Recent History-Kilmacud Crokes Camogie
Kilmacud Crokes Camogie was founded in October 1973 when John Dunleavy, Chairperson of the Hurling Section approached Eileen Hogan at the request of the hurlers and suggested that a meeting of interested persons be held.
The meeting showed a good deal of interest and enthusiasm and names of intending players were noted. It was decided to that two teams be registered and entered in the current leagues and so an Under 13 team and a Junior A team were registered to play in the Dublin Camogie leagues for 1973/74. The committee elected was as follows:
Chairperson and Registrar: Eileen Hogan
Secretary: Sheila Ni Chuirc
Treasurer: Pat Kennedy
Committee Members: Bunny Whelan, Cora Cregg, Anne Matthews, Phil Wall, Gay Harris and Catherine Lane.
Both teams did well in the league but it was the Under 13 team that took the honours by winning the Under13 Championship during their first season at play.
Since that time, Senior B, Senior C, Intermediate, Junior and Juvenile Leagues and Championships have been won. At adult level, we are fielding a Senior B team and an Intermediate team. Kilmacud Crokes Camogie Club is very active in promoting the sport amongst local children and presently has well over 250 children playing Camogie at juvenile level. We are fielding 10 juvenile teams at Under 9, 10, 11 , U12, U13, U14 and Under 16 levels. The club also encourages our transition year students to complete coaching courses and they coach in the local schools. Parental involvement at the juvenile level is crucial and we are fortunate in having very active, interested parents on board.
The Camogie Committee is made up of parents and players and this committee oversees the workings and the fund-raising for the Camogie section. The main fund raising event each year is the All Ireland Seven A Side competition. Expenditure during the season would include the purchase of jerseys, skirts, hurleys and sliotars, training equipment, entrance fees to competitions, payments to school coaches and the development of camogie in general.
ALL IRELAND CAMOGIE SEVEN A SIDE
In 1973, the Hurling and Football sections of the club held the inaugural All Ireland Seven A Sides on the eve of the respective All Ireland Finals. In May 1974, the Camogie section held their first All Ireland Camogie Sevens Tournament. It was held in May for the next 2 years until the late Padraig Purseil suggested that it be transferred to the eve of the Camogie All Irelands in September. And so it has been to now, 34years on.
In 1974, nineteen teams took part in the first Sevens and Buffers Alley took home the Proinnsias O’Croinan Memorial Cup. Proinnsias O’Cronan was the father of the Club’s Honorary President Eileen Hogan.
The competition is acknowledged as being one of the most exciting and important events in the Camogie Calendar. The Sevens form of the game emphasises good striking, maintenance of possession and score taking. The games are often high scoring and physically tough encounters with the latter stages of the tournament being as toughly contested as any championship final. Top players such as Angela and Ann Downey have played in the competition down through the years.
Top Intercounty referees such as Aine Derham, Biddy Phillips and Marion Graham return again and again to take charge of the matches. Top teams who have taken home the Cup include Buffers Alley and Rathnure of Wexford, St. Pauls of Kilkenny, Glen Rovers of Cork, Lisdowney of Kilkenny and St. Vincents of Dublin.
Sevens Saturday is now as much a part of the All Ireland weekend for many Camogie people as the trip to Croke Park. The day is about more than winning and losing. It about bringing likeminded people together for an “eve of the All Ireland” Camogie festival. It has become a focal point for conversation, celebrations, for memories and the great tales of the characters of the game. Old friends are greeted, new friends made, rivals are seen in a different light and the “craic” is great.
For Kilmacud Crokes, however, it is also our main fundraising event of the year. As you might well imagine, a competition of this size and prestige requires adequate funding to keep it running smoothly, to provide catering facilities, communications equipment, and of course our high quality bronze cast trophies for the winners. The competition is an accepted national event and growing in popularity every year, and with the assistance of an active sponsor, will in the near future stand equally among major club sporting events.