Well laid plans of Daingean Uí Chúis coming to fruition

In 2018 the Daingean Uí Chúis football squad gathered in the Díseart Institute to map out their targets for the coming years.

Their goals were lofty, with an All-Ireland title on the list, although to anyone outside the room that landmark must have seemed a thousand miles away. After all their last county title win came in 1948.

In the seasons that followed that squad meeting more hurt and frustration ensued. They lost the 2024 county final to Dr Crokes, adding to the two other finals they fell short in following on from 2012.

As January 2026 slowly chugs through its motions, however, the list of ambitions that they outlined have been widely met after the heady exploits of the past three months.

Their county final win before Christmas bridged a gap of 77 years as they beat Austin Stacks in the final.

They subsequently went on to win a first Munster title, beating St Finbarr's of Cork in a classic with Conor Geaney hitting a dramatic last-gasp winner.

In the All-Ireland semi-final they got past a powerful Ballyboden outfit with another spectacular showcasing of grit, resilience and class, coming back from 10 points down.

Now as they prepare to take one last step, a formidable one with St Brigid’s also jousting for the flag to reach the summit, Ronan McCarthy, vice-chair of Daingean Uí Chúis, reflects on the journey in full.

The club won two minor titles on the trot in 2014-15 with up to nine players form those set-ups also winning Hogan Cups with Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne as well as being part of the Kerry minor teams that landed five All-Ireland titles in a row.

"From a football perspective we were blessed with that bunch and those teams," Ronan Kennedy says.

"Along with a few younger players still, and some of our more experienced players, those minor lads of '14/15 form our senior side now.

"We are lucky to have them. It’s a small club, our numbers are around 1500 to 1600 and we have less than 200 club members. But our structures, and the coaching structures in and around us are strong.

"Thankfully we have been able to field our own minor team this past couple of seasons but before that we had to amalgamate with our neighbours Lispole.

"We also have a good group of Under-10s and U12s but below that our numbers are falling off a cliff again. From our U8 group, we had one boy going into second class in primary school last year. That’s the reality of where we are at. It’s a constant challenge."

Kennedy feels the perception is somewhat different because of the town and peninsula’s reputation.

"People think of Dingle and think of a thriving town and bustling streets," he says. "And it is a thriving tourist area.

"But behind that school enrolments are down. Our locals can’t get housing. If anything does come to the market it is flipped for sale and put up for short term rentals or an Airbnb."

A group of players currently commute to Cork and nearby Kerry towns for work which is manageable but, with demand for holiday homes dominating the housing market and costs rising in this sector, Daingean Uí Chúis officials fear losing players in their mid to late twenties in coming years.

The threat of emigration looms large.

"This year we were so happy to welcome Aidan O’Connor and Patrick O’Connor back from Canada to us. Again, that has made a huge difference," Kennedy says.

"So too has Mark O’Connor receiving permission from Geelong to stay playing with us and that has been key to all we have done. Mark is a proven leader over there, an AFL winner and part of the club’s leadership group so you don’t need to guess what qualities he brings to us.

"The whole year has been a fairytale. We went through a rollercoaster of emotion in the Munster final and thought we had seen it all but then it was the same thing against Ballyboden. We know how important it is to keep this run going because we have so much we want to achieve as a club and this campaign has been the stuff of dreams."

Win, lose or draw against St Brigid’s the hard work will continue.

A new community hub in Daingean Uí Chúis, Áras Mhíchíl Uí Mhuircheartaigh’, in honour of the late, great Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh who hailed from Dún Síon, just out the road, is planned and ready to go.

This hub being named in the late broadcaster’s honour to promote Irish culture and language and is not just designed to service the sporting needs of the club’s players and members, but the entire community.

The planned €3.5million development features a community wing that will include two 120 square metre community spaces, a meeting room, and an office; and a facilities wing that will include four dressing-rooms.

An upgraded floodlit training area and floodlit 3G pitch is also planned, and badly needed.

"We have been using floodlit facilities in Legion and other clubs in Kerry and we are very grateful to them," Kennedy adds.

"But we need to drive on. Our pitch is located right in the town centre and is in fabulous condition and developing the surrounding facilities is the goal. We have €1m raised ourselves as a club and it's all about delivering this now and ensuring that our numbers come through, that our people are around us, and that we meet the standards we set for ourselves."

Just like when they sat down in Díseart Institute eight years ago.

From the list of goals and targets that came out of that meeting, only one box now remains to be ticked. Daingean Uí Chúis, the players, coaches and community together will leave nothing behind them in their attempt to finish the job.

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