Happy 40th Birthday Kieran!
He is one of the Club’s most decorated players. The outstanding record held by him is the number of times he has played SF County Championships with the Club. The great Ger O’Keeffe held that record for almost 30 years – 59 times he played Senior Championship Football lining out for the last time in July 1992. Kieran equaled that record in August 2020 and he surpassed when he made his 60th appearance on the 30th Oct. 2021. Since then that record has reached 67.
He was wearing the No. 9 jersey as a 12 year old back in Nov. 1995 when he won his fist Club medal, winning that season’s Town League against Laune Rangers – yes Rangers were playing that year in the Tralee League. The following year Kieran was still wearing the 9 shirt when the Rock won the U13 Lee Strand Tournament – defeating a very good Na Piarsaigh side by 1-8 to 0-8.
Move on then to the new millennium when he made his Minor debut five days after celebrating his 17th birthday (5th March 2000). Later that year he lined out for the first time with the C team, coming on as a sub for Noel Greensmyth in a game against Scartaglin in Connolly Park. That was the game, we think, that he caught the eagle eye of the then C Team Manager, Aidan O’Connor (now our recently elected Club President). Aidan was so impressed that night that he referred to him as ‘a Star’ and that name has rightly remained with him ever since.
Basketball was then and still is his other major Sport and many will agree that his commitment to Basketball in those early days prevented him from making it to the Kerry Minor team – his only appearance with the Kerry Minors was when he came on as a sub in the All Ireland semi final against Dublin in Sept. 2001. His talent was, however, witnessed in the Club and in the following year he made his SF debut coming on in a Town League game against Churchill (30th March 2002) and later that year (11th Aug) making his SF Co. Championship in that famous game in Gallarus against An Ghaeltacht. That was the start of a glittering Club career that has lasted to this day.
Move on then to 2005 when he made his Senior debut with Kerry in a NFL game against Offaly in Austin Stack Park (12th Feb. 2005). Later that year he made his SF Championship debut in the Munster Final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh (10th July), winning the first of his 10 Munster SF Championship medals (his last in 2018).
It was the following year (2006) that he really became a household name, not alone in Kerry, but throughout the country. That year he won the 1st of his 4 All Ir. SF medals (also won in 2007, 2009 and 2014); and he won the first of his three All Star Awards (also in 2008 and 2014). Early that year he was still lining out at midfield but it was when he was moved to full forward for the All Ireland Qualifier game against Longford in Fitzgerald Stadium that he began to make the No. 14 Jersey his own. The following Saturday (5th Aug) in the All Ireland Qr. Final Kerry defeated Armagh with Star scoring that famous goal against Francie Bellew. The following year he won his 2nd All Ireland scoring two goals in the Final against Dublin to become only the 5th Kerryman in history to score two goals in a final – the other four were his Club colleagues Purty Landers in the 1937 drawn final and Mikey Sheehy in 1979, Tim O’Leary (Killarney Legion) in the 1937 replay and Dan Spring (Kerins O’Rahillys) in 1939 final.
So Star everyone in the Club and throughout the Country (and especially in Kerry and Armagh) wish you a very happy 40th birthday.
