Castleisland Desmonds are a

Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sports, amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional Irish sports o ...

club in

Castleisland Castleisland () is a town and commercial centre in County Kerry in south west Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is known for the width of its main street. As of the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, Castleisland had a population of 2,5 ...

County Kerry County Kerry () is a Counties of Ireland, county on the southwest coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is bordered by two other countie ...

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. The club is affiliated with North Kerry and their players play with St Kieran's divisional team. The club won its first County Championship in 1950. They won others in 1981, 1982 and 1984. They won the Munster Club Championship and All-Ireland Club Championship in 1985.

Celebrity Bainisteoir

In 2010, the club was selected to enter

RTÉ (; ; RTÉThe É in RTÉ is pronounced as an English E () and not an Irish É ()) is an Irish public service broadcaster. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, ...

's '' Celebrity Bainisteoir'' TV show. Their ''Celebrity Bainisteoir'' was Derek Burke from Crystal Swing. In the quarter finals,

played against Nuala Carey's Shannonbridge side from

County Offaly County Offaly (; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is named after the Ancient Ireland, ancient Kingdom of Uí ...

. In the 2010 season of ''Celebrity Bainisteoir'', home advantage for each game bar the final was determined by an

assault course An assault course (also called a confidence course or obstacle course) is a trail (or course) that combines running and exercising. It is often used in military training. The prime use is to evaluate progress and weaknesses of the individual or ...

challenge, which took place at the Irish Army's training camp in

The Curragh The Curragh ( ; ) is a flat open plain in County Kildare, Ireland. This area is well known for horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is on the edge of Kildare town, beside the Irish National Stud#The Japanese Gardens, Japane ...

County Kildare County Kildare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the Local gove ...

. Having lost the home venue decider in the Curragh, Desmonds travelled to Shannonbridge. In a close game, Castleisland won on a 2–10 to 2-06 scoreline. In the semi-finals, having won the home venue decider in the Curragh, Desmonds hosted Breffny Morgan's

County Galway County Galway ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Northern and Western Region, taking up the south of the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht. The county population was 276,451 at the 20 ...

team, Kilconly. Desmonds ultimately won the match by 3 points (1 goal), on a 2–11 to 1-11 scoreline, thereby securing a place in the final. This match took place on 25 September 2010 and was featured in the episode of ''Celebrity Bainisteoir'' which aired on 17 October 2010. In the final of ''Celebrity Bainisteoir'', Desmonds faced

Mairéad Farrell Mairéad Farrell ( or ''Mairéad Ní Fhearail''; 3 March 1957 – 6 March 1988) was a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). She was shot and killed by the Special Air Service in Gibraltar during Operation Flavius.Pg 300, ''T� ...

's Ballymun Kickhams from

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

. The match took place at Parnell Park, Dublin on 29 October 2010. Early in the game the Desmonds scored the first point, and added 3 more without reply, but by half time Kickhams had fought back to lead Desmonds by 1 point at 1–3 to 0–5. Ballymun scored early in the second half, but with ten minutes remaining both sides were level. Kickhams scored another point, to which Desmonds responded with a goal. Now under pressure, Kickhams missed one point-scoring opportunity, but succeeded with another to narrow the gap to a single point. As the game intensified, an incident occurred which resulted in a Desmond's player receiving a second yellow card, and being sent off with four minutes remaining. Despite this, Ballymun failed to capitalise, missing their best chance at scoring in injury time. Desmonds held their lead, to win the game by a single point with a final scoreline of 1–08 to 1-07. The match was featured in the episode of ''Celebrity Bainisteoir'' which aired on 31 October 2010.

Notable players

* Charlie Nelligan, seven time

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC) () is the premier inter-county competition in Gaelic football. County (Gaelic games), County teams compete against each other and the winner is declared All-Ireland Champions. Organised by the ...

winner. * Timmy O'Sullivan, All Ireland Senior Football winner 1962 * David Geaney, two time All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winner. 1985

All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament which began in season 1970–71. It is the top-tier competition for the senior football clubs of Ireland and London. The current champions are Cuala of D ...

winning manager * Donie Buckley, All-Ireland club winner. Coach with

Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...

, Clare, Kerry, Mayo and

Monaghan Monaghan ( ; ) is the county town of County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It also provides the name of its Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish and Monaghan (barony), Monaghan barony. The population of the town as of the 2022 cen ...

. * Mary Geaney, All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship winner with Kerry. Three time

All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship The All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship is a competition for inter-county teams in the women's field sport of game of camogie played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Camogie Association and are played during the summer mo ...

winner with

Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

. * Dermot Hannafin, two time All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winner. All-Ireland club winner. * Dermot Hannafin (Snr), 1953 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winner. * Mossie Lyons, three time All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winner. * Tim Lyons, three time All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winner. * Ger Reidy, Kerry goalkeeper

Roll of honour

: (1) 1985 *

Munster Senior Club Football Championship The Munster Senior Club Football Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the AIB Munster GAA Football Senior Club Championship) is an annual Gaelic football competition for the champion clubs of each county. It has been organised by the ...

: (2) 1984, 1985 * Kerry Club Football Championship: (8) 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1995 * Kerry Intermediate Football Championship: (3) 1976, 1979, 1981 * County League Championship (Division 1): (1) 1981 * County League Championship (Division 4): (2) 1975, 1979 * North Kerry Senior Football Championship: (6) 1980, 1988, 2002, 2007, 2020, 2021 * North Kerry Senior League: (5) 1971, 1975, 1979, 1981, 2021 * A.I.B. Club of the Year: (3) 1981, 1982, 1983 * Celebrity Bainisteoir : (1) 2010 * All-Ireland Senior Club Ladies' Football Championship: (2) 1980, 1983

External links

Official Castleisland Desmonds GAA Club websiteCastleisland Desmonds on Facebook
{{DEFAULTSORT:Castleisland Desmonds Gaa Gaelic football clubs in County Kerry Gaelic games clubs in County Kerry