Athy hurling revival rekindles proud tradition

THE recent announcement of the re-establishment of a hurling club in Athy prompted me to go through my GAA file to see what notes I had on Athy’s hurling clubs of the past.

The first reference to hurling I came across in Athy was a newspaper report of Athy hurlers losing to a Monasterevin team in 1890. Three years earlier, Daniel Whelan of Fontstown was noted as making hurleys for Athy GAA Club.

Athy Hurling Club’s first major success was in the 1928 county hurling final when Athy defeated Johnstown Bridge.

The following year Athy again contested the county final but had to concede defeat to the hurlers of McDonagh Barracks in the Curragh.

The only Athy club hurler who has been identified to me as playing in an All-Ireland hurling final was Joe Delaney who was on the 1934 Co Kildare junior hurling team which defeated Kilkenny in the Leinster Final before losing the All-Ireland Final to Dublin.

The 1930s marked the greatest success of Athy hurling club with a Kildare senior hurling championship win in 1936 and reaching the 1937 Final which they lost.

That same year Athy junior hurlers won the county junior championship, but only after lodging an objection to Kill hurlers who had defeated them on the playing field.

Athy club was to wait another 13 years before winning its next junior title in 1950.

The Athy Hurling Club was revived for a third time in 1957 under the guidance of John Dooley, a Kilkenny man then living in St Patrick’s Avenue.

The club won the 1958 junior championship and yet again resorted to an objection to be awarded the 1959 senior championship.

The club last contested a Senior Hurling Final in 1964 when defeated by Eire Óg.

Further success was achieved following another club revival in the 1980s.

Wins in the junior championship and junior league in 1988 followed minor hurling double wins in their championship and league which were followed by victory in the senior hurling league. The fourth and latest revival of hurling in Athy is now taking place under the club presidency of Eddie Lawler and that of its chairman, John McCauley.

The hurling panel is now engaged in training for the upcoming Kildare junior championship game to be played on Sunday against Round Towers.

The result of that game will be known before you can read this article. We wish them well.

Amongst my papers I found a newspaper report of November 1933 which briefly dealt with the history of Athy GAA club.

It referenced how older members remembered with pride the first tournament organised by the late Thomas Deegan, and which was held on Mr Anthony’s field at Rathstewart.

It described ‘what key rivalry was shown between the famous Monasterevin “fizzers” and the local team. Three contests were fought and it was only decided after the third game when the verdict went in favour of Athy who subsequently met Kellyville for the final and proved victors. Kellyville were a splendid type of men, but on the day they were unable to stem the fierce attacks of Athy, lead by their famous captain P. Lawler.’ The reference to Thomas Deegan may not be correct as reported in the newspaper as the club official may in fact have been T. Dignan of Athy who was county board chairman in 1888.

The playing venue then changed to a field near Ardreigh Cross.

A fine game was played here against Maryborough who were Leinster finalists at the time.

It would appear that the playing pitch, like the fortunes of the local club, varied.

Matches were held at one time at Mrs. Deanes, Clonmullin, then back to Rathstewart again, following which the pitch was relocated to the Showgrounds where the local club members displayed the colours of the famous Geraldines.

In 1906, Athy won the county junior football championship.

It was not until 1927 that the county board were financially in a position to provide medals to be presented to the winning Athy players of 21 years previously.

The Athy football club reached the county senior football final of 1923 which was played in 1924. Naas were the victors, with Athy being defeated without scoring.

I interviewed the last survivor of that Athy team, Tom Forestal, in 1989.

He mentioned to me that a photograph of the 1924 Athy team was given by team member Paddy Hayden, a native of Castledermot, to his sister who lived in Calverstown, Castledermot. I never traced that lady, and the historic photograph is yet to be seen.

The club is now identified as Athy GFC because of the loss of the hurling element for the last 15 or 16 years. The club’s proper name is Geraldine Hurling and Gaelic Football Club as set out in the club’s constitution drafted by Tadgh Brennan, solicitor in 1945.