The home of Gaelic Football

For any visitor to Ireland, taking in a traditional Gaelic football match is a ‘must’. And you don’t have to wait for an All-Ireland final in Croke Park (Dublin) to experience the frenetic pace and wild excitement of the nation’s favourite game, writes

Adam Moynihan.

Nowhere in the world is more Gaelic-football-crazy than Killarney, a town which boasts no fewer than three GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) clubs within the parish itself and many more in the wider East Kerry area.

Clubs host almost-nightly training sessions and matches across all age groups, from juvenile up to adult, so sampling some of the action is often as easy as turning up. As much entertainment can be gained from an under 12 local derby as you would get at the Fitzgerald Stadium on Munster Final day.

WHAT IS GAELIC FOOTBALL?

This centuries old game is physical and fast-paced and has been described as a mix between soccer, rugby and basketball, al- though it can be more accurately compared to Australian Rules football.

Under the rules of the GAA, players cannot be paid for their services, and transferring from one team to another is frowned upon. This breeds a huge amount of loyalty within counties, towns and villages as families remain devoted to the same team from generation to generation.

Depending on where their parents’ allegiances lie, the footballers of Killarney line out for either Dr Crokes, the Killarney Legion, or Spa. Crokes and Spa both participate in the Kerry Senior Football Championship, the highest level of football in the county, while this year Legion will compete in the intermediate competition.

Kerry Senior Football Championship

The Kerry SFC (aka the County Championship) is a 16-team, winner-takes-all competition featuring the best football sides in the county. In addition to the eight top-level ‘senior’ clubs, there are eight ‘divisional’ sides made up of the cream of the crop from the remaining smaller clubs in that particular division (e.g. South Kerry, West Kerry and Mid Kerry).

For instance, Legion’s top players also represent East Kerry, an amalgamation comprised of fellow non-senior clubs Fossa, Glenflesk, Kilcummin, Listry, Firies and Gneeveguilla. Led by star player David Clifford, East Kerry have claimed the Kerry Senior Football

Championship in 2019, 2020 and 2022, bringing to an end the period of dominance enjoyed by their neighbours, Dr Crokes, during the previous decade.

This season the Kerry SFC and other important games will take place in the second half of the year, from July up until the wintertime.

Kerry Team

The best club players in the county are chosen to represent the Kerry senior football team on the highest stage: the National League and the prestigious All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, which now runs from April to July.

The Kerry men’s team are the reigning champions and the most successful team in the history of Gaelic football with 38 All-Irelands to their name. As such, they are as synonymous with Gaelic football as Brazil are with soccer and New Zealand are with rugby. Dublin, whose population is nine times that of Kerry, are in second place on the honours list with 30 titles.

Killarney and the neighbouring parishes have produced some of the finest players to ever wear the famous green and gold, including the likes of Dick Fitzgerald, Johnny Culloty, Séamus Moynihan, and Colm ‘The Gooch’ Cooper.

Kerry matches are televised nationally and draw large attendances but, unusually, the players are not paid for their efforts. Despite being nationally-recognised superstars, Kerry’s footballers work day jobs as teach- ers, gardaí (police officers), bank officials and company reps. Some juggle their college studies with life as a high-profile intercounty footballer.

The Kerry women’s team have also caught the eye of late. Last season they earned promotion to Division 1 of the National League before going on to reach the All-Ireland final. The Kerry men’s and women’s teams regularly play in the Fitzgerald Stadium throughout the intercounty season. Check out GAA.ie for the latest men’s fixtures and ladiesgaelic.ie for the latest women’s fixtures.

Grounds

The Kingdom (as the county team are affectionately known) play most of their home games in Killarney’s Fitzgerald Stadium. This 38,000-capacity venue is just a short walk from the town centre and is renowned for its spectacular backdrop, which includes the mountains and lakes of Killarney. Even when they play away from home the atmosphere in town is electric as fans pack the local bars to support their favourite team.

Where To See A Game

Check out the locations of the Killarney GAA club grounds below and contact individual clubs for details of games. You can also find the latest updates, fixtures, interviews and match reports in the sports section of Killarney’s favourite weekly publication, the Killarney Advertiser.