Kilmacud Crokes-A Short History of the Club
Kilmacud Crokes came into existence in 1966 with the merger of Kilmacud Football and Hurling Club and Crokes Hurling Club. The Kilmacud Club had been founded at a meeting in St. Lawrence’s Hall on 12th February 1959. Micheal de Burca proposed and Sean McMahon seconded a resolution “that a GAA club be formed in the Parish of Kilmacud and Mount Merrion.” This was passed unanimously. The name of the club was proposed and seconded and passed unanimously and a majority on a show of hands chose the colour of the jersey. A collection was made at the meeting on the basis of one shilling per person and the sum realised was £3.60!
Although competing mainly at under age level, the club, in 1963 decided to purchase a 6.5-acre site at Linden Lea (Pairc de Burca). They became owners of the land on 4th May 1964 and Glenalbyn House was purchased in 1965 and opened in June 1966. Crokes Hurling Club, which had been established since 1904 in the vicinity of Croke Park, amalgamated with the Kilmacud Club in 1966 and thus Kilmacud Crokes was established. The County Senior Hurling Championship was won by the club in 1966. Benburbs Football club joined with Kilmacud Crokes in 1972 and senior football status came to the club in 1978 with the winning of the Intermediate Championship.
Camogie had flourished during the early years of Crokes and was revived in Kilmacud in October 1973. The All Ireland Sevens also began in 1973 and has gone from strength to strength. Coiste Na nOg was established in early 1974, which was a committee to look after the development of hurling and football for young boys and to involve the parents in Kilmacud and the surrounding areas. In 1981 the club purchased land in Leopardstown and developed it for playing pitches – our Silverpark grounds. 1996 saw the opening of our West Wing development in Glenalbyn House and the establishment of the Ladies Football section in the club.
Today, the club fields more than 85 teams in hurling, football, camogie and ladies football. The
Camogie section fields 12 teams, 2 at adult level, and 10 at juvenile level. In addition to the players playing in leagues, there are hundreds more boys and girls at beginner’s level in all disciplines, who train every Saturday morning. Each section is organised by a committee of their own members and the mechanics of the club as a whole is organised by an executive committee with representatives from each of the various sections. Senior Hurling Championships were won in 1966, 1974, 1976 and 1985. Senior Football Championships were won in 1992, 1994 and 1998. In 1995 and this year 2009 Kilmacud Crokes were the All Ireland Club Football Champions.
The Club is a major presence in the parishes of Kilmacud and Mount Merrion, as was the intention of its founding fathers. The members are proud to be associated with it.