Causeway GAA
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| County: | Kerry | ||||||||
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| Colours: | Maroon and White | ||||||||
| Grounds: | Causeway | ||||||||
| Coordinates: | 52°24′38.38″N 9°44′12.16″W / 52.4106611°N 9.7367111°W | ||||||||
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| Senior Club Championships | |||||||||
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The village of Causeway is situated roughly 15 miles north of Tralee, 6 miles east of Ballyheigue and 6 miles west of Ballyduff. Without question, Hurling is the sport of choice for the majority of the community. In the football-obsessed county of Kerry, hurling takes precedence in the north of the county, and Causeway G.A.A. Club is at the centre of this hurling stronghold. Notably, Causeway is the home club of Neilus Flynn, whom the current Kerry County Senior Hurling Championship Trophy is named after.
Club history
Early records indicate that Causeway fielded teams sporadically around the late 19th and early 20th century. Causeway first entered the County Senior Hurling championship in 1892. Causeway's first County Championship success came in 1932. Led by the Legendary Neilus Flynn, Causeway defeated Kilflynn, Kenmare, Kilgarvan and Rathmore on their way to the title. In fact, the aforementioned Neilus Flynn had the honour of captaining two different teams to Championship success; Causeway in 1932, and St Brendans in 1936. He also captained a Shannon Rovers amalgamation in the 1939 County Final defeat to Crotta.
In the early years, training and games were held at the fair green and Sandford Lawn to the east of the village, Diggins' field in Drumnacurra, Lyons' in Meenogahane and Flynns' in Foxfort. Another interesting aspect is that up to the mid-30's Causeway played in black & amber and blue & gold Jerseys. The maroon jersey arrived on the scene when Gaelinn presented the parish with a set of jerseys as reward for the selling of tickets around the parish and at the carnivals held at the time.
An important development occurred in the mid-70's with the acquirement of a Sportsfield. Causeway G.A.A. club entered into agreement with Causeway Comprehensive School and Kerry V.E.C. and developed a field, bought from the late Bart Costello, to the south of village. Causeway G.A.A club now had a place they could call "Home".
Following a County Final defeat to Ballyduff the previous year, Causeway finally re-gained the coveted title of County Champions in 1979. Crotta were defeated in one of the most dramatic County Finals ever with a last minute goal from Ger Clifford, enabling Roger Hussey to become the 1st Causeway man since Neilus Flynn to lift the County Championship trophy. This win was the start of the great four in row team that achieved further success in 1980, 1981 and 1982. Roy Dineen in 1980, Maurice Leahy in 1981 and Gerald O'Grady in 1982 were the men who led Causeway to victory.
A centenary final defeat to Ballyduff in 1984 was followed by another county title in 1987. This was a very poignant day for the club as it was the first year that the new Neilus Flynn Trophy was being played for. Sadly in August of that year Neilus died but his memory and name will forever be associated with hurling in Kerry thanks to the magnificent trophy donated by the Flynn Families of Drumnacurra and Foxfort. The club paid him the ultimate tribute by winning the trophy in its premier year and Anthony O'Connor had the honour of hoisting it aloft. 1984 saw the commencement of work on the dressing-rooms which also led to the building of a handball alley, scoreboard and Stand. Then in June 1988 amid great Fanfare, Causeway G.A.A. club proudly opened their facilities.
In the Mid-nineties a strong emphasis was placed on the youth of the parish and today Causeway has one of the Strongest Under-age set-ups in the county. The decade finished on a high for the club with a Co Final appearance in 1997 followed by victory in the '98 decider. After a gap of 11 years a Maurice O'Carroll led Causeway defeated Crotta in a repeat of the '79 final. In 1999 Causeway U-16's won the Club All-Ireland Shield held in Carlow.
While Causeway players have figured prominently with successful school & county teams other notable achievements which the club are proud of include Pat Moriarty, D.J. Leahy and Michael Burke representing Munster with D.J. winning a Railway Cup medal in 1985. Pat Moriaty is the sole Kerry hurler to ever be nominated for a Senior Intercounty Championship All-Star and that honour was bestowed on him in 1977. Tadgh Flynn was selected on the Fitzgibbon Team of the Year in 2005 following his achievements as the first-choice goalkeeper with the University of Limerick Fitzgibbon Cup Team. John Mike Dooley has represented Ireland twice in the Senior Shinty series in 2004 & 2005. He has also won the GPA player of the month for Feb '05 and he became the 1st Kerry Hurler to receive a Christy Ring All-Star in 2005.
While there were Senior County Championship Final defeats in 2004 and 2006 there is still a fantastic optimism and community spirit about the club. The current team is one of the youngest in terms of average age, ever seen at the club. As a result there are great expectations of success for the years to come.
Honours
- Kerry Senior Hurling Championship 7: 1932, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1998
- Kerry Minor Hurling Championship 2: 1968, 1977
- Kerry U21 Hurling Championship 1: 1979
- North Kerry Senior Hurling Championship 3: 1988, 2003, 2010
County Championship Winning captains
- 1932: Neilus Flynn
- 1979: Roger Hussey
- 1980: Roy Dineen
- 1981: Maurice Leahy
- 1982: Gerald O'Grady
- 1987: Anthony O'Connor
- 1998: Maurice O'Carroll