Northwest Vipers
| Founded | 2014 |
|---|---|
| League | American Football Ireland (Division 1) |
| Based in | Derry and County Donegal |
| Stadium | City of Derry RFC, Judges Road, Derry |
| President | Dan Danowski[1] |
| Website | northwestvipers |
The Northwest Vipers are an American football club based across Derry, Northern Ireland, and County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. The club competes in Division 1 of American Football Ireland (AFI) and plays its home games at City of Derry RFC.
History
The club was founded in 2014 by Cathal Curran as the Donegal/Derry Vipers, a cross-border team drawing players from both sides of the Donegal–Derry border.[2] The team was promoted to the AFI's second tier (then known as IAFA1) in 2017.[3]
For its first several years, the club lacked a permanent home ground, playing at venues including Letterkenny, Limavady Rugby Club, the Vale Centre in Greysteel, Lisnagelvin, and Prehen Playing Fields.[2] In 2022, the club settled at City of Derry RFC's grounds on Judges Road after an agreement with City of Derry Rugby Club.[2]
The 2021 season was cancelled, but the club continued to develop, hosting and winning the Donaghy Group Invitational Cup.[4] In 2024, the club rebranded from Donegal/Derry Vipers to Northwest Vipers, reflecting its ambition to represent the wider northwest region.[4]
In 2026, the Vipers reached their first Harp Bowl final, defeating West Dublin Rhinos 23–21 in the semi-final.[5] The club lost the final 60–6 to South Dublin Panthers at Dubarry Park on 18 July 2026.[6]
References
- ↑ "Northwest Vipers". American Football Ireland. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- 1 2 3 "American Football nomads 'The Vipers' find new home to nest". Derry Journal. 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ "Vipers' eyes on cup prize". Invest Derry Strabane. 2021-07-05. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- 1 2 "About". Northwest Vipers. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ "History beckons for Northwest Vipers - Harp Bowl Final Preview with Donegal's Cathal Curran & Mike Naulty". Highland Radio. 2026-07-16. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
- ↑ "The South Dublin Panthers are Harp Bowl XI Champions!". American Football Ireland. 2026-07-18. Retrieved 2026-07-25.