[citation needed] The first officially formed Gaelic football club in Craigbane was Lamh Dearg, which was established in 1934.

The present club, St Joseph's GAC Craigbane came into existence in 1972 under the leadership of Gerry Crossan.

St. Joseph's were runners up to Drum in the 1973 Derry Junior Football Championship and won Division 4 the following year.

In 1983 Eddie McElhinney became the first Craigbane player to win an All-Ireland medal went he was Gaelic football and Hurling positions#Center Half Forward on the Derry minor side that won the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship against Cork.

1986 was a successful year where they won the Derry Intermediate Football Championship and the Dr Kerlin Cup, beating An Lúb and Faughanvale in the respective finals.

[1] The following year Craigbane became the first ever Derry club to retain the Intermediate Championship when they beat Claudy after a replay.

They went on to win the 2001 Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship, their greatest success to date,[1] defeating Inniskeen of Monaghan in the final.