Kerry

Website: www.kerrygaa.ie
Irish: CLG Ciarraí
County Ground: Fitzgerald Stadium

About Kerry County Board

Kerry are the most successful team in the history of Gaelic football. They have won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship on 35 occasions and the National Football League 18 times, both of which are far more than any other county. The county holds a number of distinctive records in football championship history. Kerry has played in more All-Ireland finals than any other team – 56 in all. They have won more than half of them, which is another record.

The traditional Irish game of caid, from which modern football developed, was especially popular in Kerry. The GAA was formed in 1884 and codified the modern rules of the game, which were soon adopted in Kerry clubs such as Laune Rangers. Despite this, the county team did not win an All-Ireland football championship in the nineteenth century. The 1903 title was the first won by Kerry, and their exceptional success in the game began in this period, continuing up to the present day.

The Kerry team of the 1970s and 1980s is considered to be arguably the greatest in the history of football and its manager (Mick O’Dwyer) the greatest of all time. Of the 20 All-Ireland finals held during those two decades, Kerry participated in 12, with victory coming on 9 occasions. During this time most other finals were won by Dublin, and there was a major rivalry between the two counties especially during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1982 Kerry came within one minute of winning an unprecedented fifth All-Ireland title in a row. However a late goal by Offaly’s Séamus Darby which caused controversy (as many claim Darby pushed the Kerry defender in the back) gave the title to Offaly. This goal was voted third in a poll to find the Top 20 GAA Moments.

Towards the end of the 1980s Kerry went into decline and did not appear in an All-Ireland final for 11 years, between 1986 and 1997. The 1997 victory, however, very much marked the beginning of another golden era for Kerry. Of the last 11 All-Irelands, Kerry have contested 7 and won 5. Kerry became the first team since Cork to win back to back All Irelands in the 2007 championship by demolishing their Munster rivals by a scoreline of 3-13 to 1-09. They have now won four of the nine All-Irelands played so far in the 2000s. Kerry played in their 5th All-Ireland Final in a row on 21 September 2008 after beating Cork in a semi-final replay. However, they lost to Tyrone.

County Ground

Fitzgerald Stadium Killarney

Car Parking

Killarney has a good number of car parks around the town centre and around the vicinity of the grounds.

Entry Information

Fitzgerald Stadium is beside the hospital to the north of the town centreand close to the N22 Tralee-Cork Road (North Ring Road).

Public Transport

Killarney is well serviced with both bus and rail transport available and centrally located within the town. Regular bus services are run to and from Killarney.

Hotel Offer

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce and Munster GAA have come together with a special promotion for spectators at all Munster GAA Senior Hurling and Football Championship matches during 2009. At least a 10% discount is available to all ticket holders at participating hotels, guesthouses and self-catering facilities.