien Chan (Nan Cheing) in the Province of Kiang Si, China. He was captured and imprisoned by the communists and after four months detention he died for the faith.
Today we are proud to honour his memory in naming this stadium the Father Tierney Memorial Park.
1909 - 1954
Fifty years ago - in 1904 - Ballyshannon's first GAA unit, the O'Donnell Hurling club, was established. It was the forerunner of the Aodh Ruadh Hurling and Football Club, which was founded in 1909 and which has had an unbroken record in the ranks of the Association since. In its 45 years existence, the club has produced hurlers and footballers who have played a prominent part on our County and Provincial teams. The hurlers won the County Championship in 1925, 1929, 1930 and 1931, and the footballers won the Championship on seven occasions - 1929, 1932, 1937, 1939, 1942, 1943 and 1951. The Minor team won the Championship in the first year it was initiated in the county - 1936, and also in the following year.
The provision of this park has been a heavy task, but it was a work which was tackled enthusiastically and courageously and brought to a successful conclusion by a few for the good of all. We are proud of the achievement, but we are not boasted, for there is still a long road to travel to the realisation of our ideals as an Association and our aims as a club.
We thank the many who have helped make our task lighter and we pledge ourselves to be ever earnest and diligent in preserving the proud heritage which is ours and to hand unsullied to posterity the Standard of the Gael.
Donegal
| Goalkeeper | ||
| J McDermott | ||
| Right Full Back | Full Back | Left Full Back |
| P Dawson | F O'Donnell | B Coyle |
| Right Half Back | Centre Half Back | Left Half Back |
| J Boyle | J Carroll | P McGeehin |
| Midfield | ||
| F McCready | ||
| D Gallen | ||
| Right Half Forward | Centre Half Forward | Left Half Forward |
| T Keogan | F Brennan | H Coyle |
| Right Corner Forward | Full Forward | Left Full Forward |
| C Breslin | F Farrelly | PJ Burke |
| Substitutes | ||
| D. Bonner, D McGill, W. Gallagher. | ||
Armagh
| Goalkeeper | ||
| B Daly | ||
| Right Full Back | Full Back | Left Full Back |
| E Morgan | J Bratten | D Cunningham |
| Right Half Back | Centre Half Back | Left Half Back |
| F Kernan | P O'Neill | S Quinn |
| Midfield | ||
| M O'Hanlon | ||
| M McEvoy | ||
| Right Half Forward | Centre Half Forward | Left Half Forward |
| S Smith | W McCorry | G O'Neill |
| Right Corner Forward | Full Forward | Left Full Forward |
| P Campbell | A O'Hagan | JM Breen |