Kilcock GAA

Founded 1887

Co. Kildare

Club History

Football 

The first clubs to affiliate under GAA rules in Kildare were the existing athletic clubs at Monasterevin, Clane, Carbury and Kilcock. The Kilcock records date back to 1st May 1887 just 2½ years after the association was founded in Thurles. The club was originally called The Kilcock O'Connell's after the liberator Daniel O'Connell and the club colours chosen were Green and Gold. In 1888 Kilcock affiliated to the newly formed Kildare County Board for a fee of 10/- and played their games in the Banóg.

Kilcock won their first Senior Football Championship in 1914 beating Clane 1-4 to 0-4. Kilcock repeated this success in 1917 beating Kilcullen by 5-0 to 2-1.

In the 1920′s Ireland was in turmoil with the War of Independence, followed by the Civil War and interest in Gaelic games collapsed in the Kilcock area. This lack of interest continued up to 1930 when Kilcock entered a Junior team.

The 1950′s was a glorious decade for the Kilcock club. The won the Junior A and overall Junior championship of 1950 and the club went senior in 1953 and won the Leader Cup (Division One League) the same year. This was followed by Senior Football Championship titles in 1955, 1957 and 1958.

The 1960′s saw Kilcock decline as a senior power. They were re-graded to intermediate in 1969 and went on to win the Intermediate Championship that same year.

1970 saw the formal unification of Kilcock and Cappagh as a senior team but this marriage did not last long as divorce took place in May 1971 when Cappagh acquired their own playing field. Kilcock re-graded to Junior A in 1972 and football was to languish in the doldrums for the rest of the decade.

1979 was a historic year for the Kilcock GAA Club. The football team reached the Junior B final, the hurlers won the new Junior B competition and the camogie team won the Junior championship and league. The only sad note was the leaving of the clubgrounds of the Banóg after almost 100 years of activity for the new club grounds at Branganstown.

In 1981 the club was successful winning both Junior B and Junior C and defeated Naas to claim the Jack Higgins cup. In 1982 Kilcock won the Intermediate championship and from 1983 hence Kilcock have been a senior club their longest period ever. The senior team reached the County Senior finals of 2000 and 2003 and captured the Leader Cup (Division 1 League) in 2003.

Hurling

1903 saw the birth of hurling in Kilcock and it continued for the next 20 years with little success. Like football hurling ceased in the 1920′s but was revived in the 1930′s going under the name of Courtown for a number of years.

There is little mention of hurling in the club's history during the 1940′s and 1950′s but a strong revival took place in 1962 backboned by the O'Brien Family.

Kilcock went on to win their first Junior titles both championship and league in 1967. They were to go Senior for 2 or 3 years, their best achievement was to reach the semi final of 1968.

Hurling again struggled throughout the 1970′s and 1980′s but the trojan work put into keeping the game alive in the Juvenile sector bore fruit in 1993 when Kilcock won the Junior league and again in 1995 when they won the Junior championship.

Kilcock went on to win the Intermediate championship in 2000 but found it difficult to survive at senior level so reverted back to Intermediate which they won again in 2005 but again are finding it hard to make an impact at Senior level.

Kilcock won the Junior A Hurling Championship in 2010 under the management of Brendan McGlynn. The second team also won the Junior B Championship with a win over Ardclough in 2011.

In 2012 the Intermediate hurlers won their IHC 'B' against a strong St. Laurence's team in Hawkfield in Newbridge. The team was under the management of Celbridge man and Kildare U21 Hurling manager Noel McMahon.

Camogie

1933 saw the establishment of the first Camogie team in Kilcock and it played a number of challenge matches. The big breakthrough in Camogie came in 1979 winning both Junior championship and League. The Intermediate championship was won in 1980 but like the hurlers were unable to survive at Senior level so it disbanded in 1982.

In recent years Camogie has been rejuvenated within the club and now fields several teams.

Ladies Football

The first Ladies football team was formed in Kilcock in 1991. As there was no ladies football competitions in Kildare at the time the club was given permission to affiliate to Meath. In 1992 a Kildare County Board was formed and Kilcock was one of 3 teams affiliated. They went on to make history that year by becoming the first Senior champions in Kildare beating Eadestown on a score of 3-5 to 2-3.

Ladies football continues to be played within the club and in recent time a Juvenile section has been set up in the club with notable success.

Major Events in the Club History

1997: Davy Dalton Kilcock Clubman received a GAA All-Star.

2002: Opening of the Club's existing Clubhouse.

Eminent Members:

Fr, Jack McWey (R.I.P.), Club President 1977-1999
Davy Dalton., Kildare player 1982-1998. All-Star Winner 1997. Leinster Championship Winner 1998.

Notable Players

  • Tommy Kelly(1905 All Ireland Snr Football Championship winner)
  • Tom Crowley (1905 All Ireland Snr Football Championship winner)
  • James 'Ginger' Moran (1919 All Ireland Snr Football Championship winner)
  • Kit Flynn (1919 All Ireland Snr Football Championship winner)
  • Joe Connor (1919 All Ireland Snr Football Championship winner)
  • George Magan (1919 All Ireland Snr Football Championship winner)
  • Davy Dalton Sr (1956 Leinster Snr Football Championship winner)
  • Larry McCormack (1956 Leinster Snr Football Championship winner)
  • Paddy Gibbons (1956 Leinster Snr Football Championship winner)
  • Noel Moran (1956 Leinster Snr Football Championship winner)
  • Davy Dalton Jr (1998 Leinster Snr Football Championship winner)

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