# Dublin Senior Hurling Championship

The Dublin Senior Hurling Championship (Irish: Craobh Sinsear Iomána Átha Cliath) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) since 1887 for the top hurling clubs in County Dublin, Ireland.
Sixteen clubs compete. Initially the teams are divided into four groups of four with the group matches being played from April to May with a break to accommodate the All-Ireland Championship and resume during August or September. The group stage is followed by a knock-out phase which takes place during the months of October and November.
Sponsored by Go-Ahead, it is therefore officially known as the Go-Ahead Dublin Senior Hurling Championship.
Since the establishment of the Dublin Senior Hurling Championship in 1887, a total of 26 clubs have won the tournament. Faughs have been the most successful club having won 31 titles.
Na Fianna are the title holders having defeated Kilmacud Crokes 3-16 to 2-18 in the 2024 final.

## History
### Origins

The game of hurling has been played in Dublin long since before the foundation of the Dublin Senior Hurling Championship and the GAA. According to Irish historian James Ware (1594–1666), it was customary in the 13th century for the inhabitants of Dublin to organise hurling matches on festive days. On Easter Monday 1209, hundreds of Dublin citizens left the safety of the city walls and descended on the woods near Cullenswood, now Ranelagh, for a hurling match. Tragically, the hurlers and spectators were ambushed by rival clans who had come down from the Wicklow Mountains. Over three hundred Dubliners (including women and children) were slaughtered in the 1209 Cullenswood massacre. This day was commemorated by the citizens of Dublin for many centuries afterwards and became known as Black Monday.
Other early written accounts of hurling matches in Dublin include several 18th century newspaper reports. According to these reports, the most popular hurling venues in Dublin at that time were the Crumlin Commons, Irishtown Green and Phoenix Park. One such account recalls a match which took place on the Crumlin Commons in May 1748, where a selection of hurlers from Leinster defeated 20 hurlers from Munster. In a re-match a month later, the Leinster hurlers proved their worth by beating the Munster selection for a second time. Another report describes a hurling match which took place on Irishtown Green in 1757. The game was held between married men and bachelors for a wager of 50 guineas a side. The tradition of a 'married versus singles' hurling match is still staged by many Dublin hurling clubs on St. Stephen's Day. In 1778, police officers dispersed a crowd on Summerhill that had assembled in the fields there every Sunday during the summer for the purpose of playing football and hurling. It is believed that this was the exact spot where Croke Park now stands. According to the Freeman's Journal, in August of 1779, there was a bet between the penny boys of Smithfield, who had arranged a bull bait for the Fifteen Acres, that they would draw a bigger crowd than "the hurlers of the Phoenix Park". An account from 1792 describes a hurling match which took place in Phoenix Park in front of what was described as a vast concourse of spectators. The report claims that the game had to be abandoned before full-time because the spectators forced their way onto the playing ground.

### Foundation

The organisation of hurling clubs in Dublin also predates the foundation of the GAA. In 1882, Michael Cusack attended the first meeting of the 'Dublin Hurling Club', formed "for the purpose of taking steps to re-establish the national game of hurling". In September 1883, Cusack began to organise hurling practices in Phoenix Park on Saturday afternoons. The game had long been lost to the city and to most of the remaining parts of the country as well. As a consequence, just four men turned up on that first Saturday. Slowly the numbers grew, with intrigued spectators joining in. Eventually, Cusack had sufficient numbers to found 'Cusack's Academy Hurling Club' which, in turn, led to the establishment of the Metropolitan Hurling Club. Cusack then established a hurling club in his school on Gardiner Place in October 1883. Immediately, the two clubs began to play matches against each other. A report, written by Cusack, records a game played in December 1883: "During the third and fourth quarters the hurling became so fast and furious, the goals were so threatened on the one hand and defended on the other, that spectators expected to be called on after each charge to help the disabled to Steevens Hospital." On Easter Monday 1884, the Metropolitans played Killimor, in Galway. The game had to be stopped on numerous occasions as the two teams were playing to different rules. It was this clash of styles that convinced Cusack that not only did the rules of the games need to be standardised, but that a body must be established to govern Irish sports.
On Saturday, 1 November 1884, the GAA was founded in Hayes' Hotel, Thurles, County Tipperary. Michael Cusack was among the founding members present that day. From then on, Gaelic games adopted a more structured approach and were governed in each county by a separate body known as the county board. The Dublin County Board was set up in 1886 and within a year had organised a hurling competition known today as the Dublin Senior Hurling Championship. In 1887, the first Dublin Senior Hurling Championship was played out and was won by the Metropolitans, previously formed by Cusack in 1883.

## Qualification for subsequent competitions

At the end of the championship, the winning team qualify to the subsequent Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship.

## Format
### Group stage

The 10 teams are divided into two groups of five. Over the course of the group stage, each team plays once against the others in the group, resulting in each team being guaranteed at least four games. Two points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. The teams are ranked in the group stage table by points gained, then scoring difference and then their head-to-head record. The top three teams in each group qualify for the knock-out stage.

### Knockout stage

Following the completion of the group stage, the top two teams from each group receive byes to separate semi-finals.
Quarter-finals: Teams that finished 2nd and 3rd in the group stage contest this round. The two 2nd placed teams play the 3rd placed teams from the opposite group. The two winners from these two games advance to the semi-finals.
Semi-finals: The two quarter-final winners and the two group winners contest this round. The two winners from these two games advance to the final.
Final: The two semi-final winners contest the final. The winning team are declared champions.

### Relegation

At the end of the championship, the two 4th-placed teams and two 5th-placed teams from the group stage take part in a series of play-offs, with the losing team being relegated to the Dublin Senior 2 Hurling Championship.

## Teams
### 2025 teams

30 clubs will compete in the 2025 Dublin Senior Hurling Championships: ten teams in Senior 1, ten teams in Senior 2 and ten teams in Senior 3.

#### Senior 1 teams

| Team | Location | Division | Colours | In Senior 1 championship since | Championship titles | Last championship title |
| Ballyboden St Enda's | Knocklyon | South Dublin | Blue and white | 2022 (first year) | 7 | 2018 |
| Cuala | Dalkey | Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown | Red and white | 2022 (first year) | 8 | 2020 |
| Kilmacud Crokes | Stillorgan | Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown | Purple and yellow | 2022 (first year) | 7 | 2022 |
| Lucan Sarsfields | Lucan | South Dublin | White and green | 2022 (first year) | 0 | — |
| Na Fianna | Glasnevin | Dublin City | Yellow and blue | 2022 (first year) | 1 | 2023 |
| Naomh Barróg | Kilbarrack | Dublin City | Green and red | 2025 | 0 | — |
| St Brigid's | Castleknock | Fingal | Red and white | 2022 (first year) | 0 | — |
| St Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh | Navan Road | Dublin City | Maroon and gold | 2025 | 1 | 1951 (as Eoghan Rua) |
| St Vincent's | Marino | Dublin City | Blue and white | 2022 (first year) | 13 | 1993 |
| Whitehall Colmcille | Collins Avenue | Dublin City | White and red | 2023 | 0 | — |

#### Senior 2 teams

| Team | Location | Division | Colours | In Senior 2 championship since | Dublin Senior Championship titles | Last senior championship title |
| Castleknock | Castleknock | Fingal | Blue and yellow | 2022 (first year) | 0 | — |
| Clontarf | Clontarf | Dublin City | Red and white | 2025 | 0 | — |
| Craobh Chiaráin | Donnycarney | Dublin City | Maroon and white | 2025 | 5 | 2006 |
| Faughs | Templeogue | South Dublin | Green and yellow | 2024 | 31 | 1999 |
| Fingallians | Swords | Fingal | Red and white | 2025 | 0 | — |
| Kilmacud Crokes | Stillorgan | Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown | Purple and gold | 2022 (first year) | 7 | 2022 |
| Naomh Mearnóg | Portmarnock | Fingal | Black and amber | 2024 | 0 | — |
| Raheny | Raheny | Dublin City | Maroon and white | 2024 | 0 | — |
| St Jude's | Templeogue | South Dublin | Navy and Sky Blue | 2025 | 0 | — |
| Thomas Davis | Tallaght | South Dublin | Green with gold sash | 2022 (first year) | 1 | 1913 |

#### Senior 3 teams

| Team | Location | Division | Colours | In Senior 3 championship since | Dublin Senior Championship titles | Last senior championship title |
| Ballinteer St John’s | Ballinteer | South Dublin | Orange and black | 2025 | 0 | — |
| Ballyboden St Enda's | Knocklyon | South Dublin | Blue and white stripes | 2025 | 7 | 2018 |
| Commercials | Rathcoole | South Dublin | Red and green | 2025 | 9 | 1916 |
| Erins Isle | Finglas | Dublin City | Green with black band | 2022 (first year) | 1 | 1983 |
| Na Fianna | Glasnevin | Dublin City | Yellow and blue | 2023 | 1 | 2023 |
| Naomh Fionnbarra | Cabra | Dublin City | Blue and white | 2024 | 0 | — |
| Naomh Ólaf | Balally | Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown | Claret and blue | 2025 | 0 | — |
| Setanta | Ballymun | Dublin City | | 2022 (first year) | 0 | — |
| St Sylvester's | Malahide | Fingal | Blue with a green sash | 2023 | 0 | — |
| St Vincents | Marino | Dublin City | Blue and white | 2024 | 13 | 1993 |

## Roll of honour
### By club

| # | Club | Titles | Runners-up | Championships won | Championships runner-up |
| 1 | Faughs | 31 | 22 | 1892, 1900, 1901, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1910, 1911, 1914, 1915, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1930, 1936, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1952, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1999 | 1899, 1907, 1908, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1969, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1980 |
| 2 | St Vincents | 13 | 14 | 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1967, 1975, 1981, 1982, 1988, 1993 | 1951, 1952, 1959, 1961, 1970, 1971, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2010 |
| 3 | Commercials | 9 | 3 | 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1905, 1907, 1909, 1916 | 1906, 1911, 1929 |
| 4 | UCD | 8 | 8 | 1934, 1947, 1948, 1961, 1968, 2000, 2004, 2005 | 1932, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1943, 1945, 1950, 1965 |
| 4 | O'Tooles | 8 | 6 | 1969, 1977, 1984, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2002 | 1972, 1973, 1981, 1982, 1985, 2011 |
| 4 | Cuala | 8 | 2 | 1989, 1991, 1994, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 | 1987, 2012 |
| 7 | Kilmacud Crokes | 7 | 8 | 1974, 1976, 1985, 2012, 2014, 2021, 2022 | 1968, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2024 |
| 7 | Ballyboden St Enda's | 7 | 7 | 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2018 | 1983, 1988, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2020, 2023 |
| 9 | Young Irelands | 6 | 5 | 1932, 1937, 1942, 1943, 1949, 1965 | 1924, 1934, 1938, 1946, 1963 |
| 9 | Garda | 6 | 2 | 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931 | 1930, 1933 |
| 11 | Craobh Chiaráin | 5 | 7 | 1971, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2006 | 1975, 1976, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2002, 2009 |
| 12 | Kickhams | 4 | 3 | 1889, 1890, 1908, 1924 | 1910, 1913, 1920 |
| 13 | Collegians | 3 | 2 | 1917, 1918, 1919 | 1914, 1923 |
| 13 | Rapparees | 3 | 0 | 1891, 1894, 1912 | — |
| 13 | Army Metro | 3 | 0 | 1933, 1935, 1938 | — |
| 16 | New Irelands | 2 | 3 | 1958, 1959 | 1956, 1957, 1960 |
| 16 | Crumlin | 2 | 3 | 1978, 1979 | 1993, 1994, 1998 |
| 16 | Na Fianna | 2 | 2 | 2023, 2024 | 2021, 2022 |
| 19 | Eoghan Ruadhs$^A$ | 1 | 5 | 1951 | 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1944 |
| 19 | St Columbas$^B$ | 1 | 4 | 1956 | 1962, 1964, 1966, 1967 |
| 19 | Davitts | 1 | 3 | 1893 | 1887, 1889, 1891 |
| 19 | Thomas Davis | 1 | 3 | 1913 | 1909, 1912, 1915 |
| 19 | St Brendan's | 1 | 1 | 1980 | 1979 |
| 19 | Erins Isle | 1 | 1 | 1983 | 1986 |
| 19 | Metropolitans | 1 | 0 | 1887 | — |
| 19 | Junior Board Selection | 1 | 0 | 1963 | — |
| 19 | Crokes$^C$ | 1 | 0 | 1966 | — |
| 28 | St Jude’s | 0 | 2 | — | 2014, 2015 |
| 28 | St Brigid's | 0 | 2 | — | 2003, 2019 |
| 28 | Dunleary | 0 | 1 | — | 1888 |
| 28 | Erin's Pride | 0 | 1 | — | 1890 |
| 28 | Celtics | 0 | 1 | — | 1895 |
| 28 | Grocers | 0 | 1 | — | 1921 |
| 28 | Kevin's | 0 | 1 | — | 1926 |
| 28 | Civil Service | 0 | 1 | — | 1953 |
| 28 | Lucan Sarsfields | 0 | 1 | — | 2013 |