Raheens GAA

Raheens
Na Raithíní
Founded: 1925
County: Kildare
Nickname: The Heens
Colours: Blue and Saffron
Grounds: Tom Lawler Park, Gingerstown, Caragh
Coordinates: 53°14′03″N 6°43′11″W / 53.23428°N 6.71962°W / 53.23428; -6.71962Coordinates: 53°14′03″N 6°43′11″W / 53.23428°N 6.71962°W / 53.23428; -6.71962
Playing kits
Standard colours
Senior Club Championships
All Ireland Leinster
champions		 Kildare
champions
Football: 0 1 10
Hurling: - - 8

Raheens /ræˈhiːnz/ is a Gaelic football club based in Caragh, County Kildare, Ireland, winner of the Leinster senior club championship in 1981, 10 county senior football championships, first winners of the Kildare club of the year in 1973 and winners again in 1976. The separate hurling club, formerly known as Éire Óg, has now amalgamated to become Éire Óg-Corrachoill. Pat Dunny was the only player chose for both the Kildare football and hurling teams of the millennium, one of two players to play hurling and football for Leinster on the same day, a Cuchulainn All Stars Award winner in 1967 and later chairman of Kildare GAA county board. Mick Mullins was also chosen on the Kildare hurling team of the millennium.

History

The inaugural meeting of a Prosperous & Blackwood team, Sir T Esmonde's, attracted 140 members in February 1888 under the patronage of Caragh parish priest, Father Kinsella, and a British army veteran, Captain Fitzpatrick. Their rivals, Tim Healy's, were set up at Digby Bridge and reached the Kildare senior football semi-final in 1890. In 1897 three clubs from the Parish entered the county championship, Caragh, Digby Bridge and Prosperous. Dick Radley of Prosperous spearheaded the 1901 GAA revival in Kildare and Prosperous contested the county final of 1903. Blacktrench was formed in 1915, amalgamated with Caragh and then Raheens was formed. The relationship between Caragh and Raheens is a complicated one. The Raheens GAA pitch is near Caragh village, while the Caragh club is in Prosperous.

Blacktrench

Blacktrench GFC, from which the Raheens club evolved, won the Junior Championship in 1916 with a team that included three Heaveys (a fourth was substitute), two Campbells, three Malones, and three Stanleys. They beat defending champions Maynooth in their first senior championship match but lost to Kilcock after a fiery game that was the subject of a county board investigation.

Raheens

Raheens takes its name from a townland west of Caragh (Irish: Na Ráithíní, "the little ringforts"). Raheens GFC were beaten by Athgarvan in the 1927 junior semi-final, won the junior championship in 1928. The parish team, a combined Raheens/Caragh selection, entered the 1932 championship as St. Peter's and lost to Carbury. Raheens were promoted without winning the Intermediate championship and went to the 1934 senior county final, when they lost a six-nil half-time lead and were beaten by Athy. Peter Waters and John Crofton played on the 1935 Kildare All Ireland final team. Raheens won the first of ten Kildare titles in 1935 with a massive 6-3 to 1-0 win over Kildare St. Brigid's. They won their second in 1936 defeating McDonagh by a point in the county final with the help of Larry Stanley, making his last appearance for the club, and scoring four points despite the fact he was now 40 years of age. Raheens were regraded in 1949 and it was 1958 before they regained senior status. They climbed back onto the winner's podium with the help of Pat Dunny in 1964, and equalled Carbury's magnificent seven in the post-sixties period with a 1981 win that led to Leinster club championship honours.

Camogie

Geraldine Dwyer, Teresa Lynch, Nuala Malone, Eileen Reilly and Marianne Johnson were selected on the Kildare camogie team of the century.

Honours Raheens

Honours Éire Óg

Honours Prosperous

Bibliography

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