In this week’s ‘My Club’ feature, Kerry Senior Hurling captain, Daniel Collins, tells us all about Kilmoyley Hurling Club.

By John Harrington

Hurling has always been in the blood of the people of Kilmoyley in North Kerry. Before the GAA was even founded in 1884, the area was renowned for its hurling team and matches were regularly organised against sides from Abbeydorney, Lixnaw, and Ballyduff.

Kilmoyley itself is little more than a crossroads with a church and a pub, but success has been plentiful despite a lack of playing numbers. Last year’s County Senior Final victory over neighbours St. Brendan’s of Ardfert was the club’s 23rd title, which brings them within one of Kerry’s most successful club, Ballyduff.

Kimoyley’s very first county final appearance in 1889 did not end so happily. The Kilmoyley players were resplendent in saffron jerseys, long pants and multi-coloured woollen caps knitted by wives, girlfriends and female supporters, but they lost to Fossa by 1-0 to 0-3 (a goal was worth more than any number of points at that time). To rub salt into wounds, a Kilmoyley player had his leg broken and another two were seriously injured.

By the following year their rallying cry at Championship matches was “Remember the broken leg”, as Kilmoyley accounted for Abbeydorney, Kenmare, and Ballyduff on the way to winning their first ever county title.

Success has followed at a good rate ever since, apart from when the club endured two notable famines from 1915 to 1947 and 1972 to 2000 when they failed to win a single county senior title. They are very much the dominant club in Kerry nowadays though, with seven county titles won in the last 16 years.

As well as success on the pitch, the club has also done great work off it by developing state of the art facilities that include a clubhouse, ball-alley, gym, pitches, and a stand for supporters. They are one of the finest examples you’ll find of a small club overcoming a lack of numbers to achieve consistent success.

For more information on Kilmoyley hurling club, visit their website - http://www.kilmoyleygaa.ie/

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Q: What age did you start hurling with Kilmoyley?

A: Eight or nine. I was U-10 at that stage. I suppose fellas nowadays are starting when they're four or five which is better again if you ask me.

Q: Did your father hurl for the club as well, or how did you get involved?

**A: **No, he was the sort of fella who only turned up when they were stuck! He had no interest in playing. No, I would have gotten involved through the school really. The Principal there was mad into it and he got me going and I never really stopped from there. I grew to love it straight away.

Q: Had you much success at an early age with the club?

**A: **I suppose we won one of everything. We won a Feile, a minor, an U-21. We've always been a team that's been in the last four of competitions. We're always competing.

Q: You went to Causeway Comprehensive which is a renowned hurling nursery. Did that have a big impact on your game?

**A: **Most definitely. It's where you start really developing as a player because it's where you first get to play teams from outside the county. When I was there I played in Semple Stadium and the Gaelic Grounds and played All-Ireland Finals. It was unbelievable. We played against players who went on to win All-Ireland minor titles with Galway so it was a great experience and it gets you prepared for playing for Kerry county teams.

Q: Was Maurice Leahy the main man when it came to coaching those Causeway teams?

**A: **Yeah, Maurice was unbelievable. He used to never leave the school, he was there 24/7. He was a fantastic manager and had Willy Dowling and John Joe Delaney alongside him who were great men too. They made a huge impact on our careers.

Q: You would have beaten Galway schools and Tipperary schools, I suppose that made you realise that you were as good as anyone?

**A: **Yeah, we had a bunch of players there and a lot of them came through and now play together for Kerry. We were very confident as well coming into Kerry that we could bring more success into Kerry.

Q: There are eight senior hurling clubs in that small pocket of north Kerry, is that right?

**A: **Yeah, there are eight senior clubs and there would be intermediate clubs as well.

Q: Is there the same passion for hurling in that part of North Kerry as there is in any of the traditional hurling counties?

**A: **Yeah, it's all hurling. Those eight clubs, and they're all only four or five miles apart, and we'd end up playing each other five or six times a year. It's just crazy, even if the rivalry isn't as bad as it once was. Before fellas used to hold grudges off the field, but now that's gone. The rivalry is there on the pitch and it's hard and it's tough, but as soon as we go off the pitch every fella more or less does get on.

Q: Who are the club’s biggest rivals?

**A: **Ardfert I suppose because we're the one parish. I suppose the rivalry that was there before was completely different to what's there now. You'd talk to elderly people in the parish and they'd still talk about how they hate the fellas from Ardfert! Now, I'd be playing football the odd time with Ardfert and a load of young lads have grown up playing with Ardfert as well. I suppose the wall was knocked between the two parishes and we do get on really well now. I think you're better off when it's like that.

Q: So if you share the same parish as Ardfert, presumably Kilmoyley have a relatively small pick?

**A: **Kilmoyley definitely have the smallest pick. We're only a crossroads and 200 yards going every way from it. So we've a very small pick, we've only a couple of hundred people there. So it's amazing the success that we've had I suppose.

Q: The club came close to shocking Cork's Blackrock once in the Munster Club Championship?

**A: **Yeah, that was in '02. I was only eight, but I was there that day and it was unbelievable. Shane Brick scored 1-10 or something like that, it was crazy. Had we won, it would have been incredible. No Kerry team has ever won a Munster club game. So to win that day, especially against Blackrock up in Pairc Ui Chaoimh would have been crazy.

Q: Was Shane Brick was your first hurling hero?

**A: **Most definitely, yeah. He was the one you always looked up to.

Q: Did he have a few offers to go hurl for other counties?

**A: **I think Limerick tried their best to get him around that time. But he didn't want to leave the club and he didn't want to stop hurling for Kerry because he loved it that much. I suppose with him staying it drives on other fellas to commit as well when they see the commitment that he's making. He could have left, but he decided to stay with Kerry.

Q: What sort of facilities does the club have?

**A: **We've a good set-up. We've a gym and a ball-wall has recently been put up too. I think they're looking into getting astroturf in as well, so we're in fairly good condition. The pitch is absolutely unbelievable. It's as good as you'll get anywhere.

Q: Is hurling just what people do in Kilmoyley?

**A: **Yeah, this is what we do. Everything just revolves around hurling and people just put in huge voluntary work from fundraising to everything helping out with underage teams to help the club get more success. 
It's a great club because they're constantly supporting you. My brother got injured there lately in a game and the Chairman and Vice-Chairman were all down to the house. He had a bad knee injury. I suppose it just shows the community effect and how supportive the club are.

Q: What are the club’s prospects in 2016?

A: We won the County Championship last year but John Meyler has since stepped down as manager. Fergie O'Loughlin from Clare has come in to replace him so we're obviously hoping to win back to back Championships. We know how hard it's going to be, but we're looking forward to the challenge. 

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