An event at St Mary’s College Belfast on Friday evening will commemorate two historic Antrim GAA teams: the Ulster football champions of 1946 and the first Dr McKenna Cup winners from 1926. GAA historian Dónal McAnallen will lead the proceedings, with special guests and families of past players in attendance.

A central focus will be the career of Kevin Armstrong, who played on the 1946 panel and is regarded by many as Antrim’s greatest ever footballer. Armstrong won Railway Cup medals with Ulster and collected ten Ulster championship titles for Antrim, eight in hurling and two in football.

Three of Armstrong’s sons, Pat, Gerard and Donal, spoke about their father’s legacy and their own experiences in GAA. Gerard recalled that Pat faced the toughest comparisons as the eldest, often described in newspaper reports as the “son of the famous” Kevin Armstrong.

The brothers noted that their father’s club, O’Connell’s, had only a senior team, which made it impossible for them to play there as youngsters. They instead joined O’Donovan Rossa, their mother’s family club, which had a full youth development system. By the time they were old enough for senior football, O’Connell’s had ceased to exist.

Pat Armstrong described playing against his father in an Ulster past versus present tournament in Ballybay, County Monaghan, calling it a memorable experience. All three brothers won championships with Rossa across football and hurling in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Pat won football titles in 1973, 1989 and 1991, plus hurling titles in 1977 and 1988. All three were on the squad for Rossa’s last Antrim Football Championship win in 1991, when they beat St Paul’s.

Donal Armstrong played for Antrim in the 1989 All-Ireland hurling final against Tipperary. The brothers said their own sons and nephews now play for Rossa and are proud of their grandfather’s achievements.

The Armstrongs said the event is a chance to recognise forgotten heroes and encourage GAA in Antrim. They emphasised the need for Casement Park to be rebuilt, linking its closure to a drop in standards and participation in Belfast, especially at underage level. They recalled how young players once had the privilege of playing at Casement Park’s main pitch.

Tickets for the event are free but must be claimed in advance via the Antrim GAA website.