Kildare to look to Croke Park for support for hurling in 2026

As Kildare senior hurlers face into Division 1B of the Allianz League and the Leinster Senior Hurling championship for 2026 County Board Chairman, Mick Mullen, says the county will look to Croke Park for support to assist in these big ventures.

Following Kildare’s exit from the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship at the hands of Dublin senior hurling manager, Brian Dowling said that he would have to speak to the County Board in relation to the resources required to meet the challenges his team will face in the New Year.

Speaking to The Kildare Nationalist on the subject Mullen said:

“We will be looking for support from Croke Park as they have supported counties that are evolving in terms of hurling in the past and we're hoping that we will get some assistance on that front.” 

Although a fundraiser organised by the hurlers themselves in Cedral St Conleth’s Park for Friday night 4 July has been rescheduled to another date, the Chairman confirmed that the hurlers are “helping themselves as well."

"We have Corporate Club Kildare and there are opportunities for people to come along and help to finance them and help them along the way. They're coming up with things themselves. They have a signed picture being rolled out and hopefully they can sell a few of them, maybe to the clubs, to the bars in the towns,” he explained.

“So, they're already thinking about what they need to do for finance to meet their aspirations and for us to match them. Hopefully we can and that have the finances to do that,” Mr Mullen added.

Acclaiming Kildare hurlers success and looking ahead to the future the Chairman added, “The question now is what happens next? Even in this short period discussions are ongoing at the moment on how are we going to do it, what do we need to put in place?

Continuing Mr Mullen said: 

“I mean, you could see, obviously, the difference between Dublin and Kildare that day in Cedral St Conleth’s but I don't think it was a fair reflection on the lads. The six-day turnaround didn’t do well for lads. They had to be given an opportunity to celebrate. Wins don't come around often and they have to celebrate them and it's important that they celebrate them because there are more losses than wins.”

Speaking of Kildare GAA’s healthy financial position at the moment the Chairman said:

“We're in a good place in Kildare GAA at the moment. Cedral St Conleth’s Park is well on the way but again, we still have money to prepay on that. We have money to pay in Manguard Park to look at trying to develop it more because, obviously, the pressure is on it for training and facilities for all ladies football, camogie and all the men's teams.” 

Paying tribute to the volunteers in Kildare GAA Mick Mullen said:

“It takes a lot of people to run a big show like this. There are 180 volunteers on different Committees within the county and each one of them all play a key part in doing things, from the fellow who opens the gate to the fellow who referees, to the fellow that commentates on the matches, to the newspapers. There are so many people in Kildare GAA that put so much time into making Kildare GAA what it is. I want it to grow and I want to be better than where we were. But look, we're not in a bad place but the secret is to try and move it on to the next stage,” he concluded.