The club was founded in 1919 and aptly named "O'HANRAHANs G.F.C." in honour of Michael O'Hanrahan who was executed for his part in the 1916 rebillion and who resisded in Tullow Street, Carlow for many years. The principal founders of the club were Dick Agar, Brownshill, Treasurer; Jimmy Darcy, Chairman and first Captain; Paddy Hayden, Secretary; J.Timmons;J.Mahon; M.Shaw;M.Walker; M. Reddy; T.Connors; T.McGrath; P. Kelly and Mick Cullen. Following a meeting in Closh Dump in 1919 it was decide to form a club.

It was in fact Tom McGrath of the Pollerton Road who was also known as The Tucker that decided to name the club O' Hanrahans, its thanks to Tom and all associated with the club over the years the name lives on over 80 years later.

The original colours of the club were green with a yellow sash and they practiced where ever they could along the Tullow Road, mostly in the Milking Fields opposite Devoy's and were often as not run by Brown Clayton's herd. After much negotiation they managed to get use of the polo ground just up the road and not long after in 1921 they established themselves by winning the Junior County Championship. A sucess which to this day is hugely admired as they held Hacketstown Mick McQuaids scoreless by 1-4 to 0-0, although Hacketstown supporters may not agree!

In the early days the team included people such as Tommy O 'Connell who was on the so called run at the time but still managed from to jump from his hiding place just on the off of each game and put in a heroic performance. This was a huge risk at the time as the military were on most occassions present at games, as was the case in the County Final in 1921 where joining the team O'Connell helped them to their famous win.

Despite the mis-fortunes that the club encountered all through the year they reached the Senior Football Championship Final in 1922 losing 1-2 to 0-3 to Carlow-Graigue at Fenagh. Unfortunately the events leading up to the game where the shooting of Owen Rice ( brother of Jims and Uncle of Liam who won the Senior Football Championship in 1954 with O' Hanrahans, by the Black and Tans didn't help matters. Not using this as an excuse but the team were under a huge amount of outside pressures and perhaps if not, the day would have been O' Hanrahans.

Some of the early names supplied to the Carlow County teams were Whack Hayden, Tom Shaw, Paddy Kavanagh; while Ned Keyes a member of the newly formed Garda Siochana later played for Munster. The club declined thereafter and by 1926 players of the calibre of Murt Lennon, Tom Shaw, Johnny Nolan (the Cheetah), Patrick Kavanagh and Billy Moran were assisting Milford in that years abortive final at Rathoe against Carlow-Graigue, in an effort to break the latters stranglehold on the title which they won fron 1921 to 1925 inclusive. The previous years game between the afore mentioned teams was said to be the best since the Carlow-Graigue versus Commercials Club one 14 years previously. The suspension and 1927 affiliation of Graiguecullen to Laois saw an immediate upsurge in the number of clubs in Carlow around that time.

Thankfully the 1927 Championship that was played in 1928 saw O' Hanrahans win 0-5 to 1-1. This was the first of many wins for O' Hanrahans which was a sweet victory especially after several Blues men had been sent off in the early stages and trailing by 1-1 to 0-3 at half time. In the same year the club completed a double over Leighlinbridge by also winning the Minor title which they did again in 1929. At the completion of their first 10 years they had won two Senior Football titles, been on the loosing end in two finals and had won junior and minor championships.

With things looking good for the next decade the Minors set a national record in the 1930's by winning 9 titles in a row, 1931-1939 which wasn't equalled until the sixties. The Senior side also continued well and won the Senior Championship with 3 in a row from 1930-1932 but would have to wait until 1937 to get their hands on another one but had further wins in 1942, 1945, 1951, 1954, 1958 and 1961.

For a complete list of the teams year by year please go into our County Titles section.

As the years continued O' Hanrahans always had a fine selection of team members drafted onto the Carlow County team. In fact as 1932 Carlow S.F champions The Blues had several keys players in 1933 and following a replay win over Dublin, 2-9 to 1-2, Carlow beat Wicklow in the Leinster Junior Football final at Enniscorthy.

"Drakes" Walker was Carlows outstanding player and other "Blues" men on the team were P.Lyons in goal, Jackie Geoghegan, Tom " Hallie" Mulhall, P. Fennell and Tom Moran. Unfortunatey Carlow lost to Mayo, 1-3 to 2-6 at Athlone in the All Ireland Final. It is said that it was because of this game the yellow appears on the Carlow jersey as both Carlow and Mayo sported red and green colours.