Caragh GAA
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| Founded: | 1888 | ||||||||||||
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| County: | Kildare | ||||||||||||
| Colours: | Maroon and White | ||||||||||||
| Grounds: | St Farnan's Park, Downings | ||||||||||||
| Coordinates: | 53°17′03″N 6°45′45″W / 53.284152°N 6.762428°WCoordinates: 53°17′03″N 6°45′45″W / 53.284152°N 6.762428°W | ||||||||||||
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Caragh GFC is a Gaelic football club in Prosperous, County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, winner of three county senior football championships and the only club to play in five successive county finals, club of the year 1978 and home club of Larry Stanley, All Ireland medalist in 1919, Olympic athlete in 1924, first winner of the All-Time All-Star award for Gaelic Football and a member of the Kildare team of the millennium. Two of Kildare’s winning All Ireland captains came from the club, Larry Stanley and Mick Buckley. Mick’s grandson Niall played on the 1998 Kildare All Ireland team. Another county senior football title was lost on objection over a player that was "on the run" during the Civil War. Caragh and Raheens share a parish and while the Raheens grounds are in Caragh village, the Caragh grounds are in Prosperous.
Early History 18th-19th centuries
Garagh GAA club is one of the county Kildare oldest GAA clubs. Gaelic football has been played in the area as far back as the 18th century with teams from Landenstown, Donore, Blackwood and the village of Prosperous. However many of these teams went out of existence in the 19th century and Caragh Gaelic Football Club was founded. The birth of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884 and the introduction of County committees in 1886 reignited the games of Gaelic football and hurling. The inaugural meeting of Prosperous & Blackwood Sir T Esmondes attracted 140 members in February 1888 under the patronage of local parish priest Father Kinsella and a British army veteran, Captain Fitzpatrick. Their rivals, Tim Healys were set up at Digby Bridge who reached the Kildare senior football semi-final in 1890. Digby Bridge Tim Healys officers John Dunne and Thomas Malone were listed as attending the 1889 convention. RIC records from 1890 show that Clongorey Campaigners had 38 members with Dan Kelly, John Murphy, Pat Fullam and James Kelly listed as officers. Clongorey reached the Senior Hurling Championship final in 1891 and but were defeated by Maynooth. In 1897 there were three clubs from the Parish in the county championship - Caragh, Digby Bridge and Prosperous.
1900-1929
Dick Radley of Prosperous spearheaded the GAA revival in Kildare and Prosperous. Prosperous contested the County Senior Championship in 1901 and 1903 losing on both occasions to Clane GAA. Caragh did win the Junior Championship in 1907 defeating Athy GAA. Blacktrench who were formed in 1915 won the junior championship of 1916 with Larry Stanley as a key member of the side. In 1917 Caragh won the Junior Championship after three matches defeating Maddenstown 2-3 to 1-8. Caragh and Blacktrench amalgamated in 1918 and Raheens was also formed. 1918 was also the same year that Caragh won their first Senior championship captained by Larry Stanley who also lead Kildare to Leinster and All Ireland success. Caragh reached the Senior finals of 1919 defeating Kilcock GAA 2-4 to 2-1. They were defeated by Naas GAA in 1920 1-6 to 0-8. In 1921 Caragh drew with St. Conleths 1-12 each. The match was played during Irish Civil War and St. Conleth’s were awarded title on objection because one of the Caragh players called C. McCarthy gave a false name as he was 'on the run' from Free State troops at the time. They were defeated by Naas in the Senior Championship final of 1922. Caragh are the only club to have played in five successive county finals from 1918 to 1923, winning two of them losing a third on objection and a fourth to a Naas goal scored before the backs had returned to their positions. Caragh qualified for the 1925 county final having lost two and drawn one of the three matches they played, losing a replay against Athy by 2-3 to 1-3 and the semifinal against Roseberry by 12 points. They won both matches on objections and qualified. They won their third county title in 1926. Caragh were the first winners of the Leinster Leader cup when it was presented in 1920. Larry and Jim Stanley, Mick Buckley and Jack Dunne, a veteran of Kildare’s 1903 All Ireland team, backboned the team.
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