Dr. Crokes
Encyclopedia
Dr Crokes is a Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...

 club based in Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...

 in County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...

, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

. Famous current players include Colm "Gooch" Cooper and Eoin Brosnan
Eoin Brosnan
Eoin Brosnan is an Irish Gaelic football player who plays at centre forward. He is a former member of the for Kerry senior county team and plays his club football for Dr. Crokes. He is particularly renowned for his goal-scoring ability...

.

Dr Crokes are the most successful GAA team in Killarney and its surrounding environs, with their most notable triumph being the capture of the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland. The current champions are Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, who defeated St. Brigid's of Roscommon on March 17, 2011 to win their...

 in 1992 along with the Munster Club Championship in 1991,1992 and 2006. The club has also won the Kerry Senior Football Championship on 7 separate occasions, the last being in 2011.

Dr Crokes are the only club in Killarney with a hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...

 team, this team has had 2 notable successes; winning the Kerry Intermediate Hurling Championship
Kerry Intermediate Hurling Championship
The Kerry Intermediate Hurling Championship is a Hurling Championship played in Co Kerry. Many of the Senior teams in the county second teams play in the championship. The winners play in the Munster Junior Club Hurling Championship‎ and All-Ireland Junior Club Hurling Championship. ‎-Roll of honour:...

 in 1999 and 2001.

Dr Crokes had 4 players on the Kerry Panel that won the All Ireland Senior Football title in 2007, Colm Cooper
Colm Cooper
Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club Dr. Croke’s and has been a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team since 2002. Cooper is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.-Club:Cooper helped Dr. Crokes win the 2000 Kerry...

, Eoin Brosnan
Eoin Brosnan
Eoin Brosnan is an Irish Gaelic football player who plays at centre forward. He is a former member of the for Kerry senior county team and plays his club football for Dr. Crokes. He is particularly renowned for his goal-scoring ability...

, Kieran Cremin
Kieran Cremin
Kieran Cremin is an Irish Gaelic footballer with the Dr. Crokes club team and formerly with the Kerry county team.-Playing career:Cremin was a member of the Kerry team that played in the 1998 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship, winning the Munster Minor Football Championship...

 and Kieran O'Leary
Kieran O'Leary
Kieran O'Leary is an Irish Gaelic footballer. He plays at U21 and senior levels with the Dr. Crokes club team and the Kerry county team. In 2007, O'Leary was a kery member of the Dr. Crokes team that reached the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship final on St. Patrick's Day...

 and were trained by former Dr Crokes trainer Pat O'Shea
Pat O'Shea (GAA)
Pat O'Shea is a Gaelic football manager from Killarney in Ireland. He was manager of the Kerry senior football team from 2007–2008 , and won the 2007 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship with Kerry...

.

2006/07 Season

Dr Crokes reached the Kerry Senior Football Championship in 2006 after victories against Kenmare, Milltown/Castlemaine and Mid Kerry, but lost by a single point to South Kerry
South Kerry GAA
South Kerry are a Gaelic football and Hurling Divisional Team in County Kerry.The South Kerry Football Team draws its players from eight Club teams in the Division.These are:* St. Mary's Cahirciveen* Renard* St...

.

Dr Crokes went on to represent Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...

 in the 2006 All Ireland Club Championship due to them being the last club team remaining in the County Championship.

On November 26 they defeated Nemo Rangers
Nemo Rangers GAA
Nemo Rangers Hurling and Football Club is a Cork-based Gaelic Athletic Association club on the southside of Cork city, Ireland. The club was founded in 1922 and is primarily concerned with the game of Gaelic football, though interest in hurling has escalated in recent years.-History:Nemo Rangers...

 of Cork by 2-10 to 10 pts, the first time that a Kerry team had ever defeated Nemo in the Club Championship.

They won the Munster Club Championship title on December 10 courtesy of a narrow 2-05 to 0-08 victory against The Nire of Waterford.

The Crokes defeated Great Britain Champions St. Brendan's of London
London GAA
The London County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or London GAA is one of the county boards outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in London...

 in Ruislip
Emerald GAA Grounds
The Emerald G.A.A Grounds , otherwise known as Ruislip GAA are the current headquarters, and principal gaelic games facility, of the Gaelic County Board of London. The grounds is the current venue for the finals of the Toureen Mangan Junior Football Championship, the Intermediate Football...

 on January 28 by 2-12 to 0-05 courtesy of two second half penalties by Colm Cooper.

Dr Crokes defeated Moorefield
Moorefield GAA
- Current panel :Moorefield is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in County Kildare, Ireland winner of six county senior football championships and three senior hurling championships.-History:...

, the Kildare and Leinster Champions, in the All Ireland Club Semi Final after a closely fought replay in Nenagh in February.

Dr Crokes played Crossmaglen Rangers
Crossmaglen Rangers
Crossmaglen Rangers G.A.C is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from Armagh, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. They cater for Gaelic football and camogie. Their home football ground is St. Oliver Plunkett Park which was opened in 1959...

 in the AIB All Ireland Club Championship
All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland. The current champions are Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, who defeated St. Brigid's of Roscommon on March 17, 2011 to win their...

 final in Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...

 on St. Patrick's Day 2007 and the sides played out a competitive and entertaining 1-09 to 1-09 draw.
The replay took place in O'Moore Park
O'Moore Park
O'Moore Park is a Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Portlaoise, County Laois, Ireland. It is the home of the Laois Gaelic football and hurling teams. The ground has a capacity of about 27,000. Its pitch is one of ireland's best under weather. It is the venue for a lot of club and county...

, Portlaoise, on 1 April and Crossmaglen won on a scoreline of 0-13 to 1-05.

History

Dr Crokes was founded in 1886.
Many members were involved in politics and a lot of them ended up in English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 prisons.
One of the first notable players was Dick Fitzgerald
Dick Fitzgerald
Dick Fitzgerald was an Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Dr. Crokes and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1903 until 1923. Fitzgerald captained Kerry to back-to-back All-Ireland titles in 1913 and 1914-Biography:Dick was born in College...

 who was a huge part of the team that brought the first All-Ireland title to the Kingdom in 1903.
Another notable club member of that time is Eugene O'Sullivan
Eugene O'Sullivan (Irish politician)
Eugene O'Sullivan was an Irish nationalist politician and farmer, who was elected Member of Parliament for East Kerry in January 1910, but was unseated on petition shortly afterwards....

, a nationalist M.P., who became chairman of the Kerry county board and it was during his rule that Kerry won 4 more of the any All-Ireland titles.

A total of 77 senior All Ireland medals have been won to date by Dr Crokes players.

In addition to the Kerry players, Dr Crokes Dr. Eamon O'Sullivan, coached and trained Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...

 All Ireland winning teams, beginning in 1924, and ending in 1962.

Dr Crokes have owned four playing fields; the first being in The Cricket Field, Flesk Bridge which was used up to the 1930s.
In 1936 Fitzgerald Stadium
FitzGerald Stadium
Fitzgerald Stadium is the principal Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Killarney, Ireland, and is the home championship venue for the Kerry senior football team....

 was built by the club members in memory of Dr. Croke and Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...

 legend Dick Fitzgerald
Dick Fitzgerald
Dick Fitzgerald was an Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Dr. Crokes and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1903 until 1923. Fitzgerald captained Kerry to back-to-back All-Ireland titles in 1913 and 1914-Biography:Dick was born in College...

.
The past 20 years two new playing complexes have been acquired and developed by the club at Deerpark and Lewis Rd. to cater for the ever increasing number of members.

Fr. Tom Looney, when writing of the Clubs early years, said that the senior team had played tournaments and challenges before the County Board was formed. He also stated that the Club captain – John Langford – was one of the committee members at the inaugural meeting of the Kerry county board and that the Club lost the first Kerry County final to Laune Rangers
Laune Rangers
Laune Rangers is a Gaelic football and Hurling club based in Killorglin, County Kerry, Ireland. The club is affiliated to Kerry GAA. Rangers won the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship in 1996.-History:...

, in what all agreed was the finest match ever witnessed.

Another County final was lost in 1900 before the beginning of a glorious spell when their deeds spread far and wide, and they became known as the Clear Air Boys, or Dickeen Fitz’s (Dick Fitzgerald) team.
Four county championships in a sixteen –year run including 3- in- a- row 1912,1913 and 1914 followed.

The club did go into decline, having very lean times on the football field in the 1930s, 40’s and early 50’s, which was surprising because they could still call on some top class players – three county players at any given time, and the administration was well organized.

In the 1950s becoming once again the dominant team in East Kerry, winning ten O'Donoghue Cup’s in another fifteen year spell, but unfortunately failing in the final stages of the Kerry Senior Football Championship. Maybe no great success in winning for a few years after, but this time the standard was held, and entering the 1980s with a youth policy in place for some years , everyone had hopes for a repeat of the early glory years – this time they were not disappointed.

Everything seemed to come right in the centennial (1986), when the Dr Crokes were again performing against the best and winning –County Intermediate
Kerry Intermediate Football Championship
This is a competition organized by Kerry GAA for clubs that are not good enough to play in the Kerry Senior Football Championship. The winners usually play Senior in the years after they win this competition. The winners also represent Kerry in the Munster Intermediate Club Football Championship....

, County Club Championship, County League, a setback again in two County Finals, but eventually going on to become Kerry Senior Football Championship winners, Munster Senior Club Football Championship
Munster Senior Club Football Championship
The Munster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played between the hundreds of senior football clubs in Munster. The winners will represent Munster in the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship. East Kerry were the first winners of the Munster senior...

 winners on two occasions, and then the ultimate prize – the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland. The current champions are Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, who defeated St. Brigid's of Roscommon on March 17, 2011 to win their...

, won in Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...

 on St. Patrick's Day 1992.

Hurling, which played such an important role within the club in the 1920s, and 30’s and 40’s, was revived and organized in the centennial year. In a short time they have made a huge impact – winning East Kerry competitions, County League Division 3, and were crowned Intermediate Champions of Kerry for 1999 and again in 2000 .

Camogie was a game which the Dr Croke ladies were very proficient in during the 1920/1930s. Now the ladies are very much into the football, showing the same expertise and skill and forging a name for themselves in the County and already under age players have gone on to represent Kerry and have won All Ireland medals at under 14’s and 16’s.

Dr. Crokes have three adult teams football– A,B & C, an under 21, minor, under 16’s,14’s,12’s, and coaching every Saturday mornings for under 6,8, &10’s. hurling 1 intermediate, u16,14,12,10,8. ladies football Senior, minor, u16,14,12, 10, 8.

Books

Dr. Crokes clubmen have published 5 Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...

 related books:
  • Dick Fitzgerald's: How to play Gaelic football (1914)
  • Dr. Eamonn O'Sullivan: The Art and Science of Gaelic football (1958)
  • Club History: Dr. Crokes Gaelic Century (1886–1986)
  • Club History: Decade of Glory 1986-1996
  • Pat O’Shea’s: Gaelic football, Training Drills (1996).

Other notable members

  • Jerry O’Leary, Kerry Selector on many occasions, football historian, very much involved in the purchase of Croke Park
  • Michael O’Connor’s, a man who made a huge contribution to the Fitzgerald Stadium, the playing fields of Kerry, while Chairman of Kerry’s Bord na bPairc, and as treasurer and Chairman of the Munster Council.
  • John Langford
  • Archbishop Dr Croke Patron
  • Maurice Francis O’Leary
  • Jack O'Keeffe - Former Club Patron and winner of All-Ireland Minor medal in 1931 (RIP)
  • Murt O'Shea - Club Patron
  • John Moynihan - Club President
  • Andy Mulcahy
  • Dick Fitzgerald
  • Jer O'Leary
  • Paddy Looney
  • Teddy O'Connor
  • Paddy Sexton
  • Michael O'Connor
  • Nellie Kavanagh - Club Vice-President
  • Bridie O'Shea - Club Vice-President
  • Eddie Barry
  • Richard Clancy
  • Colm Cooper
    Colm Cooper
    Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club Dr. Croke’s and has been a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team since 2002. Cooper is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.-Club:Cooper helped Dr. Crokes win the 2000 Kerry...

  • Eoin Brosnan
    Eoin Brosnan
    Eoin Brosnan is an Irish Gaelic football player who plays at centre forward. He is a former member of the for Kerry senior county team and plays his club football for Dr. Crokes. He is particularly renowned for his goal-scoring ability...

  • Kieran Cremin
    Kieran Cremin
    Kieran Cremin is an Irish Gaelic footballer with the Dr. Crokes club team and formerly with the Kerry county team.-Playing career:Cremin was a member of the Kerry team that played in the 1998 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship, winning the Munster Minor Football Championship...

  • Kieran O'Leary
    Kieran O'Leary
    Kieran O'Leary is an Irish Gaelic footballer. He plays at U21 and senior levels with the Dr. Crokes club team and the Kerry county team. In 2007, O'Leary was a kery member of the Dr. Crokes team that reached the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship final on St. Patrick's Day...

  • * Jackie Looney
  • Seanie O’Shea
    Seanie O’Shea
    Seanie O'Shea was a Footballer and Hurler from Killarney Co Kerry. He played with the Kerry intercounty hurling team during the 1990s. He played in the famous 1993 Munster Championship win over Waterford. He won a All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship with Dr. Crokes in 1992, and returned...


Achievements

Football
  • All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
    All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
    The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland. The current champions are Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, who defeated St. Brigid's of Roscommon on March 17, 2011 to win their...

     - 1992
  • Munster Senior Club Football Championship
    Munster Senior Club Football Championship
    The Munster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played between the hundreds of senior football clubs in Munster. The winners will represent Munster in the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship. East Kerry were the first winners of the Munster senior...

     - 1990, 1991, 2006
  • Munster Senior Football League Champions - 2004
  • Kerry Senior Football Championship - 1901, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1991, 2000, 2010, 2011
  • Kerry Intermediate Football Championship
    Kerry Intermediate Football Championship
    This is a competition organized by Kerry GAA for clubs that are not good enough to play in the Kerry Senior Football Championship. The winners usually play Senior in the years after they win this competition. The winners also represent Kerry in the Munster Intermediate Club Football Championship....

     - 1985
  • Kerry Under-21 Football Championship
    Kerry Under-21 Football Championship
    The Kerry Under-21 Football Championship is a Gaelic football competition for teams in Kerry. Players have to be under the age of 21 to compete.-Roll of honour:...

     - 1986, 2011
  • Kerry County Football League - Division 1
    Kerry County Football League - Division 1
    The Kerry County Football League is a Gaelic football competition between all of the club teams in Kerry. The competition is divided into five divisions. All of the teams in each division play against each other once. At the end of the competition the top 2 and bottom 2 teams get promoted and...

     - 1988, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2010
  • Minor County League Football Championship - 1976 ,1977, 1982, 1983,2004,2005
  • East Kerry Senior Football Championship
    East Kerry Senior Football Championship
    The East Kerry Senior Football Championship is a Gaelic football competition for teams affiliated to the East Kerry division. Most adult clubs in the division compete for this cup, even if they are playing at junior or intermediate grades. The competition has been dominated by Dr. Crokes. The...

     (O'Donoghue Cup) - 1956, 1957,1958,1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010


Hurling
  • County Intermediate Hurling Champions
    Kerry Intermediate Hurling Championship
    The Kerry Intermediate Hurling Championship is a Hurling Championship played in Co Kerry. Many of the Senior teams in the county second teams play in the championship. The winners play in the Munster Junior Club Hurling Championship‎ and All-Ireland Junior Club Hurling Championship. ‎-Roll of honour:...

     - 1999, 2001.
  • County Junior Hurling Champions - 1990
  • County Div 2 Hurling Champions -2004
  • U12 County Hurling Champions Div 4 - 2004


Underage
  • U11 East Kerry Football Champions - 2007, 2008, 2009
  • U12 County League Division 1 Phase 1 Football Champions - 2009
  • U14 County League Division 2 Football Champions - 2008


Ladies
  • Ladies Junior County Champions - 2009
  • Ladies Intermediate County Champions - 2004

External links

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