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Club Notes Week 44 2020   02/11/2020

A cause for celebration for Dr Crokes, 134 years old today, Monday November 2nd, 2020. 


Fadó, fadó, on a Sunday night, a group of Killarney men went to O’Mahony’s public house in College Street. The building is still there, but has gone through different ownerships. First, to Squire Cronin’s, The Jug of Punch and in recent years to Lord Kenmare’s. The men had plenty to talk about, especially about so many evictions, the scourge of that time in Killarney and all over Ireland. 


Michael Davitt informed a meeting in Castleisland that 1,600 families in Kerry had been evicted in the previous 3 years. The Land League leaders were doing their utmost to undo these wrongs and there were 8 branches of the Land League on the Kenmare Estate (Killarney) alone. Someone referred to the GAA, founded on November 1st 1884 in Thurles. One word led to another. Why not get a GAA club going in Killarney was well debated over pints and ‘taoscáns’ of poitín? 


Founding a GAA club in secret in Killarney 


Good idea, but how do we do it with the town full of informers and extra-vigilant foreign forces? A nod and a wink and the elbow language sufficed that they would meet two nights later, but not a word to anyone. 


Canon Tom Looney, a mine of knowledge on Killarney’s history, provides us with the details of the subsequent Tuesday night’s meeting. 


Andy Mulcahy, a native of Kilkenny and a sterling Gael, was a charge hand at the Gas Works, the property of the Rail Company, situated beside the Iron Bridge at the end of Fair Hill cottages, just a stone’s throw from O’Mahoney’s pub. He provided a room for the meeting, where the Outlet centre now stands. Nineteen men attended and Tom Looney termed them the “19 Dangerous Dreamers”. They met in candle-lit secrecy. They had a dream and that dream became a reality 134 years ago today, when they founded Dr Crokes GAA, on November 2, 1886. 


Challenges 


Dr. Crokes faced many challenges, but it survived the evictions, the Land Dispute, the Spanish flu, the 1916 Rising, the War of Independence, the bitter Civil War, Two World Wars, The TB and Polio scourges and now the Covid-19 pandemic, which challenges everyone, worldwide. 


Through it all, Dr Crokes survived both on and off the field. Dr Crokes have won more Kerry Senior Football championships (13) than any other club, followed closely by Austin Stacks on 12 while East Kerry, the current champions have won 


8 titles. Club players have won well in excess of 100 All Ireland senior football medals. We wish the best of luck to our current senior club players, Tony Brosnan, Gavin White, Mícheál Burns, and David Shaw the best of luck with Kerry as they are away to Cork in the Munster SFC this weekend. The three lads starred in Tralee recently when Kerry won the 2020 Allianz NFL title. A win over Cork will set us on the short enough road to Croke Park and a bid to win Kerry’s 38th All Ireland title. The Dubs have been dominant since Kerry won their last title in 2014, jointly captained by Dr Croke stars, Fionn Fitzgerald and Kieran O’Leary. 


Dr Croke Ladies and Hurlers Croke hurlers are thriving and the Ladies’ football teams are having their most successful year ever. The Saturday Morning Academy for juvenile boys and girls, hurling and football, Under 6 to Under 11, has attracted huge numbers, staffed by excellent coaches. 


As of now, all club activities are suspended by the GAA, because of Level 5 restrictions, but Dr Croke members are urged, as always, to stay connected, within HSE guidelines, of course. Club activities will come back to normal, and the vision of the nineteen Dangerous Dreamers 134 years ago today will live on. 


Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na Chrócaigh. 


 


ACADEMY As the Juvenile academy had its last session recently, both hurling and football boys and girls came together on the morning, participating in a range of activities planned and designed by our excellent team of coaches. I think all agreed it was a great way to round off what was a very successful academy taking into account the challenges of Covid 19. Activities on the day, included rounders, relays, roller ball parachute games and obstacle course (saw a few coaches trying this out as well) with all boys and girls in group of 10.  


Certificates of achievement were given to all boys and girls attending, we know some boys/girls couldn't make the last session, so contact John on 087 2348824 or Sheila on 086 8325059 or your coach and we will arrange one for you.  


A big thank you to all boys and girls who participated in the Academy during 2020, keep up the good work and see you in 2021.  


To all the parent/guardians who supported us a big thank you, and without the dedicated and enthuastic coaches available every Saturday morning, it would not have been the success it was. 


LOTTO draw took place on Monday November 2nd numbers drawn were 3 5 9 26  JACKPOT €6,500  not won   3 Patrons matched 3  numbers  and receive €135. 


Jackpot for draw on November 9th  will be €6,500 


We are calling on all members to support our weekly lotto as this represents one of the main sources of revenue for the club. With activity likely to recommence on the fields over the next few weeks we need people’s support to maintain our facilities in Lewis’s Road. We have made a number of alterations to make things easier for members to play the easiest one being to play it online by following the link below And follow instructions attached

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> https://play.clubforce.com/play_newa.asp#Anchor

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When you click on the link it brings you to the Clubforce Main page. From here click Club name Dr. Crokes Gaa. This brings you to another page that you again put in Dr. Crokes, which in turn brings you to the Dr.Crokes home page. From here click lotto and the rest follows on. Alternatively download the Clubforce app, 


MASTERS GOLF CHALLENGE we will be holding another Golf Challenge on Masters on November 12th -15th. Cards will be with usual sellers early next week  or may be played online www.drcrokes.com. Best option is to click on guest link which will bring you directly to the card and if not a member of Dr. Crokes. If you are a member the guest link will default to your Clubforce log in https/// member clubforce.com/membership. 


CONGRATULATIONS to Kayleigh Cronin Ava Doherty and Emma Dineen who were part of the kerry Ladies squad who defeated Cavan and to Michael Lenihan who was part of the Kerry Hurling squad who defeated Westmeath. 


SYMPATHY to the Daly family on the death of Nelius one of the stalwarts of our progressive 31 clan.  To former Uachtarain CLG Sean Kelly on the death of his mother. Ar dheis de ar a anamacha  dilis 






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