Carbury commence centenary year with re-enactment of 1940 Kildare SFC celebrations

Carbury GAA club was founded in 1925, one hundred years ago this year, they have won the Kildare Senior Football Championships on eleven occasions in total.

They won their very first senior back in 1940 and were the dominant club side in the county in the '60s and early '70s when they collected seven senior titles between 1960 and 1974. They had in their ranks some of the most talented and greatest footballers ever to don the white shirt of Kildare.

In that 1940 decider they defeated Kilcock (1-5 to 0-4) and the following was reported in the Leinster Leader.

“On Monday night last (the day after the final) supporters of the (Carbury) team assembled in large numbers on Carbury Hill, and in a short time the ruins of the old castle were limned in light from the reflections of a tremendous bonfire. Songs, music and dancing made the welkin ring, and the “Ould Hill of Carbury” echoed to happy laughter and the cheers of Carbury’s loyal supporters.”

That occasion is about to be re-enacted this Saturday, 15 February with a walk up to Carbury Castle from the village at 5pm. All teams, mentors, parents, club members and all in the wider community, including friends/ family from Carbury who are residing in nearby communities, are invited to join in for this very special occasion.

This is only the first of many events planned to celebrate Carbury's centenary.

The 1940 winning team was listed as follows: Jimmy Reilly, Brian (Barney?) Delaney, John Hynan, Dermot Bourke, Harry Ennis, Bill Hynan, Joe Bourke, Paddy Malone, Mick Keating, Des Bourke, Tommy Malone, Bernard (Barney?) Murphy, John Farrell (Rasher), Jim Langan , Jim Molloy.