On Friday 2nd February St. Mary’s Aghagallon lost one of its greatest gaels, John McStravick a founding member, Trustee, the first Chairperson of the club and filled many other roles in the club.
A successful Aghagallon U15 team had travelled to Gormanstown in 1982 as Antrim Champions. The success of this team lead to discussions about uniting the Parish clubs, the Dalcassian’s, Mitchel’s, Shamrock’s and St Patrick’s which had existed in the Parish as a means to bringing greater success.
John McStravick, a Mitchel, along with Arthur Loughran, a Dalcassian led those discussions recognising that the future strength of the GAA in the Parish would be better served by the one club.
At a General Meeting on 12th December 1982 the Gaels of Aghagallon took that leap of faith and St. Mary’s were formed. John stepped up as Chairperson, with Arthur, Vice-Chair, James Nelson, Secretary, Angelo Hannon, Treasurer and a Committee consisting of Gerard McStravick, Brendan Campbell, Gabby Lavery, Eugene Lavery & Ivan Lavery.
Without grounds to play on John, Arthur and the committee through tireless fundraising were successful in acquiring a the 9 Acre site on the Colane Road which became our home.
John, along with other members looked after a number of the underage teams during those early years. Those players would come through to the Senior Team of 1988 which claimed the club’s first silverware winning the Irish News Cup, the South West Junior Championship, which was repeated the following year. John, along with Patsy McStravick managed that team which also won the All County Division 3 title in 1989.
In 1988, John stepped down as Chairman but took on the role of Secretary. He continued to have a huge impact on St Mary’s and was instrumental in establishing the club lotto. A novel fundraising venture at the time which was to turn into the bedrock of the club’s fundraising effors to the present day.
As St. Mary’s continued to grow John watched with satisfaction and with immense pride in the clubs progression from those early days, particularly the Intermediate Championship wins in 2003,2012 & 2016, U21 Championship win in 2016, Minor Championship win in 2021 and the first appearances in the Senior Championship Finals of 2021 & 2022, successes which were beyond John’s wildest dreams in 1982.
In every GAA club there are a few whose contribution is felt for years and decades in the future. John McStravick will remembered in St. Mary’s as one such man.
The club passes on its condolences to his wife Kathleen and children Pauline, Joan, Ursula, Oonagh, Roisin, John & Conor.

John’s funeral is on Monday 5th February at 11.15am from his son John’s home 11B Derryclone Road BT67 0BN to St Patrick’s Church Aghagallon for 12noon Requiem Mass. Burial afterwards in adjoining cemetery.