In 1988 a group of people of Streedagh, Grange and North Sligo launched a booklet The Spanish Armada 1588 – The Journey of Francisco De Cuéllar Sligo to the Causeway Coast to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of the Armada Campaign. 

However, the history of GADA is long there were breaks in the work. The association is working continuously since 2011. For GADA worked lots of enthusiasts over the years. Most of them are still engaged like Declan Bruen, Donal Gilroy, Tom Haran, Marie Casserly, Tom Hayes, Seamus Connolly, Peter Farrell, my parents Dagmara and Przemek Raiwa and Eddie O’Gorman, who is the chairman. Every year new members join the association, also many of Grange people support it projects. 

GADA accomplished many projects. Biggest of them are Armada Visitor Centre in Grange Courthouse, De Cuéllar Trail, Murals in the village, Straw Boats, the booklet in Spanish, English and Irish and lots of other projects. 

The Remembering of Armada is one of the traditions of GADA. It takes place on Streedagh Beach in September each year. The ceremony honours the lives of 1100 Spanish soldiers lost here in 1588 and gathers people from Ireland and Spain together. Among them are representatives of Spanish and Irish navy, Spanish Ambassador and many local people. 

GADA received a number of awards. The most important is The Plaque of the Order of Isabel la Católica. The association received also the letter from King Philip VI. This month Eddie O’Gorman is going to Spain to collect the Pergamino Award. 

The association is working on many projects. One of them is developing the wreck sites on Streedagh Beach. Also GADA is making afford to build up a friendship with people in Spain with the help of the Spanish ambassador. Another project is to make a maritime museum here in Grange. 

(The article is based on the interview with Eddie O’Gorman, the chairman of GADA)