History of Club

In 1961, The committees of Naomh Ciaráin, who catered for juveniles in the Donnycarney/Killester area, and Craobh Rua, who catered for adults in the Artane/Coolock area, met to discuss the possibility of amalgamation. This idea was based at the time on the fact that it seemed unwise to have two clubs operating in the same catchment area.

The members in Craobh Rua were steeped in hurling tradition and were willing to pass on their knowledge to the Ciaráins boys & Naomh Ciaráin was assured of a supply of youth from the local school.
The amalgamation finally took place in 1962. It was a match made in Heaven as success came to the new club in abundance and very quickly. In the first year alone the club won the following;

Junior Hurling League B Section
Smith Cup for Junior and Intermediate hurling
Under 21 Football League
Under 21 Hurling League
Plant Cup for Junior Football

This was followed up by an equally successful year in 1963 which saw the club win:

Under 21 football league
Under 21 hurling league
Runner up Under 21 Football Championship
Junior Hurling League Division A and C
Loving Cup Football
Smith Cup in hurling

Then in 1964, the club won a unique double winning the Junior Football and hurling Championship, beating Naomh Finbar in hurling and St Gerards of Walkinstown in the football. 

The success continued in 1965 with the hurlers winning the Intermediate hurling Championship and so qualifying for senior the following year.

In 1968, the intermediate footballers joined the hurlers by beating Raheny in the league final. 

It should also be noted that during these initial years, The club was starting to make an impact at juvenile levels and that this juvenile talent was making its way to Senior. During 1969 and 1970, the senior teams at both codes were consolidating their position in the senior ranks. However 1971 must then be noted as one of the greatest in the history of the club, and given the fact that the new club was only 9 years old, one of the greatest achievements in GAA club history. In 1971, Craobh Chiaráin contested the Senior Hurling and Football final with our near neighbours St Vincents the opposition in both codes. Chiaráins won the hurling, and lost the football. 

Recognition of the club's successes was now spreading into the inter county field where names like Flynn, Rheinisch, Pierce, Foley, Mathews were regular appearances on Dublin inter county team lists. Eamonn Flynn represents Leinster in the Railway Cup and picked up a sports star of the week award, a rare achievement for a Dublin hurler. 

Unfortunately we would not win another Senior title until 1998, although many finals were contested,  but the intervening years were full of success elsewhere. The Juvenile section was founded in 1974 by the late great Paddy O'Brien. The 70's and 80's were the glory years at underage level. The Craobh achieved the remarkable record of winning every 'A' hurling league from under 10 to 21 in one year in the mid 80's. We recorded a treble of Dublin Feile titles in 1981/83 and won our first Minor hurling title in 1989. 

When the Feile na nGael Under 14 hurling finals were held in Dublin in 1982 the Executive Committee decided to enter a Camogie team. Thus the Camogie section was formed at a meeting in Scoil Chiarain in late 1981. They are still going strong.

Achievements on the field were matched by improvements in our facilities. The original club rooms were opened by an Taoiseach Charles J. Haughey on 5th September 1980 and the gym extension was opened in 1983. St. Annes no 6 provided our Senior team with their home pitch until Clonshaugh became our new home in the early 90's. 

And the history is still being made today...