Celbridge GAA


Celbridge is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Celbridge, County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. They were awarded Kildare GAA club of the year in 2008, winners of the Kildare senior football championship of 2008, finalists in the senior football league of 1923, 1988 and 2008 and won the Kildare senior hurling and camogie championships in 2005. The Club have several honours at underage in all three codes, qualifying for national finals in football, hurling and camogie at the 2008 Féile and winning the county under-14 football Féile final for the first time.

History

Celbridge GAA club was formed in July 1885. In the early nineties a new executive committee began the task of raising funds to build the present club house.

Gaelic Football

managed the Celbridge team when they won their first ever Kildare Senior Football Championship in 2008, defeating Newbridge Sarsfields by 1–10 to 0–11. Celbridge won the 1922 Junior F final and first played in the final of the Leinster Leader Cup of 1923, played in 1924. Owen 'Skipper' Murphy captained the team which won the Intermediate championship in 1936, highlight of a career that stretched from the 1920s to the 1950s. Martin Byrne was selected for Kildare after that success. Celbridge were senior again in the late 1980s after a victory in the 1987 Intermediate championship and reached the 1989 county semi-final by a point to Clane. Area side with Celbridge, St Wolstan's fought a semi-final battle with Ballyteague in 1974 that took three matches to decide and another in 1975 with Clane that took two matches. They also lost the 1976 quarter-final in a replay. Shelbourne's youth international soccer star Vincent McKenna lined out with St. Wolstan's, and scored a dramatic equaliser in that first semi-final against Ballyteague. Celbridge contested the 2008 SFL Division One final for the first time in two decades, losing only one game throughout the series, winning twelve and drawing three.
The football manager is Trevor O'Sullivan.

Hurling

Celbridge has won eight senior hurling Championships in Kildare. On 2 October 2011, Celbridge completed a famous three in a row of championship titles when they beat local rivals Confey 2–16 to 0–15. In 2009 and 2010 they beat Coill Dubh in both finals. Their previous successes dates back to 1921 and then again in 2005, with Jimmy Doyle as team manager in 05. The team were certainly good enough to claim titles in the interim between 2005 and 2009 however missed out narrowly in three county semi-finals. The current crop of senior players include numerous county players. The club have had three Kildare hurler of the year winners, Donal Moloney, Tony Murphy and Mark Moloney. In previous years Billy White, Tony Murphy, Mattie O' Dowd and Niall O' Muineachain have won Christy Ring all-star awards. Billy White was nominated for Christy Ring Hurler of the Year in 2007. The senior hurlers were also crowned All-Ireland Intermediate Elevens Champions in 2011. Celbridge went on to win senior county titles in 2013, 2016, 2018. The basis for these successes were numerous underage county titles won throughout the last decade. The club's first minor title in 2000 was the club's first breakthrough and to this day many of that team form the spine of the club's senior team. The current senior team have a bright future with many talented young players coming through. Celbridge were named Kildare Hurling Club of the year 2010. Simon Holmes, a name known nationally for his humanitarian efforts, lines out for the Celbridge hurlers.

Camogie

Celbridge was founded by Fr Val Martin in 1953 but lapsed 1972-7 and 1989–95. The club joined with Straffan in 1961 and won the 1962 junior championship. In 1977 the club revived and won the junior league in 1978 and junior championship and league double in 1985. St Wolstan's play in Dublin colleges competition. Bridget Cushen was selected on the Kildare camogie team of the century. Senior and u-21 championship winners 2005. Celbridge won the 2006 senior championship and narrowly missed out on a "three-in-a-row" after defeat in the 2007 decider to St Laurences.
Susan O'Carroll and Deirdre Corcoran have been nominated for national All-Stars while O'Carroll was named on the Ashbourne Cup All-Stars, while playing for the victorious UCD team in 2007 and also in 2008 where she captained the side.

Honours