Kanturk AFC Celebrates 80 Years

A short history of Kanturk AFC who are celebrating 80 years with an anniversary social in the Charleville Park Hotel on 28th June. Tickets available from all Committee Members.

Kanturk AFC was established back in 1945 just at the end of the war. Players travelled all over the county for games. Soccer was frowned upon as foreign sport, but this just added to the fun of playing soccer. In 1949 the club was affiliated to Cork Aul, the club was under leadership now & drew more players.

In 1973 they won the shield final against Carrigaline Utd. Entry fee to the game was 15p & celebrations were held in the Isle of Skye Hotel, with a chicken supper costing £1. Home games were played all over Kanturk, the Golf Club, Rugby Club, Tech field, Collins Newmarket Road. Then in 86/87 they rented the Banteer Road field.

A competition was run in 1990 to design the club crest. Siobhan Duggan Kilbrin won by designing the club crest with Kanturk Castle on it.

The club ran one Junior team until 1996, when they added a 2nd Junior team called Brogeen Rovers.

In 2001, Paul Nagle & Mick Driscoll affiliated the club with Cork Schoolboys League. They entered an Under 15 team, our current Munster Senior League Manager joined the team that year. That team went to the quarter final of the National Cup, beating Cobh Ramblers, the final year Stephen Ireland played for them.

In 2003 the men’s team won the County Cup & the U17’s won league title.

In 2005 the committee decided to purchase Gurteenard from Cork County Council, they established the lotto to pay for the field which was a great success. Gurteenard is now the home of Kanturk AFC.

In 2014, Sam Ahern wrote to Roy Keane asking him to stage a question & answer Session with Kanturk AFC. In 2016, Roy Keane agreed, with the help of Tony Fitzgerald (RIP) the club pulled off a fantastic night of entertainment in Edel Quinn with Roy Keane interviewed by Pat Mc Auliffe Sports Journalist (RIP). Through the generosity of Roy Keane, the Club had funds to apply for the sports capital, this was the start of major fundraising to develop Gurteenard.

Under the guidance of Paul Nagle, the Club Junior team won the AUL Division 1 in 2015. The team achieved an unbeaten season in 2019, when Johnny Lynch led them to the Premier League in the AUL winning the Premier A title.

In 2017, Kanturk’s Under 15 team won the Neil Welch Founders cup and the League title under the guidance of team manager Neilus Higgins, coaches Paddy Hasset and Paul Nagle, several of these players now play with Kanturk’s Senior team.

In 2017, the club decided to bring Paul McGrath to Kanturk. A great night of memories with plenty photos taken with the Legend Paul McGrath.

The growth of the Club gave the Junior team the ambition to apply to take the club to senior, in 2021 joining the Munster Senior League with Manager Johnny Lynch where in 2023 they were promoted to the 4th tier of Irish Soccer in the Munster Senior League Division 1.

The club now has schoolboys’ competition teams on all ages and several 2nd teams. The club also has non-competition schoolboys from U8 to U11.

The Club currently has over 300 underage boys playing for Kanturk AFC.

The club affiliated with Cork women and schoolgirls soccer league in the 2021/2022 season. The club has had a fantastic response from local businesses to establish the Schoolgirls side of the Club. The Club currently has over 80 underage girls registered.

The committee decided not to let the year go without celebrating 80 years of Kanturk AFC. The new committee for 2025/2026 was appointed on 11th June 2025:

• Chairman Mr. Michael Wall who joined the club in 1986

• Secretary Ms. Eileen Higgins

• Treasurer Mr. Damien Finn.

• Just to mention the Club life President celebrated his 55th wedding anniversary, having joined the club in 1974.

The Club hopes to see, former & current players, coaches, supporters and members for a good catch up at the Charleville Park Hotel on June 28th.