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Club History

Updated 24th November

Geraldines GFC was founded in 1904 and is the second oldest of Louth's affiliated clubs after Dundalk Young Irelands. Initially the club was known as Dundalk Geraldines.

From 1904 to 1917 it was one of the major clubs in Co. Louth winning Senior Championships in 1913,1915, and 1916. Joe Donnelly of Geraldines played on the 1910 All-Ireland winning Louth team, as did the great Joe Johnston in 1912. In 1917 after a rowdy match against O'Rahilly's from Dundalk the club decided not to affiliate in 1918.

In 1920 the club was reformed to raise money for a new church in Blackrock. Prominent in its reformation was Joe Donnelly. It was based in Dromiskin although many of its players came from Blackrock/Haggardstown. Geraldines won both the Junior and Senior Championships in 1920. In 1926 they contested their eighth senior final. Losing out to Drogheda Wolfe Tones. The club failed to affiliate in 1929.

In 1934 the club re-affiliated in its Haggardstown base and today is very much a Haggardstown/Blackrock club. The great John Lynch and Gerry Donnelly who had won Senior Championship medals with both Dundalk Geraldines and Dromiskin Geraldines played on this team, giving continuity to the Geraldines tradition.

In 1939 Geraldines won the Junior Championship. The heading in ' The Democrat' was ' Another Title For Great Club'. The club had many league successes in the fifties but had to wait until 1966 before gaining another Junior Championship success. The great Frank Lynch who had won an All-Ireland medal with Louth in 1957 and was picked on Louth's Team of the Millennium, captained the team. His cousins Roger and Ronan Lynch were part of Louth's effort in 1950, when beaten by Mayo in the All-Ireland final.

Geraldines can boast one of the finest club grounds in the county, which was officially opened by Liam Mulvihill in 1979. In 1993 Peter Quinn opened Halla Na Gearaltaigh. In recent years Geraldines have hosted two Senior Championship Finals. The expansive pitch is also particularly suitable for hurling matches. Due to its central location it has been used for many College matches. Geraldines GFC has recently purchased land for a second pitch.

Geraldines lost the Senior Final in 1969 to Newtown Blues. In 1979 they won the Intermediate Championship and in 1982 finally won the Louth Senior Championship defeating close neighbours Kilkerley Emmets in the final. In 1995 Geraldines again won the Intermediate Championship and finished runners up in 1999 and 2002. In 2004 they won the Intermediate 2 leauge, At present Geraldines compete at Intermediate Grade, but will move to Senior after winning the Intermediate Championship in 2005. The club celebraterated its Centenary next year 2004.

St. Fursey's is the under-age wing of Geraldines GFC. It provides coaching and matches for teams from Under 10 to Under 18 levels. The team reached the Minor Final in 1987 going under to Ardee St, Mary's. In 1995 St. Fursey's made history by winning the Louth Minor Championship for the first time. The nucleus of the team had competed at Feile in Meath in 1992 winning Division 3.

 

National Links
GAA HQ
Louth GAA
Hogan Stand
Cul 4 Kids
Lotto
Jackpot
for 1st June '10
€12,600
No Winner:
Numbers 6, 14, 20, 29

Next draw will take place on Tuesday 8th June in the Clubrooms for a Jackpot of €12,800