Lucan Sarsfields

Infobox GAA club
club gaa = Lucan Sarsfields
irish = Na Searséalaigh Leamhcáin| founded=1886
province=Leinster
county = Dublin
nickname = Sarsfields
colours = Green, White, Black
grounds = 12th Lock
f3=
pattern_la=_green_hoops|pattern_ra=_green_hoops
leftarm=FFFFFF|body=FFFFFF|rightarm=FFFFFF|shorts=000000|socks=_FFFFFF_|
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Lucan Sarsfields is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Lucan, Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1886, making it one of the oldest GAA clubs in Dublin. Sarsfields were one of 16 teams which contested the Dublin Senior Championship in 1887. They were also involved in the Senior Championship of 1892 and the club has fielded football, hurling and camogie teams ever since.

Early success

Lucan won the Intermediate Football League in the 1904-05 season. It is reported that they did this with the help of five players from Balbriggan. The story goes that in 1902 a team call Balbriggan Wanderers won the Intermediate League and then for some reason or other went out of existence in 1904. One of the players on that team was a man named Paddy Richardson, who was a fish merchant and regularly attended the Dublin market. At the market he met up with Mickey Ashe who was secretary of Lucan and who also worked in the fish market. With the assistance of Tom Clarke, another fish market worker, the Balbriggan men were persuaded to throw in their lot with Lucan and the result was the winning of the league that year. The Lucan players who played on that team were M. O’Connor, P. Murray (Captain), J. Kelly, M. Downes (Treasurer), R. Kane (Vice Captain), M. Ashe (Secretary), J. Fagan, J. Murray, C. Brien, G. Thornberry, T. Kelly, J. Fitzpatrick (President), C.J. Keogh, R. Maher, T. Byrne, M. Merriman and J. Brien.The same season also saw the hurlers win their league and being presented with the Michael Smith Cup. Lucan had to wait another 70 years to see this cup again when they won the Junior A League in 1974. A link between these two wins was Michael Downes who played on the 1905 team and his grandsons, Larry Downes and Dessie O’Brien who played on the 1974 team. Another link between both teams was Club President Tom Slattery who attended both games.In 1904-05 Lucan Sarsfields also won the Camogie Championship. Some of those who played on that team were Bridget Nugent, Annie Hughes, Kitty Brady, Dill Thornberry, Chrissie Murray, Margaret Feeney, Kate Nugent and Margaret Gannon.Our footballers were prominent in the 1920s and 30s. The highpoint of this era was undoubtedly a famous victory over a star-studded Garda team in 1929. Our hurlers captured the limelight in the 60s winning the Junior 'B' Hurling League. They won the Corn Céitinn in 1966 and so became the first Junior Hurling team ever to capture this title.

Moving through the ranks

Ourwho footballers were back to the forefront in the 70s with the help of the club's active juvenile section. The winning of the Junior Football Championship in 1976 and entry into Intermediate ranks quickly followed success at Under 21 level. In 1988 a huge ambition was realised when Senior status was achieved. We beat St. Anne's in the Intermediate League Final. Some lean times followed and we reverted to Intermediate status.

The glorious 1990s

After a magnificent campaign ourwho footballers again achieved Senior status in 1995 with a thrilling Intermediate championship victory over St.Vincents after a replay in Lawless Park in Swords. Further success followed and our footballers now compete in Division 1 of the Senior Football League. 1998 was a tremendous year for our hurlers. The intermediate hurlers won three cup competitions, Corn Céitinn, Corn Fogarty and Corn xxxx. They followed up with a season to relish in 1999 winning the Intermediate League and Championship and were competing in Division 2 of the Senior Hurling League.

Club grounds

For many years the Club had no permanent pitches. In the early years, games were played at the 12 Lock, Bleach Green in the Demesne (close to Weir View), in a field behind Vesey Park and later on land belonging to Mr. Hickey in Doddsboro, Mr. Royce in Tandy’s Lane and Mr. Kavanagh in Ballydowd, On the morning of a game some of the club members would go to one of these fields and erect posts which would have to be taken down that evening.In 1952, the Dublin County Board leased grounds in Ballydowd, behind the Foxhunter Pub and gave the Club official use of these grounds. This was home for the Club for the next 18 years. Dressing rooms consisted of old wooden railway carriages - a far cry from some of the facilities that exist today but a lot more than some other clubs had at the time.In 1970 however, the County Board lost control of the ground and the club was again homeless until granted the use of County Council pitches in Doddsboro where Airlie Heights is now situated.1976 saw the Club move again, this time to County Council grounds near Arthur Griffith Park.It was around this time that the Club realised the need for a home of its own and in 1978 the grounds at the 12th Lock were purchased from Shackletons for the sum of £51,500. Initial finance was provided by members by way of an interest free loan of £50 per head. This was backed up by grants from the County Board, loan facilities from the G.A.A. and from Allied Irish Banks Ltd., Lucan. The area of Lucan itself has expanded beyond all recognition during the period since the foundation of the club. In 1901 the population of the village of Lucan was recorded at 872, by 1981 it had increased to 13,508. Today the Lucan area is one of the fastest growing suburbs of Dublin with the present population estimated at 50,000 people living in the Lucan area. Lucan Sarsfields is continuing to grow with the community that it serves, because of the explosion in membership numbers a new clubhouse was built in 2001. The modern design includes a bar and function room, viewing balcony, 5 dressing rooms with showers, gym and club shop. The pitches in the 12th lock are known around the county for their excellent condition when it comes to championship. Sarsfields are currently planning to construct a state of the art all weather playing surface. This project was delayed by the on going saga between thomas davis gaa and shamrock rovers in south county dublin. With the conclusion of this it is expected the new pitch should be ready by 2010.

Honours

Minor 'B' Hurling Championship 2001Junior Ladies Football All-Ireland Champions 2001
U-15 'B' Hurling Championship 2003
Minor 'A' Hurling Championship 2005
Minor 'B' Football championship 2005
Minor Hurling Div 1 champions 2006
U-21 'A' Football Championship 2006
Div 3 Football Feile Champions 2006
Minor 'B' Hurling championship 2007
U-15 'B' Football Championship 2007
U-14 Div 2 Camogie Champions 2007
Div 1 Feile Camogie champions 2008
Div 2 Hurling Feile champions 2008
Div 1 Camogie All-Ireland Feile Winners 2008
Div 2 Senior Camogie League Champions 2008

Notable players

* Jack Sheedy - former Dublin inter-county footballer.
* Tommy Carr - former Dublin inter-county footballer and manager.
* Paul Casey - current Dublin inter-county footballer.
* Stephen O’Shaughnessy - current Dublin inter-county footballer.
* Kevin O'Reilly - current Dublin inter-county hurler.
* John McCaffrey - current Dublin inter-county hurler.
* Pádraig O'Driscoll - Current Dublin Senior Hurling Player
* Dhani Jones - Cincinnati Bengals American Football linebacker.

* Peter Kelly - Current Dublin inter-county hurler.

External links

* [http://www.lucansarsfields.ie/ Official Lucan Sarsfields Website]
* [http://www.hill16.ie/ Official Dublin GAA Website]
* [http://www.hoganstand.com/general/ground/articles/03140311.htm Article on the new club facilities]
* [http://www.clubgaa.ie/dublin/index.htm Dublin Club GAA]