Kildangan GAA (Kildare)

Kildangan

Cill Daingin
Founded:	1925
County:	Kildare
Nickname:	The Greens
Club colours:	Green with a yellow hoop
Grounds:	More O'Ferrall Park, Kildangan Stud
Coordinates:	53°06′02″N 7°00′08″W / 53.10044°N 7.00234°W / 53.10044; -7.00234 (Kildangan GAA)Coordinates: 53°06′02″N 7°00′08″W / 53.10044°N 7.00234°W / 53.10044; -7.00234 (Kildangan GAA)
Playing kits
Standard colours

Kildangan GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Kildangan, County Kildare, Ireland, not to be confused with the similarly named Kildangan GAA, based in County Tipperary. The main activity in the club is Gaelic football.

History

At the turn of the century a football team known as the Charles J Kickhams existed in Riverstown, playing their games in a field opposite John "Shirty" Sextons house. The present Kildangan GAA club was founded in 1925 and appeared in the 1925 Junior League Final against Two Mile House. No result of that match has been found. Kildangan had their first success when they won the Junior league in 1930. Their next appearance in a league final was in 1931, where after two replays, they were beaten by Straffan on a scoreline of 1-5 to 0-4. Kildangan made amends by winning the following years competition. Kildangan also had appearances in league finals in 1946 and 1952.

Kildangan played their first championship final in 1936, where they were beaten by Celbridge, who scored 3-6 to Kildangans 1-2 In 1942 Kildangan beat Cappagh in the final of the Junior Championship, played on Nov 1st in Newbridge. The team which won this championship was as follows:- John(Shirty) Sexton, George Sexton, Jack Sexton, Eamonn Lawlor, Paddy Behan, Tommy Berns, Michael Ryan, Hal Conway, Jimmy Behan, John Joe Martin, Joseph Conlan, Tommy Behan, John Merrins, Bill Broderick, Michael O'Sullivan and Thomas Curran.

The winners were 1 point behind in the last minute when a goal by Midfielder Hal Conway secured victory. The previous year in 1941 they had been beaten in the final by Ardclough and in 1943 they reached the Intermediate Final also against Ardclough. The score in the final was Ardclough 2-12 Kildangan 1-3, the game was played in front of a record attendance of 1658 spectators in Newbridge.

The following years were somewhat barren, and the club ceased to exist in the 1960s. Most of this can be attributed to high unemployment and an exodus of some of the more gifted players, such as Paddy and Eddie O'Loughlin to Round Towers.

The club was relaunched in 1970, some players from this era were John Casey, Noel Forde, Ollie Hickey, Eamon Foley, Willie Dunne, Paddy White, Pat Kelly and the Lawless brothers Jimmy and Aiden. This team contested a Junior Championship final against Robertstown in 1980, in which Kildangan were narrowly beaten. Following this final the club once again folded due to a lack of players. However the underage scene remained active and many Kildangan underage players played on a joint Kildangan Nurney team.

Reemergence

The situation improved with the arrival of the Celtic Tiger and the Club was re-established in 2001, mainly with players from surrounding clubs, many of whom had come up through the Nurney underage amalgamation and also, migrants to the area. Success followed rapidly and Kildangan won the Junior league in 2003. 2004 brought even more success, and Kildangan won the Junior league and then had a win over Sarsfields in the Junior C final, on a scoreline of 0-14 to 0-10.

2005 again saw Kildangan contest the Junior B final, against Caragh where they were beaten narrowly.

In 2008 Kildangan won the Division 5 league title by beating Suncroft in the final.

Kildangan GAA has placed a major emphasis on underage coaching since its re-establishment and the club now has a thriving underage section, with both boys and girls playing at in all underage categories up to minor. In 2007, a ladies football club, Kildangan Nurney was established with players from Kildangan and Nurney. In 2010, Kildangan and Athgarvan also amalgamated for the U13 to U16 age groups for boys, under the name Cú Chulainn Gaels.

In early 2009 Kildangan GAA moved to a new location, complete with dressing rooms and clubhouse. Named More O'Ferrall park, the new grounds were officially opened by Leinster Council Chairman Seamus Howlin on 21 May 2010.

Kildangan was also awarded Kildare's Club of the Year in November 2010.

Players

Full back Jack Sexton represented Kildare at Senior Level in 1936-37 as did goalkeeper John (Shirty) Sexton around this time. Shirty actually played in the Railway Cup for Leinster around 1937, playing against Munster in Portlaoise.

Other Kildangan stalwarts were Paddy and Eddie O'Loughlin, Sean Duffy, Bill Broderick, The Connell brothers Martin and Sean, Mick Maher, who went on to play Inter-County for Westmeath, Joe Conlan and Jimmy Mullaly.

Former association football player Sean Francis currently plays for Kildangan. Francis, who had played association football for Birmingham City, Cobh Ramblers, Shamrock Rovers and Longford Town, as well as having been assistant manager to Waterford United until May 2008, made his Gaelic football début as a substitute in the 2005 Junior B Championship Final against Caragh. In 2006, he received the club's 'Footballer of the Year' award.

Honours

• 1930-Junior League
• 1932-Junior League
• 1942-Junior Championship
• 2003-Junior C League Champions
• 2004-Junior B League Champions
• 2004-Junior C Champions
• 2005-Junior B Finalists-Defeated by Caragh
• 2008-Division 5 League Champions

Bibliography

• Kildare GAA: A Centenary History, by Eoghan Corry, CLG Chill Dara, 1984, ISBN 0-9509370-0-2 hb ISBN 0-9509370-1-0 pb

External links

• Kildangan GAA Website
• Kildare GAA site
• Kildare GAA club sites
• Kildare on Hoganstand.com