St Laurence's GAA
| Naomh Lorcán | |||||||||||||
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| County: | Kildare | ||||||||||||
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| Nickname: | The Larries | ||||||||||||
| Colours: | Gold and Red | ||||||||||||
| Grounds: | Old Grange, Narraghmore | ||||||||||||
| Coordinates: | 53°02′40″N 6°51′26″W / 53.044361°N 6.857271°WCoordinates: 53°02′40″N 6°51′26″W / 53.044361°N 6.857271°W | ||||||||||||
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St Laurence's is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in south County Kildare, Ireland. The Larries won their first Kildare Senior Football Champions in 2009 beating Moorefield in the final. Before this historic win they had been senior football finalists on four occasions. St Laurence's is the most dominant camogie club in the county having won 13 senior championships. The club is based in the parish of Narraghmore, encompassing Kilmeade, Booley, Calverstown, Kilgowan, Brewel, Ballymount, Ballitore and Mullaghmast.
History
RIC records from 1890 show five clubs in the area:
- Ballitore O'Moores had 25 members with officers listed as Pat Cullen, Pat Hendy and William Fennell.
- Narraghmore Feach Phádraig ("Patrick's Green") had 50 members with Thomas Hickey, Thomas Waters and James Hayden listed as officers.
- Bruel (Brewel) had 50 members with Andrew Fay, Henry Fay, John Cousin and Pat Keenan listed as officers. (Brewel Independents were listed as an unaffiliated club in 1896)
- Inchaquire had 25 members, with P. J. Finn, Richard Archibald and William Hickey listed as officers.
- Killelan, membership not recorded, officers recorded as William Byrne, Edward Lawler and Michael Nolan.
Ballitore and Narraghmore both reformed in the late 1920s, and Narraghmore were first winners of the new Junior B championship in 1947. St Laurence's were formed with the amalgamation of Narraghmore and Ballitore clubs in 1957. The club grounds were purchased in 1975 and dressing rooms opened in 1992 and 1999.
Gaelic football
Michael Lawler of Ballitore and Balitore-born James Byrne played on country teams in the 1930s. St Laurence’s were founded in 1957. Before they rose from Junior B to senior status in five year 1975-80. They defeated defending Leinster champions Raheens in the first round of 1982 Kildare Senior Football Championship and went through to the final despite the fact they had held Sarsfields to a draw the previous year they lost heavily. St Laurence’s contested three further finals in 1992, 2004 and 2005.Bart Blanchfield is St.Laurence's greatest player (after Aaron Gorman) despite suffering a mighty belt against Castleknock of Dublin.
Camogie
Sheila Norton founded the Ballitore camogie club in March 1934 with the Kilkenny colours, black and amber, and the club were defeated junior finalists in 1940. Revived in 1980, the club won the junior championship and league in the first year, the Intermediate championship in 1989, and a victory over Broadford which prevented 11 in-a-row. Eight of the Laurence’s team were under 18. Two 14-year-olds played on the Laurence’s team that day, twins Ruth and Naomi Treacy. Melanie Treacy, Michelle Aspell and Patricia Keatley were selected on the Kildare camogie team of the century.
In 2009 the team won their 15th County Championship which is an amazing feat considering the club is only 30 years old in 2010.
Honours
- Kildare Senior Club Football Championship 2009.
- Kildare Senior Football Finalists 1982, 1992, 2004, 2005, 2009.
- Kildare Intermediate Football Championship Winners 1980.
- Junior A Champions 1978.
- Junior B Champions 1975. Under-16 F champion 1995.
- Narraghmore were Junior B F Champions in 1947.
- Leinster junior camogie club champions 1996, 2004.
- Kildare Senior Camogie Championship 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009.
- Junior camogie champions 1981.
- Senior camogie league 1996, 1997, 199, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009.
- Aldridge Cup 2007.
Bibliography
- Kildare GAA: A Centenary History, by Eoghan Corry, CLG Chill Dara, 1984, ISBN 0-9509370-0-2 hb ISBN 0-9509370-1-0 pb
- Kildare GAA yearbook, 1972, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1980 and 2000- in sequence especially the Millennium yearbook of 2000
- Soaring Sliothars: Centenary of Kildare Camogie 1904-2004 by Joan O'Flynn Kildare County Camogie Board.