Laune Rangers – 1899
The Kerry Co. Board was still defunct but many games did take place, particularly in the northern half of the county.
There weren’t any games from the Killorglin area reported on for that year. Perhaps, it was related to the fact that the clergy at that time did not support the GAA or perhaps it was related to the fact that in parts of Munster the failure of the previous year’s potato crop had led to near famine conditions in some areas and had diverted the people’s attention away from the national pastimes.
Nevertheless, a GAA Club existed in Killorglin with Patrick J. Kelly as its Secretary, and it is highly probably that games did take place involving Killorglin.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Patrick J. Kelly was Secretary of Killorglin GAA Club.
Administration/Miscellany
Michael Deering, Corcaigh, was Uachtarán CLG.
At the 13th Annual Congress in Thurles on Sun. 16th July, J.P. O Sullivan, attending in his capacity as handicapper, was re-elected as one the handicappers in the country for Gaelic Sports. He resigned as Vice-President for Munster. He seconded the motion that FB Dineen be re-elected as Secretary of the Association.
The Kerry Co. Board continued to be defunct. Nevertheless, many unofficial games took place involving teams from Tralee, Killarney, Kilflynn, Strand Road Robert Emmett’s (junior), Boherbue John E. Redmonds (junior), Tralee Pioneers (junior), Castleisland Shaughrauns (junior), Ballylongford Clan-na-Gael, Tarbert, Castleisland Desmonds, Listowel, Ballyduff, Lixnaw and Ballybunion.
The following letter from Patrick J. Kelly, Secretary of Killorglin GAA Club, appeared in the Kerry Sentinel on Sat. 16th Dec: “Now that the New Year is close at hand, we would like to know what chance there is of getting up a GAA Co. Board. I think Kerry is in a bad way for one, considering there are a good number of clubs in the county viz. – Listowel, Tarbert, Castleisland, Killarney, Cahersiveen, Tralee, Milltown and Killorglin. Why not these eight clubs form a Co. Board, having plenty of splendid players, fit to represent any county?
Let us show the ‘Irish Gaels’ that the GAA is not dead in the Kingdom of Kerry. They are as strong now as when the renowned Laune Rangers fought out the final for the All-Ireland Championship at Clonturk Park against the renowned Young Irelanders, with so much credit to the county.
Now, so as to set the ball rolling, any club that wishes to play a match can communicate with the undersigned. Yours truly, P.J. Kelly, Hon. Sec. Killorglin GAA Club.”
J.P. O Sullivan acted as handicapper and general manager at the following Sports meetings under GAA rules: Tues. 4th July at Waterville, Tues. 11th July at Tralee, in July at Newcastlewest, Thurs. 27th July at Listowel, Mon. 14th Aug. at Killarney and Tues. 15th Aug. at Milltown.
On Sun. 22nd Jan. the five-mile foot race for £50 aside between M. O Neill (Adare) and J.J. Mullen (Wexford) took place in Tralee Sports Ground before a good crowd, which included all the well-known sportsmen in Kerry. With the exception of the finish, they were never more than a yard apart during the twenty rounds. O Neill put in a fine sprint at the finish to win by about six yards. J.P. O Sullivan acted as referee.
As well as his duties with the GAA in the county, J.P. O Sullivan was Vice-President of the Co. Kerry Cycle Club.
JP O Sullivan secured some very lucrative appointments outside of sport during the year. He succeeded his father in the agency of the O Donoghue estate. He was appointed a cess collector for a number of districts and he was, also, appointed Commissioner for administering Oaths in the Killorglin district.