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County Kildare History and Heritage

1928 All-Ireland Football Championship

The All-Ireland Final

Leinster Leader, Saturday 6th October 1928.

THE MEN WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE.

It is fitting that in the hour of Kildare's great victory a tribute should be paid to the men behind the scenes who trained the All Whites and watched after their interests at all times. Since the early days when the Gaels of Kildare were in obscurity and little heard of a band of enthusiasts worked strenuously and never lost hope that some day they would see Kildare holding premier football honours. Many of that little band of enthusiastic Gaels have passed away, but their successors were with the boys on Sunday and were as painstaking and self-sacrificing in their interests as they have been since they took office on the County Board. There was Tom Lawler, the genial President of the Co. Board, who has done so much for the Gaels. There was Tim Clarke, the popular County secretary, who has brought the County Board to its present affluent position, and who is admittedly one of the most capable and efficient G.A.A. Secretaries in the organisation. His work does not end with the mere discharge of his secretarial duties. He is constantly at work devising ways and means of furthering the interests of the "Short Grass" and his hours of duty would give a rigid Trades' Union official a shock at their extent. There was Jack Fitzgerald, a past President of Kildare Co. Board; the genial Tommy Kelly, of Kilcock, whose work needs no comment in Kildare. There was Paddy Reddy, an active and consistent Gael of many years faithful service; Larry Murphy, the genial Vice President, and many others. They were all there-the veterans of the past, and the Gaels of to-day-the men who have built up the citadel of Gaeldom in the County of Kildare. A tribute to the players would be lacking without an equal tribute to those who, without the thrill and glory of the arena, are day in and day out doing the work of the Gaels for the Gaels. A tribute must also be paid to Sergeant Mick O'Reilly, A.M.C., Curragh, who trained the team, and whose work has now received the best possible seal of efficiency.