Davis's Yeats Tavern Senior Hurling Championship

Club hurling in Connacht has a particular intensity to it, and Sligo’s senior championship is a fine example. The Davis’s Yeats Tavern Senior Hurling Championship runs from mid-July through to a county final in autumn, with seven clubs competing for one of the most competitive titles in the county’s GAA calendar. Hurling has a long history in Sligo - the championship itself dates to 1905 - and while the county operates below the top tier at Connacht level, the standard of club play and the passion in the stands is genuine. If you happen to be in Sligo on a weekend when a match is on, it is well worth going.

What to expect

Seven clubs contest the 2026 championship: Calry/St. Josephs, Coolera/Standhill, Easkey, Naomh Eoin, Naomh Molaise Gaels, Tourlestrane, and Western Gaels. Matches follow a group stage format before knockout semi-finals and a county final, typically held in October at the Sligo GAA Centre of Excellence. Easkey have dominated recent years, winning six consecutive titles from 2020 to 2025, with a keen rivalry against Naomh Eoin producing seven finals in a row. That rivalry gives this championship real narrative thread - whether Easkey’s run continues, or one of the other clubs breaks through, is a question that builds through the summer. Entry to club championship matches is free, so you can simply turn up and watch a game in its local setting, close to the pitch and the crowd.

Getting there

Sligo town is well connected by road and rail. The N4 runs directly from Dublin (about two and a half hours), and the N17 links from Galway. Irish Rail operates a daily service between Dublin Connolly and Sligo, with the journey taking around two hours forty minutes. Bus Eireann runs routes from Galway, Donegal, and Dublin. Championship matches are played at club grounds across the county - some in Sligo town, others in village grounds in Easkey, Tourlestrane, or Coolaney - so it is worth checking the specific fixture on the Sligo GAA website before travelling. Club grounds generally have roadside parking nearby.

While you’re in Sligo

Sligo is W.B. Yeats country, with Lough Gill, Benbulben, and Strandhill beach all within easy reach of the town. The Sligo county museum and the Model arts centre are both in the town centre and worth a look before or after a game. There is more to see in Sligo and across Co. Sligo.

Good to know

• Championship runs from mid-July through to the county final in autumn 2026
• Entry is free at all matches
• Matches are at various club grounds across Co. Sligo - check specific fixtures and venues at sligogaa.ie
• No booking required - pay nothing, just show up
• Club grounds are typically open-air with standing areas along the sideline