Hurling in Kilmacud Crokes has a proud and distinguished history 

The current club came into existence in 1966, with the merger of Crokes Hurling Club and Kilmacud Football and Hurling Club.

Founded in the early 1920’s by long-time Croke Park groundsman, Michael Curran, Crokes were a strong force in Dublin hurling with some of the greatest hurlers to play in Dublin having worn the club’s colours.  These include Maurice Fives of Waterford and Munster, Kilkenny’s John Maher (Senior All-Ireland medallist in 1957), Mick Bermingham (Dublin’s first All-Star and a six times Railway Cup winner), Brian Cooney (Leinster Railway Cup player), Tommy Ring (Leinster Railway Cup player), Mattie Fox (All-Star 1966), Pat Cleary (All-Ireland winner in 1985 with Offaly and All-Star the same year) and Richard Stakelum (Munster Championship winner as Tipperary Captain in 1987). 

In the early days Crokes, operating as Croke Park United, concentrated on juvenile teams and won seven minor hurling championships in a row between 1929 and 1935.  The first major adult trophy was the inaugural Corn Ceitinn in 1934, followed by the Junior Championships of 1935 and 1936. 

Six Crokes men won All-Ireland Junior Hurling honours with Dublin in 1937, Peadar McMahon (Captain), Jack Byrne, Paddy Tolan, John Meagher, Jimmy Little and Tom Jenkinson.  McMahon was corner forward for the 1938 Leinster Senior Championship Final, the last year Dublin went on to win the Liam McCarthy Cup.  In 1945 Nicholas Fingleton won the first of two All-Ireland Hurling medals in a row.  The following year he was joined by Geoff Sutton (who was on the Dublin 1948 Senior All-Ireland Final panel) and Joe McDonald.

The club competed at senior level until 1939 before reverting to Junior.  Senior status was regained with victory in the Intermediate Championship in 1948.  From the next decade Crokes mixed it with the best in what was an inter county studded Dublin senior scene winning the 1953-54 Senior Hurling League title.  In 1963 Crokes supplied the bulk of the Junior Board Selection that won the Dublin Senior Hurling Championship and also won the Intermediate Championship the same year.

 John Maher in action for Kilkenny at Croke Park

The merger with Kilmacud met with instant success; St. Columbas (Crumlin) being defeated 6-7 to 7-3 in the Senior Hurling Championship final that year. Further senior hurling championships followed in 1974, 1976 and 1985. Other notable hurling achievements include Senior Div 1 League in 1996, Senior Div 2 Championship and League double in 2002, Intermediate Championship and League double in 1982, Junior Championships in 1992, 1998 and 2002 (including Championship and League double), Intermediate League 1993, U21 Championships 1989 and 1991, Minor Championships 1985 and 1998, U16 Championship 1984, and 5 successive U21 League titles 1988-1992. In 2005 All-Ireland glory came to the club with victory over Blackrock of Cork in the All-Ireland Feile na nGael Under 14 Hurling Final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

The Kilmacud Club was founded at a meeting held in St. Lawrences Hall on 12 February 1959. A general meeting on March 12 attracted an attendance of 60 as a collection on the suggested basis of one-shilling (5p) per person realised £3.30. Though competing mainly at under age level, the club in 1963 decided to purchase a 6.5 acre site at Linden Lea (Pairc de Burca) and became owners of the land on 4 May 1964. Glenalbyn house was purchased in 1965 and opened in June ’66.

Benburbs Football Club joined with Kilmacud Crokes in 1972. The first All Ireland football final was played on Benburbs' ground at Beech Hill, Clonskeagh on April 28, 1888. Luke O’Toole, Runai C.L.G. 1901-29 was a member of Benburbs while his successor Padraig O’Caoimh was a member of Crokes.

Senior football status first came to Kilmacud Crokes with the winning of the 1978 Intermediate Championship.  14 years later the first senior football championship was won followed by Leinster and All Ireland club honours in 1995.

Camogie was revived in 1973 and Kilmacud Crokes has since won Senior B, Intermediate and Junior championships. Ladies football commenced in 1996.

Great work has been done at juvenile level to ensure that the proud traditions of the club will be carried on. In addition to fielding teams in all grades, hundreds of children gather for coaching on Saturday mornings in Pairc de Burca while all the local schools are visited regularly.

Saturday 7 July 1996 saw the opening of the West Wing in Glenalbyn House, under the chairmanship of Tom Rock, at a cost of £1.1 million with club members contributing over £150,000, an enormous vote of confidence in the future. From a juvenile club operating from Croke Park in the 1920’s, through many years playing out of Phoenix Park, to Pairc de Burca in 1964, Glenalbyn House 1965, Senior Hurling Honours in 1966 and All Ireland Football Champions in 1995 Kilmacud Crokes has gone from strength to strength.