St Mary's GAA (Kerry)

St Mary's

Founded:	1890
County:	Kerry
Nickname:	Marys
Colours:	White and Blue
Grounds:	Con Keating Park
Coordinates:	51°56′43″N10°14′03″W / 51.94528°N 10.23417°W / 51.94528; -10.23417
Playing kits
Standard colours

St Mary's are a Gaelic Athletic Association Gaelic football club from town of Cahersiveen in the south of County Kerry, Ireland. They are one of the most successful teams in South Kerry, having won the South Kerry Senior Football Championship 38 times. The club has also won All-Ireland titles at junior and intermediate levels.

History

Preceding Saint Mary's, a club known as O'Connells Caherciveen was the first club founded in the town of Caherciveen. This club was founded on 10 December 1890 and won the South Kerry Senior Football Championship six times. They also won their first and only county championship in 1896. ^[1]

In 1929, the local Christian Brothers school was allowed to enter a team in the South Kerry Junior Championship under the name Saint Mary's. Cahersiveen, thus had two teams entering competitions for a four-year overlap; however, due to emigration the club was dissolved and merged with Saint Mary’s. Since 1933 Saint Mary's has solely represented the town of Cahersiveen. ^[2]

In 1947, the club purchased a playing field in the West end and the Con Keating Park was officially opened on 6 August 1950. ^[3]

Honours

• Kerry Senior Football Championship (1): 1896 as O'Connells Caherciveen^{[ citation needed ]}
• All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship (1): 2016 ^{[4] [5]}
• Munster Intermediate Club Football Championship (1): 2015 ^[6]
• Kerry Intermediate Football Championship (2): 2001, 2015
• All-Ireland Junior Club Football Championship (1): 2011 ^[7]
• Munster Junior Club Football Championship (1): 2010
• Kerry Junior Football Championship (2): 1983, 2010
• South Kerry Senior Football Championship (6): 1902, 1903, 1904, 1928, 1929, 1931 as O'Connells Caherciveen
• South Kerry Senior Football Championships (39): 1932, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1991, 1992, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, ^[8] 2015 ^{[9] [10]} 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023 2024^{[ citation needed ]}

Notable players

• Jack O'Shea, seven time All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winner. Four time Texaco Footballer of the Year 1980-81, 1984-85. Six time All-Star.
• Maurice Fitzgerald, two time All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winner. 1997 Texaco Footballer of the Year. Three time All-Star.
• Jerome O'Shea, three time All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winner.
• Bryan Sheehan, five time All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winner. All-Star winner.
• Peter Keane, former Kerry minor and senior manager.^{[ citation needed ]}

References

1. Ó Muircheartaigh, Joe; Flynn, T. J. (2007). Princes of pigskin: a century of Kerry footballers. West Link Park, Doughcloyne, Wilton, Cork: Collins. p. 201. ISBN   978-1-905172-51-1.
2. Ó Maicín, Aonghus (26 August 2019). "Rural decline has football in South Kerry on life support". The Irish Times.
3. "St Mary's GAA". homepage.eircom.net.
4. "Maurice Fitz's St Mary's crowned All-Ireland intermediate football champions". The 42. 6 February 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
5. "St Mary's Cahirciveen and Templenoe claim glory". RTÉ Sport. 6 February 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
6. "St Mary's celebrate 'special win'". Irish Examiner . 30 November 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
7. O'Connor, Jason (16 February 2011). "Saints march ends in glory". Irish Independent . Retrieved 5 November 2023.
8. "St Mary's hold upperhand in replay". Irish Examiner . 8 December 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
9. "Bryan Sheehan signs off in style as St Mary's reign supreme". Irish Examiner . 28 December 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
10. "St Marys show true grit to take the spoils". The Kerryman . 2 January 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.

External links

• St Mary's on Facebook