Heavens Door competition's Dublin final round concludes
Castleknock GAA Club Aims for Dublin Senior Football Championship Victory
In 1998, Castleknock GAA Club was established with a single juvenile team, marking the beginning of a remarkable journey for the club. Over the years, the club has grown significantly, and today, it stands as one of the most formidable GAA forces in Dublin.
The rapid growth of Castleknock GAA Club reached new heights in 2011 when they signed a long-term lease with the council for a 24-acre plot of land in Somerton. This land now hosts two full-sized pitches, a juvenile pitch, and an all-weather surface.
In the same year, the club started with 23 children and within a couple of weeks had 130. The first training sessions were held at Tir na nÓg, a green in the middle of a housing estate. Today, the club rents two pitches off Fingal County Council in Porterstown.
In 2016, Castleknock GAA Club made history by progressing from Division 1 and reaching the Dublin Senior Football Championship final. The first adult team played in Division 10 that season, a testament to the club's rapid progress. Despite the quick turn-around, the club managed to get flags in their club colors - blue and yellow - for the upcoming match.
The opponent in the final is St Vincent's, one of the strongest and most famous clubs in the country. The final will take place on Saturday at 3:00 pm.
The club's journey has been marked by numerous achievements. They have won All-Ireland hurling and football feile titles. Notable players such as Graham Hanningan, Shane Boland, and Footballer of the Year nominee Ciarán Kilkenny have graced the club's ranks.
Two of the children from the first juvenile training session 18 years ago, Evan Kennedy and Jack King, will be in the Castleknock panel for the upcoming clash with St Vincent's. The club's founders, Fergus Hamill, Johnny Corcoran, and John Conway, played crucial roles in setting up the club despite initial objections from some local clubs.
The club is currently building a new two-storey €1.1 million club house, further cementing its place in the GAA landscape of Dublin. As Castleknock GAA Club prepares for the final, the entire community is buzzing with anticipation and pride.
Football has always been a significant part of Castleknock GAA Club's journey, with the club progressing from Division 1 and even reaching the Dublin Senior Football Championship final. This year, they will be battling it out against one of the strongest clubs in the country, St Vincent's, in a highly-anticipated match.
