Lucan Sarsfields GAA
Club History..
Lucan Sarsfields, founded in 1886, can claim with justification and pride to being one of the oldest clubs in Dublin. We were one of 16 teams which contested the Dublin Senior Championship in 1887. We were also involved in the Senior Championship of 1892 and the club has fielded football, hurling and camogie teams ever since. Success came early on the playing fields - 1904 was the 'year of the double' - winning the Junior Hurling League and also the Dublin Camogie championship.
1904-1905
Lucan won the Intermediate Football League in the 1904-05 season. It is reported that they did this with the help of five players from Balbriggan. The story goes that in 1902 a team call Balbriggan Wanderers won the Intermediate League and then for some reason or other went out of existence in 1904. One of the players on that team was a man named Paddy Richardson, who was a fish merchant and regularly attended the Dublin market. At the market he met up with Mickey Ashe who was secretary of Lucan and who also worked in the fish market. With the assistance of Tom Clarke, another fish market worker, the Balbriggan men were persuaded to throw in their lot with Lucan and the result was the winning of the league that year. The Lucan players who played on that team were M. O’Connor, P. Murray (Captain), J. Kelly, M. Downes (Treasurer), R. Kane (Vice Captain), M. Ashe (Secretary), J. Fagan, J. Murray, C. Brien, G. Thornberry, T. Kelly, J. Fitzpatrick (President), C.J. Keogh, R. Maher, T. Byrne, M. Merriman and J. Brien.
The same season also saw the hurlers win their league and being presented with the Michael Smith Cup. Lucan had to wait another 70 years to see this cup again when they won the Junior A League in 1974. A link between these two wins was Michael Downes who played on the 1905 team and his grandsons, Larry Downes and Dessie O’Brien who played on the 1974 team. Another link between both teams was Club President Tom Slattery who attended both games.
In 1904-05 Lucan Sarsfields also won the Camogie Championship. Some of those who played on that team were Bridget Nugent, Annie Hughes, Kitty Brady, Dill Thornberry, Chrissie Murray, Margaret Feeney, Kate Nugent and Margaret Gannon.
Prominent in the 20's and 30's
Our footballers were prominent in the 20's and 30's. The highpoint of this era was undoubtedly a famous victory over a star studded Garda team in 1929.
Hurlers in the limelight
Our hurlers captured the limelight in the 60's winning the Junior 'B' Hurling League. They won the Corn Céitinn in 1966 and so became the first Junior Hurling team ever to capture this title.
1965 Junior Football
Intermediate ranks
Our footballers were back to the forefront in the 70's with the help of the club's active juvenile section. The winning of the Junior Football Championship in 1976 and entry into Intermediate ranks quickly followed success at Under 21 level.
Senior status achieved
In 1988 a huge ambition was realised when Senior status was achieved. We beat St. Anne's in the Intermediate League Final. Some lean times followed and we reverted to Intermediate status.
The glorious 90's
After a magnificent campaign our footballers again achieved Senior status in 1995 with a thrilling Intermediate championship victory over St.Vincents after a replay in Lawless Park in Swords. Further success followed and our footballers now compete in Division 1 of the Senior Football League. 1998 was a tremendous year for our hurlers. The intermediate hurlers won three cup competitions, Corn Céitinn, Corn Fogarty and Corn xxxx. They followed up with a season to relish in 1999 winning the Intermediate League and Championship and are now competing in Division 2 of the Senior Hurling League.
Club grounds
For many years the Club had no permanent pitches. In the early years, games were played at the 12 Lock, Bleach Green in the Demesne (close to Weir View), in a field behind Vesey Park and later on land belonging to Mr. Hickey in Doddsboro, Mr. Royce in Tandy’s Lane and Mr. Kavanagh in Ballydowd, On the morning of a game some of the club members would go to one of these fields and erect posts which would have to be taken down that evening.
In 1952, the Dublin County Board leased grounds in Ballydowd, behind the Foxhunter Pub and gave the Club official use of these grounds. This was home for the Club for the next 18 years. Dressing rooms consisted of old wooden railway carriages - a far cry from some of the facilities that exist today but a lot more than some other clubs had at the time.
In 1970 however, the County Board lost control of the ground and the club was again homeless until granted the use of County Council pitches in Doddsboro where Airlie Heights is now situated.
1976 saw the Club move again, this time to County Council grounds near Arthur Griffith Park.
It was around this time that the Club realised the need for a home of its own and in 1978 the grounds at the 12th Lock were purchased from Shackletons for the sum of £51,500. Initial finance was provided by members by way of an interest free loan of £50 per head. This was backed up by grants from the County Board, loan facilities from the G.A.A. and from Allied Irish Banks Ltd., Lucan.
The area of Lucan itself has expanded beyond all recognition during the period since the foundation of the club. In 1901 the population of the village of Lucan was recorded at 872, by 1981 it had increased to 13,508. Today the Lucan area is one of the fastest growing suburbs of Dublin with the present population estimated at 25,000, and some estimates say that by 2005 there will be in the region of 50,000 people living in the Lucan area. Lucan Sarsfields is continuing to grow with the community that it serves and is currently ready to start building a new clubhouse will to be completed during 2001.
With thanks to Lucan Newsletter and the tremendous publication compiled by Mary Mulhall 'Lucan and Lucanians'.
Lucan Sarsfields Clubnotes as of Monday September 28th, 2009
LUCAN SARSFIELDS’ CLUB NOTES
AS OF MONDAY Sept 28th 2009
Many thanks to everyone who helped make the fun day such a huge success. Well done to SH and U16H on wins in championship. Hard luck to Sen Camogie. 3 Weeks remaining to buy a ticket in €100 draw. Next roadshow draw is in Courtney’s on 03/10 Any members wanting to help sell in Lucan estates contact PRO at lucansarsfieldspro@gmail.com for more details.. Special Olympics quiz night in clubhouse on 02/10/09 @ 8.00. Next quiz in Lucan Sarsfields series is 07/10. Wins in Championship for Camogie U13A and U15A. Lucan Minor A Football v St Maurs match to be rearranged. U16F play International Rules v Aussie selection in 12th Lock on 28/09 @5.30. LS Golf society next outing South County GC 03/10. @ 11.30 -13.30. Contact D.Whittle. Condolences to Katie O Neill and family on the death of her mother Anna. Lotto Numbers: 05-11-21-23. Next week’s Jackpot is €1500. Mary Flannery’s team will be in charge of next weeks Lotto. Don't forget you can always enter our Lotto online by clicking on www.lucansarsfields.ie. Thanks to Newcastle Golf Centre who are this week’s sponsor. Please support our sponsors.
Lucan Sarsfields
085 1743646
