Kilcock GAA

History

Kilcock GAA began life as Kilcock O’Connell’s and were one of the strongest early GAA clubs in Kildare. Christy Rochfort was a prominent footballer and referee of the early years. Six Kilcock men have won All Ireland Senior Football Championships with Kildare(1905,1919).

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

The 1950s was a glorious decade for Kilcock. Winning the Junior A and overall Junior championship of 1950, the club won promotion to the senior ranks 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. Kilcock last won the Kildare Senior Football Championship in 1958 when they defeated Round Towers GAA (Kildare) on a scoreline of 3-12 to 3-8. On each occasion the Kilcock team were welcomed home to the Fair Green in the village where it is said that the porter flowed uninterrupted for days on end and the bonfires burned long into the night.

Unfortunately however our success would not last and the 1960s saw Kilcock decline as a senior power. Relegation to intermediate level in 1968 was a blow to the club however our spell at intermediate level was short lived as the club went on to win the Intermediate Championship in 1969.

In 1970 a major decision was made which saw the formal unification of Kilcock and Cappagh GAA as a senior team. As both clubs come from the same parish and often pull players from the same areas it was felt that such an amalgamation would benefit all within the parish of Kilcock & Newtown. However this amalgamation did not last long and when Cappagh acquired their own field in Ballyvoneen in May 1971, both clubs went their separate ways. After the break up, Kilcock were re-graded to Junior A and football was to languish in the doldrums for the rest of the decade.

1970s was largely a forgettable period for the club, the highlight being a Junior B championship final appearance in 1979. Also in 1979, the club moved from the Bawnog to Branganstown. After nearly 90 years playing at the Bawnog there was much sadness after the club played its final game there however the opportunity to play on better land in Branganstown was too good an opportunity to turn down.

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. Kilcock competed at senior level for 18 years before finally in 2000 making a major breakthrough as we made it to the SFC Final where unfortunately we came off second best against Round Towers GAA (Kildare). 2003 was another good year for the club as the Senior footballers captured the SFL Division 1 title. That year we also reached the SFC final again where we lost to a Cian O'Neill inspired Moorefield GAA.

The recession hit the town of Kilcock hard and between 2009 and 2011 there was a mass exodus of footballers from the club. This, combined with a number of years where underage success was a rarity led to Kilcock being relegated back to Intermediate level in 2011. Since 2010 massive work has been put in at underage level where Kilcock have won numerous leagues and championships across many age groups. It is hoped that it won't be too long until Kilcock is back at the top table of Kildare football.

Honors

Davy Dalton Sr was captain of the Kildare team who won the 1956 Leinster Championship. He was joined on that team by Larry McCormack, Paddy Gibbons and Noel Moran. Larry McCormack captained the Leinster Railway Cup Team in 1957. He also went on to play for Ireland in the same year against a Combined Universities team. He lined out at centre half forward that day. Davy Dalton Sr was chosen on the Kildare football team of the millennium and his son Davy Dalton Jr won an All Stars Award winner in 1997.

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)

Roll of Honour

1914,1917,1955,1957,1958

1953,2003

1938,1969,1982

1937, 1950

1999

Kildare Intermediate Football League: 1950,1982

Kildare Junior B Football Championship: 1981

Kildare Junior C Football Championship: 1981

Aldridge Cup: 2006

Jack Higgins Cup: 1981

Kildare U21 Football Division 2 Championship: 2015

Kildare Minor Football Division 1 Championship: 1995

Kildare Minor Football Division 1 League: 1956, 2016

Kildare Minor Football Division 2 Championship: 2011

Kildare Minor Football Division 2 League: 1980,1981

Kildare Under 16 Football Division 1 Championship: 2010

Kildare Under 14 Football Division 1 Championship: 2002,2012

Kildare Under 13 Football Division 2 Championship: 1975,1982,1985

Kildare Under 11 Football Division 2 Championship: 1977,1984,1985

Kildare Under 10 Football Division 2 Championship: 1983

Kildare Under 9 Football Division 1 League: 2000

Current Officers

• Cathaoirleach (Chairperson) - Brendan Macken

• Rúnaí (Secretary) - Ciara McNickle

• Cisteoir (Treasurer) - Peter Divilly

• Leas-Cathaoirleach ( Vice Chairperson) - Liam Eves

• Leas Cisteoir (Assistant Treasurer) - Tom Doherty

• Public Relations Officer - Mark Durkan

• Club Delegates - Brian Connaughton, Michael McGinley

• Intermediate Football manager - Willie Hughes

• Reserve B Football manager - Tom Durkan

• Intermediate A Hurling manager: Andy Quinn

• Ladies Junior football manager: Martin Maguire