Cockhill Celtic Football Club is an Irish association football (soccer) club based in Buncrana, County Donegal. The club's senior men's team competes in the FAI National League, the third tier of the Republic of Ireland football league system. The club also fields teams in the regional Inishowen Football League.
The club qualified for the FAI Cup in 2014. In December 2025, Cockhill Celtic were announced as one of the 15 teams that would participate in the FAI National League's inaugural season.
History Cockhill Celtic Youth and Football Club was founded on 28 October 1970 as Westbrook Celtic by a group of men — which included Michael Doherty and Joe McLaughlin — who played football in Buncrana. The club originally played their matches on a pitch called Coneyburrow, on the Castle Grounds in Buncrana, while they competed in both the Derry & District Football League (D&D League) and the Inishowen Football League. They moved to Cockhill and became 'Cockhill Celtic' in 1974, and moved into the Inishowen Football League. They remained there until 2005, when the club transferred to the Ulster Senior League.
After the 1984–85 season, the club decided to apply to the Ulster Senior League. In 1989, the association football club amalgamated with the local youth club to become collectively known as 'Cockhill Celtic Youth and Football Club'.
The club qualified for the FAI Cup in 2014.
Gavin Cullen was appointed manager in June 2015, replacing Donal O'Brien. The former Finn Harps goalkeeper initially took over as player-manager, having previously managed the youth side.
In April 2024, Cockhill became champions of the Inishowen Football League Premier Division after defeating Greencastle 2–0. The club won the league title again in 2025–26.
In December 2025, with the addition of the FAI National League—the third national tier—Cockhill Celtic was announced as one of the 15 teams participating in the inaugural 2026 season.
Squad National League squad
(captain)
Ground Cockhill Celtic play their home games at the Charlie O'Donnell Sports Grounds. The club's home ground is named after long-time chairman Charlie O'Donnell (chair from 1978 until his death in 2007). The ground seats 1,000 people and is located on Cockhill in Buncrana. The club also has two astroturf pitches.
In 2017, the club grounds suffered flood damage; they received €101,000 from a UEFA Natural Disaster Grant.
Honours Ulster Senior League (11): 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–2020, 2021–2022, 2022–2023 FAI Intermediate Cup (0): (runner-up in 2022–2023) FAI Junior Cup (1): 2023–2024 Ulster Senior League Cup (7): 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 Inishowen Football League (7): 1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1999–2000, 2004–05, 2023–2024, 2025–26
In culture The club are mentioned in Joseph O'Connor's novel Inishowen (2000).
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