Kilmacanogue GAA Club and the Community
Since the club has been founded, it has always been an important part of the community. During the early years it depended solely on the goodwill of the local community for playing fields and for training. When the club decided to pursue the intention of securing its own football field, it was backed by the local community.
When the area for the pitch was agreed, the local contractors gave of their time willingly. Following the opening of the pitch in 1979, the club always facilitated all the different organisations, the use of the pitch. Again, when the dressing rooms where being built, it was the local community who showed there willingness to help. Later, when the Facilities at the pitch were upgraded and a Basketball court was added, the favour was returned and the community had access to the basketball court.
The juvenile section of the club caters for all the children of the parish. This has been a great asset of the club. From a young age, the children who come together at training and activities get a sense of involvement in a community and learn the values of being part of the local community.
In 2009, the club celebrated 125 years of the GAA, the GAA itself being a larger community. For the festivity, the club organised a field day up on the pitch which not only catered for members of the GAA and members of the club, but catered for the entire community. The day gave a real insight into the fabric of the community and community spirit which is vital for any organisation to survive and thrive. The wish of the club is for this to continue.
Another tangent that the club can draw with the local community is through our interaction and involvement with the local National School. This involvement ensures that the children of the community are taught the skills of our games. The school play all of their matches on the Kilmacanogue GAA pitch. It is members of the club and community who give their time to set up the pitch for these matches.
It is a testament to the GAA that as an amateur organisation, it maintains its prowess as being one of the finest and most successful organisations in Ireland. It is the GAA’s amateur status that enables clubs like ours to thrive. It’s pretty simple to sum up.
The community is Kilmacanogue GAA Club, for without the community, our club our club would not exist.
A Look At The Past
In 1889 Kilmacanogue formed its first team as far as can be ascertained and was known as Kilmacanogue Sarsfields. In the Championship of that year they played Bray O’Byrnes in the Northern division. The result of the match was not conclusive and both teams turned up to play Annacurra in Glenealy in the next round. It was written that Kilmacanogue issued a challenge to Bray O’Byrnes, which was accepted. This challenge had nothing to do with football and ended up with both sides appearing in the dock of Rathdrum Court the next day. It is understood that a fine of £1 was imposed on the offenders. Bray O’Byrnes was so depleted that Annacurra easily beat them in the resulting decider on the same day. Unfortunately this team did not last long and broke up at the time of the Parnell Split.
At the turn of the century, it would appear that the Club did not take part in any organised League or Championships but friendly games took place between different townlands within the Parish. In 1927, it is understood that the Kilmacanogue Sarlfields were re-formed, headquarters being Brady’s Dirty Hollow field which at that time was owned by Mrs. Connolly. The goalposts were procured in a very dubious fashion, in Chelsea Wood on the Little Sugarloaf, having been earmarked in daylight and cut down by moonlight. They were carried shoulder high by twelve men, two per pole, down the hill, across the fields and road to be erected triumphantly in the Dirty Hallow. The Dirty Hallow was used for practising and Whyte’s Bharr na Grois was used for matches only. Their greatest triumph was when they travelled to the goosebank in Kilcoole to play the local Senior Team who were then County Champions. The win was considered a major feat for a Junior Team at the time.
In the 1930s the economic war played a major part in the disbanding of the team but in the latter part of that decade Bart Fitzsimon and Pat Whyte were instrumental in revitalising it and the team became a great force in Wicklow football. The successful period began with the winning of the North District Junior Championship in 1942 and ended in 1949 with a defeat at the hands of Annacurra in the Intermediate Championship semi-final. After the North Junior Championship win of 1942, the Club went on to capture its first major trophy, when in 1945 they took the coveted Schweppes Cup back to the village. At that time the Schweppes Cup was played on a straight league basis. After a full programme of matches played on a home and away scale, Kilmac’ and Greystones were deadlocked at the top of the table on equal points and thereby forcing a play-off to decide the honours.
The venue for the game was Emmet Part and practically the whole village of Kilmac’ turned out to cheer on the team. As the record shows, this was an exciting and hectic game with passages of brilliant football by both teams, and Kilmac’ emerged winners of the duel. The men who wore the green and gold on this historic day were Peadar Woods, Joe Harvey, Ben Collins, Bunty Griffin, Tommy Byrne, Larry Brady, Paddy Kelly, Charlie Kelly, Ambrose Stephens, Christy Keenan, Michael Doyle, John Doyle, Patsy Whyte, Dennis Donnelly, Charlie Faulkner and Kevin O’Brien. In 1947 the nucleus of this team won the county Junior Championship in Aughrim by defeating Ballymoney by the score of 4-1 to 1-8. Captain of the village team on the day was Peadar Woods.
In the latter part of the 1950s another very successful team was emerging. In 1955 the club won the North District 
Junior Championship and went on to represent the North in the County Junior Championships. This feat was again repeated in 1956 and 1957. In the 1957 season the team was successful in winning through to the Schweppes Cup Final for the second time. The game was played against arch rivals Kilcoole and ended in a draw. It was felt that Kilmac’ had lost their chance but instead on the day of the replay they again turned in a sparkling performance, winning by the smallest of margins, 2-5 to 2-4. The players who had the satisfaction of bringing honour to the village on this day were Jim Toomey, John and Noel Stephens, Paddy Kelly, Anthony, Ben and Paddy Mulligan, Noel Whelan, Ben Collins, Frank Kavanagh, Mick McDonagh, Jimmy Devlin, Tommy and Olly Donnelly, Ted Murray and Joe Howard. Th captain of the team was Paddy Mulligan. The following players were honoured to represent the Club as playing members of the Wicklow County team – Frank Kavanagh, Paddy and Ben Mulligan and Noel Stephens. The Schweppes Cup was won for the third time in 1959. At the closing of this decade, Kilmacanogue won the honour of participating in senior ranks for the first time in its history by winning the Intermediate County Football Championship at Aughrim, where they defeated Dunlavin by a comfortable margin. This was considered to be a first class team and capable of holding its own in senior ranks. Unfortunately the early 60s was a lean period due to the retirement of noted players such as Ben Collins, Mick McDonagh, Tony Mulligan, Noel Whelan, Jem Toomey, Ted Murray, etc., and the juvenile players had not as yet reached maturity. By 1964 the club was back in the junior ranks.
In 1966 the march to the Junior Championship Final was covered with success after success. After a clean sweep of all opposition in the North they won through to a semi-final date with Annacurra whom they succeeded in beating. They now met Strathford in the final in Aughrim. This was a very close encounter, played on a wet and heavy pitch. Kilmac’ emerged worthy victors by a margin of four points. The proud men on the day were Mick Whelan, Olly Donnelly, Noel Stephens, Paddy Mulligan, Jimmy Fagan, John Kennedy, Garry King, Mick Lawlor, Christy Devlin, Dermot Murphy, Ben Mulligan, Sean Murray, Jimmy Devlin, Johnny Callaghan, Andy Bourke, Sean Sutton, John Donnelly, Eddie and Des Fox, Peter O’Toole, Vinny Brady and Des Barney.
In 1967 for the first time in its history the team went to the semi-final of the County Senior Football Championship. In the first round they defeated Kilcoole in what was a magnificent game. This was the first time for many years that Kilcoole had failed to clear the initial hurdle in this competition. In the quarter-final they played St. Patricks, who were the beaten finalists the previous year. This was a hard-fought, tough encounter but again the Sugarloaf men emerged victorious. Newtown supplied the opposition in the semi-final in Aughrim and the result was a convincing win for Newtown. A big set back to the club was the selling for development in 1968 of “Bharr na Grios”. This had a major impact on the club as no ground in the vicinity of the village could be obtained.
The club entered the 1970s more in hope than expectation, due to the fact that a number of their experienced players were retiring and others were approaching the autumn of their playing careers. Regrading to Intermediate status took place in 1975. The club reached its lowest ebb during 1977 as only two wins were recorded for the full 1977 season. In order to halt the decline it was decided to seek Junior status and to put in a greater effort and commitment during the next season.
A steady improvement in standards was noticed and the latter end of 1978 showed a tremendous number of victories chalked up culminating with the winning of the Junior League for the first time in the club’s history and the Schweppes Cup for the sixth time, and the Wicklow People Cup for the first time. The following players shared in bringing these honours to the village: – Joe Howard, Philip Mulligan, Mick Lawlor, George King, Gerry Blackbyrne, Christy King, Gerry Gorman, John Devlin, Sean Sutton, Paddy King, Peter and Pat O’Toole, Johnny Fox, Edmond Mulligan, Billy Burke, Aidan Mullery, Fergus Nolan, Dermot Murphy, Brian Morgan, Sean Ryder, Gay Lawless, Seamus Conroy, Henry King, Vincent King, Garry King, Joe Cullen and Des Fox.
