A goalkeeper and a gentleman - Des Marron will be sorely missed around Clane and beyond

The former Clane and Kildare goalkeeper Des Marron, who passed away on Monday, aged 91, was a member of the famous Lilywhite senior football team that bridged a twenty-one year gap to win the Leinster Championship in 1956.

Marron was a 21 year old pharmaceutical student when he made his Kildare senior debut against holders Meath in the Leinster Quarter Final Replay in 1955 after the team had conceded three goals in the first game.

Kildare were edged out on by a single point in the replay (1-9 to 0-11) but Marron did enough to hold his place for the National League campaign that winter.

By the time the summer came around he was firmly in position as Kildare overcame Louth, Longford and Offaly to go through to the final against Wexford, our first provincial final in ten years.

For that Offaly game it is said that Des was tasked with driving some fellow players to the game. He picked up six Kilcock players in his station wagon and headed off via back roads to Portlaoise. Marron decided they’d stop off to pray at Fr Moore’s Well in Rathbride, near the Curragh plains. They arrived late but Des credited the Lord with helping them into the final.

An early goal unsettled Kildare in that decider although they recovered to trail by a point at half-time thanks to an Eddie Treacy major and Paddy Loughlin’s goal in the second half as well as flawless place-kicking from Seamus Harrison helped the Lilywhites to a famous six-point win. Few would have countenanced that it would be another forty-two years before the provincial title was brought back to Kildare.

Des went on to play 38 times for his county, his final game coming against Carlow in the O’Byrne Cup in March 1964. He also played in three county SFC finals for his club. They were beaten in 1959 by Round Towers and in 1964 by Raheens, but Marron was in goal when they beat Towers in the 1963 final.

Off the field Des and his father, Garda Sergeant Peter Marron (known locally as ‘The General’), opened Marron’s Pharmacy in Clane in 1957, while Des was enrolled in the School of Pharmacy in Ballsbridge. He graduated in 1959. The business continues to this day and Des worked there until recent times.

A renowned singer, a YouTube video shows him performing a fine rendition of “Sweet Caroline” at his 90th birthday party.

Des was also Lord Mayor of Clane, a lifetime role granted to him for his role in fundraising for various local developments in the 1990’s.

Predeceased by his wife Kathleen, he is survived by seven children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and a large wider family.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.