The Inishowen Football League (IOFL) is an amateur league for football clubs in the Inishowen peninsula of County Donegal, Ireland. There are four divisions, with a promotion and relegation system in operation. This four-division setup, introduced in 2026, replaced a three division structure that had been in place for ten years.
Its top division, the Premier Division, sits on the seventh level of the Republic of Ireland football league system.
The season runs from late August to May. The league is featured in much of Inishowen's media, such as the Inish Times and the Inishowen Independent.
The current champions are Cockhill Celtic who won the 2025–26 Premier Division season.
Cockhill Celtic first team have now been promoted to the newly formed third tier in the Irish football league system known as the FAI National League as of 2026.
History The Inishowen Football League was formed in 1988 with people representing their towns to play in small tournaments and the main league itself. Records of clubs achievements indicate that the league was up and running by the 1981–82 season, if not earlier. The league itself gave a founding date when celebrating its 50th anniversary, claiming the league began in 1970.
The Ulster Football Association passed a resolution in 2004 that defined the league's boundaries to be the same as the boundaries of the Inishowen Electoral Area. The rest of County Donegal falls under the jurisdiction of the Donegal League Organisation.
The Ulster Senior League folded after the conclusion of the 2022–23 season and the sole remaining Inishowen club, Cockhill Celtic, returned to junior football in the Inishowen league.
League pyramid Beginning with the 2025–26 season, the Inishowen Football League's promotion and relegation rules dictate that the team finishing bottom of the Premier Division is relegated to the First Division and the winners of the First Division are promoted in their place. Previously, there was a play-off match between the Premier and First Divisions but this was abolished for the 2025–26 season.
No club may have two teams participating in the Premier Division nor are reserve teams eligible for promotion to the Premier Division. If a reserve team wins the First Division, the runners-up are promoted in their stead. If the runners-up are also a reserve team, then there will be no promotion or relegation for that season. In 2023–24, a promotion relegation playoff was introduced between the Second Division runners-up and the team finishing second from bottom in the First Division.
County Level League(s) / division(s)1IOFL Premier Division 9 clubs – 0 or 1 relegation2IOFL First Division 9 clubs – 0 or 1 promotion, 1 or 2 relegations3IOFL Second Division 8 clubs – 1 or 2 promotions, 1 relegation4IOFL Third Division 8 clubs – 1 promotion
Clubs
Club Founded Team colours Ground Aileach F.C. 1993 Yellow & Blue Lakeside, Inch Road, Burnfoot Buncrana Hearts F.C. 1961 Blue Castle Park, Buncrana Carndonagh F.C. 1976 Red St. Patrick's Park, Carndonagh Carrowmena F.C. 1993 Red & Blue The Warren, Tremone, Carrowmenagh Clonmany Shamrocks F.C. 1951 White & Green Shamrock Park, Clonmany Cockhill Celtic F.C. 1970 Green & White Hoops Charlie O'Donnell Sports Grounds Culdaff F.C. 1972 White & Red Caratra Park, Culdaff Dunree United F.C. 1974 Black & Yellow St. Egney's Park, Glebe, Dunree Gleneely Colts F.C. 1980 Blue & Yellow Glenview Park, Gleneely Glengad United F.C. 1976 Yellow & Black The Crua, Glengad Greencastle F.C. 1986 Blue Chapel Lane, Ballybrack, Greencastle Illies Celtic F.C. 1977 Red Druminderry, Illies Moville Celtic F.C. 1904 Green & White Hoops Glencrow, Moville Quigley's Point Swifts F.C. 1970 Dark Blue School Field, Muff Rashenny F.C. 1976 Blue Trawbreaga Park,Isle of Doagh Redcastle United F.C. 1969 Red & Black Stripes Foyle Park, Tullyally, Redcastle Sea Rovers F.C.1931 Red & White Stripes Gortnamullin, Malin Head
League format The league is split up into four divisions. The Jackie Crossan Premier Division, the HML Plant Hire First Division, the Second Division & Third Division. The divisions function with a promotion-and-relegation system.
Teams for the 2026-27 season
Jackie Crossan Premier Division
Aileach Buncrana Hearts Carndonagh Clonmany Shamrocks Cockhill Celtic Youths Culdaff FC Greencastle Illies Celtic Quigleys Point Swifts
HML Plant Hire First Division
Aileach Reserves Buncrana Reserves Carn Youths Cockhill Celtic Reserves Dunree United Glengad United Moville Celtic Redcastle United Sea Rovers
Inishowen Engineering Second Division
Carrowmena Clonmany Reserves Cockhill Celtic Colts Culdaff Rovers Gleneely Colts Illies Celtic Reserves Quigleys Point Youths Rashenny
PD Plumbing Supplies Third Division
Aileach Youths Carndonagh Reserves Culdaff Reserves Dunree United Reserves Glengad Reserves Moville Reserves Rashenny Reserves Redcastle United Reserves
Honours Club Titles Cockhill Celtic 7 Clonmany Shamrocks 6 Redcastle United 4 Glengad United 4 Illies Celtic 3 Quigley's Point Swifts 3 Aileach 2 Greencastle 2 Buncrana Hearts 2 Carndonagh 1 Culdaff 1 Moville Celtic 1 Newtown 1
Premier League winners 2025–26 - Cockhill Celtic 2024–25 - Buncrana Hearts 2023–24 - Cockhill Celtic 2022–23 - Buncrana Hearts 2021-22 - Greencastle 2020-21 - NO SEASON 2019–20 - Aileach 2018–19 - Greencastle 2017–18 - Glengad United 2016–17 - Glengad United 2015–16 - Glengad United 2014–15 - Glengad United 2013–14 - Carndonagh 2012–13 - Clonmany Shamrocks 2011–12 - Aileach 2010–11 - Clonmany Shamrocks 2009–10 - Redcastle United 2008–09 - Redcastle United 2007–08 - Clonmany Shamrocks 2006–07 - Redcastle United 2005–06 - Redcastle United 2004–05 - Cockhill Celtic 2003–04 - Illies Celtic 2002–03 - Illies Celtic 2001–02 - Clonmany Shamrocks 2000–01 - Clonmany Shamrocks 1999–2000 - Cockhill Celtic 1998–99 - Culdaff 1997–98 - Moville Celtic 1996–97 - Quigley's Point Swifts 1995–96 - Newtown 1994–95 - Clonmany Shamrocks 1993–94 - Quigley's Point Swifts 1992–93 - Quigley's Point Swifts 1991–92 - Cockhill Celtic 1990–91 - Cockhill Celtic 1989–90 - Illies Celtic 1988–89 - Cockhill Celtic
Cup competitions Clubman Shirts League Cup This cup competition is fought out between the Premier League teams in a mini league and then knockout format. This competition begins prior to the start of the league and played out through the season.
Buncrana Credit Union Cup This cup competition is played between teams from the Premier and First Divisions in a knockout format only.
Hannon Greene Father O'Gara Cup The Father O'Gara Cup is renown and historic competition in the league. The format is every team from the First, Second & Third Divisions compete against one another in a knockout format. First teams and their reserve teams may compete against one another if they are drawn to play. Mainly it has been the First Division teams that make the final. The competition lasts all the way through the season and is very popular throughout the peninsula.
FAI Junior Cup Teams from the Premier and First Divisions can take part in the FAI Junior Cup, which features 600-plus teams from around the country. Teams who do well in the Jackie Crossan Premier are invited to compete against other clubs from around Ulster.
Players
The players of the league consist of many people from around Inishowen. Players are free to join whichever team they want before the season starts. Players cannot switch teams during the regular season unless they request a transfer from the league. There have been a lot of local people that have a reputation for playing in the league. Most of these people stay in the league after their playing careers and move on to management of a club.
Notable former players
Stephen McLaughlin
Football pitches Facilities for football matches in the league have changed in recent years. Many parks now include clubhouses with changing rooms and showers, and some clubs have added second pitches and floodlights. Aileach F.C. has developed dual-purpose pitches, changing facilities, and an indoor artificial training surface.
For cup finals, or any other tournament the league is involved with, Maginn Park is where these games are held. Maginn Park also serves as the headquarters of the Inishowen Football League. The Inishowen League plays all their league finals and representative games at the Buncrana venue, while the Inishowen Ladies League and the Youth & Schoolboys' League also host all their finals at the ground.
References
External links Inishowen Football League official website