The Round Towers Gaelic Football Club as we know it today was originally formed in 1932 and was then known as Round Towers - St. Bridgets. The founder members were natives from Kildare and so the Membership and Players were restricted to people who emigrated from Kildare. The first colours worn by the club were a mauve jersey with a v on the entire front; the socks and shorts were optional. The now famous blue and white strip was first introduced in 1939 and since those early days the club membership has embraced people from every county in Ireland, and now today of course almost half the senior team panel are London born.

The founder members had their first meeting under a tree in Hyde Park where the first practice sessions took place. In the late thirties Clapham common became the meeting place and venue for training, at that time sandy lane in Mitcham was the venue for most competitive matches in London GAA. In the early sixties the club acquired a playing pitch on Clapham common and used some of the local hostelry's for their committee meetings and social events, most notably the Alexandra Hotel in the sixties, the Plough Inn in the early seventies, the Bull's Head in late seventies and eighties, the Nags Head until the early nineties and finally their current meeting place slightly further afield in Stockwell, Kellys bar. The clubs training ground and home pitch remained on Clapham Common right up until 1996. In 1997 the club moved to Wimbledon Rugby Club in Raynes Park where they stayed for 3 years. In 2000 Merton Council gave them a pitch and changing facilities at Sir Joseph hood memorial playing fields at Motspur Park. Although the facilities were good the players complained about difficulties travelling to and from the ground, so the club committee decided to start looking for a new venue for the 2001 season. A meeting was set up with Sean Traceys hurling club with the view to sharing their facilities at Mitcham. With their help an additional pitch was secured from Sutton Council at Poulters park playing fields off Bishopsford Road. And both clubs having the use of Mitcham Rugby Clubs bar and changing facilities. Many dual players represent both clubs at senior and underage so it makes sense that both clubs play and train together at the same venue

MAJOR HONOURS

The round towers first success was recorded soon after the clubs formation in 1932, the senior football league, the following year they recorded the league and championship double. Further championships were to follow in 1940,1964 and 1982 with numerous senior leagues around the same periods. The club had a purple patch in the late seventies and early eighties, where they appeared in three senior championships finals in succession winning only in 82, while winning two senior leagues titles back to back in 1980 and 81.

TOWERS ON TOUR

From the clubs inception there has always been equal emphasis placed on the playing and social activities of the Gaelic Athletic Association, with regular trips to clubs outside London either participating in friendly games or tournaments. From as early as 1938 the club engaged in regular tours of Ireland, usually visiting the home clubs of some of the players in the team of that particular period. From the seventies onwards the All-Ireland Final weekend has become a permanent fixture in the calendar of the club for such end of season tours, the most recent was 2002, a visit to Skerries, Co. Dublin. Other counties visited over the years have included Kildare, Dublin, Meath, Offaly, Carlow, Laois, Derry, Kerry, Westmeath and Wicklow. At Easter of 1982 a historic trip to America was undertaken, visiting and playing a game in both New York and San Francisco. This benefited the club enormously as the senior team went on to win the championship that same October. The club has also entertained many clubs in Clapham common both from all over Britain and almost every county in Ireland. Round towers hosted their own club tournament for many years (sixties-eighties) known as the Baker Cup, named after Bobby Baker, one of the founder members of the club. Games were played midweek and attracted all of the top clubs in London.

ROUND TOWERS PLACE IN LONDON GAA

Since the clubs formation it has been a staunch supporter of the London Co. Board, both in providing players for county teams and officers to serve on committees. Currently John Molloy is the Assistant Secretary of the London County Board, Dermot O'Brien is the Boards current Central Council Delegate, having served as Co. Chairman from 1977 - ' 79. Dermot has also served as the Boards Gaelic Officer and Treasurer of the Ruislip Sports and Social Club. John Lacey served as County Chairman from 1996 - 1999 and Chairman of the Provincial Council of Britain from 2003 - 2006. Chris Lloyd has served as the the Boards Youth Development Officer and has Managed the London Senior Team, while Martin Lavelle served as Asstistant Secretary and Secretary of the Minor Board during 1999 & 2000. Colm Heaney, Shane O'Sullivan, Timmy O'Donovan, Garry McGovern, Martin Gillespie, David Roughan, Gus O'Brien, Paddy Connolly, Ollie Fitzgerald, James Kenihan, Brendan Egan & Michael Murtagh have played and been members of the London senior panel for the last couple of years. Other great names to have represented their adopted county over the decades include Dave Claffey, Pat Guinan, Kevin McGuire, Tom Walshe, Brian Greenaway and Brian Devlin.

THE FUTURE

As one of the oldest clubs in London GAA, round towers were one of the few to have survived through the war years; they have always retained their senior status. While emigration from Ireland was prevalent this was not a problem, because as a senior club they were always able to attract good quality players. When this flow of talent from Ireland reduced to a trickle or as is the case now reversed, the very existence of the club would be at risk but for the formation of a youth club in the middle eighties. The work of this underage club has been evident since the middle nineties with some of these home grown players coming onto the senior panel, while presently there are twelve London born players on the senior panel. With this strong underage structure in place the future of the Round Towers Gaelic football Club is secure for many years to come and with the injection of some players from Ireland it won't be long before another senior championship will be on its way to south London and the towers.

HONOURS LIST

Senior Champions:	1933,	1940,	1964,	1982
Senior Lgue. Champions:	1932,	1933,	1947,	1954,	1980,	1981
Tipperary Cup:	1932,	1937,	1981,	1995
Conway Cup:	1980
Junior Champions:	1972
Champions of Britain:	1964
Sen.Reserve Champions:	1984,	1985	1986,	1987,	1990
U-21 Champions:	1987,	1993,	1995,	1998,	1999,	2003
	2004,
Minor Champions:	1991,	1994,	1996,	2002

Div 2 Leauge Champs:

2006