GAA President Jarlath Burns reunites with former Kildare Co Board Chairman Seamus Aldridge

For over 25 years, beginning in 1975, Seamus Aldridge ran Kildare GAA.

He was the boss, Hon Secretary, doubling up as Hon Treasurer for 24 of those 25 years.

He ruled Kildare GAA with an iron fist.

He was to Kildare GAA what Frank Murphy was to Cork GAA.

Top dog.

Nothing happened in Kildare without going through the former Round Towers man who has lived in Naas now for many a year.
And when Seamus made a ruling, or a call, at any meeting of Kildare Co. Board his ruling was rarely questioned, and even when it was, it still remained the ruling.

As well as holding high office in Kildare Seamus was also Leinster Council delegate for county, going on to become a Vice-President of the Association while he contested the Presidency back in 1999, the year Sean Kelly won that particular contest.

We spoke with Seamus a week or so ago, in fact the day after he had a visit to his home from GAA President Jarlath Burns, who was on a visit to Naas, and made it his business to spend some time with Seamus, they have known one another for some time at this stage.

Seamus recalled his time in office and in particular the state of St Conleth's Park admitting “there would be nothing at all except for the 'dog track' people.

“Paddy Cox was the man, a GAA man” said Seamus “he bought it, Kildare GAA leased it and years later ended up the High Court as to actually owned it, a case won by Kildare GAA.

Seamus said, that “at that time there was big pressure in Newbridge for car parking so after a lot of negotiations Kildare Co. Council built a new boundary wall, put in turn stiles, the committee rooms and the dressing rooms while the council took over the car park in lieu.”

The terrace “on the far” side was then built, which Seamus says using “a new method of re-enforced earth.”

No talk at that time doing up the stand but Seamus was a pains to point out delegations use to come from various other counties to see how those terraces were built.

Newbridge fell far behind the likes of Portlaoise and even Tullamore but before those grounds were upgraded Newbridge was a highly thought of and used for many inter-county and especially Leinster Club games.

In fact Mr Aldridge reminds us that there was some ten Leinster Club finals played at St Conleth's Park “there was always a great sod on the pitch and hopefully the new pitch is as good as the old one” he says.

When Portlaoise and Tullamore were upgraded to the excellent standards they are today that was more or less the end of those games at the Headquarters of Kildare GAA but no doubt that will change and probably change big-time, as the new redeveloped Cedral St Conleth's Park in Newbridge, is so central and now with the facilities, we can expect to see many an inter-county, Leinster Championship and Leinster Club semi-finals and finals and maybe even All-Ireland Club semi-finals played in the coming years.