Excitement as Tristar prepare to celebrate 50th year at Derry's St Patrick’s Day parade: 'It will mean the world to the kids'

Jon Clifford ‘s Tristar FC are an integral part of the fabric of local football and the club have experienced exponential growth in recent years that has seen their numbers swell to over 500 members.

When Jon ‘Ugg’ Clifford started fielding boys teams in Bull Park in 1974, his main aim was to “create an environment where all kids, of all abilities, get the chance to play the game.”

As the club prepares to celebrate their 50th anniversary with a year long programme of events, including an appearance in this year’s St Patrick’s Day Spring Carnival parade, the club’s scale may have changed, but the ethos their founder instilled remains the same.

“Big Ugg was all about the kids, if they were happy he was happy. He would have loved to see them parade through the town on St Patrick’s Day,” acknowledged Club Chairman Shaun Condren.

“To get the opportunity to do this in our 50th year is very poignant for us. We aren’t just celebrating Tristar but the history of the club and the legacy of Ugg.

“The Foyle Cup parade has always been one of the highlights of the year for the club, the kids love the noise and the colour and it will mean the world to them to parade in front of crowd of tens of thousands of people on St Patrick’s Day.”

Tristar has 470 children registered at the club, 130 of whom are girls. Including coaches and committee members, the soaring number passes 500.

“The growth of the club has been unbelievable,” Shaun acknowledged. “After the pandemic people couldn’t wait to get back together outdoors and we saw a huge influx in numbers.

“We’ve seen a particular increase in the number of girls at the club, before Covid we had around 30 girls but that number has risen to over 130 since which is a 400 per cent increase.

“Ugg passed away in 2011, no one will ever fill his shoes, but he is still with us. Every time the committee make a decision we say, ‘What would Ugg have done?’

“Most of the kids at the club wouldn’t have known him but they all know who he was. Without him, the club wouldn’t be here."

Whilst the club has enjoyed its fair share of success over the years, participation and offering football for all levels of ability has always been at their core:

“Everyone likes to win but the most important aspect is that the kids are getting outdoors and benefitting from the health benefits of regular exercise and socialising with their friends,” Shaun explains.

Derry city will come alive this St Patrick’s Day with an action packed programme of music, dance, food and folklore.

The ‘Out of the Darkness Into the Light’ themed event will celebrate the arrival of spring with entertainment and activity planned for Guildhall Square, the Peace Garden and the Craft Village.

The North West Carnival Initiative’s Spring Carnival Parade will feature performances from local dance groups, sports clubs and community organisations.

It starts at Bishop Street at 3pm with entertainment from 1pm to 6pm.

Access the programme now at derrystrabane.com/springcarnival.