County: | Kerry | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Colours: | Red & White | ||||||||
Playing kits | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
Senior Club Championships | |||||||||
|
The East Kerry Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association caters for Gaelic football and hurling in the East Kerry division of the GAA county of Kerry.
The East Kerry Divisional Board is made up of 13 football clubs and 1 hurling club. Some of the clubs cater for both football and hurling.
The East Kerry Board was founded in 1925 following a decision to sub-divide Kerry into a number of divisions. The first chairman and secretary were football legends Dick Fitzgerald and Paul Russell. The first meeting of the new Board was attended by delegates from eight clubs; Currow, Farranfore, Firies, Headford, Kenmare, Killarney, Kilcummin and Killorglin.
In 1931, Ballymacelligott, Cordal, Currow, Farranfore and Scartaglin broke away from the Division and joined with Castleisland to form the Castleisland District League. In 1947, Laune Rangers, Castlemaine, Milltown, Tuogh and Glenbeigh broke away with Beaufort to form the Mid Kerry League.
Legend has it that a hurling game between the Fianna and the Tuatha De Danann took place in the countryside between Fossa and Glenflesk over 1,000 years ago. Legend aside, however, we have to go back roughly ninety years at least for the first mention of an East Kerry side in the County Hurling Championship at senior level at least. In 1910, a Killarney team defeated holders Tralee Mitchells and went on to defeat Kenmare in the semi final. However, a Kenmare objection stating that Killarney had illegally played players from Kilgarvan was upheld and Killarney was thrown out of the competition. Killarney also took part in 1911 and 1912, and in 1918 a team from Rathmore reached the semi finals.