Dick Fitzgerald of the Crokes Club Killarney, whose fame as a Gaelic Football Player with his Club and with his county, Kerry, has stood the test of time to this day, died at an early age on the 26^th September 1930.

  His friends in the Croke Club and throughout the G.A.A. wished to create a fitting memorial. Their early thoughts were of a stone memorial but very soon these thoughts had turned to a memorial which would be “worthy of the man and of benefit to the Association, to buy a decent field in Killarney and call it the Fitzgerald Park”. By Sept, 1931 work had started – in addition to meetings in Kerry, a meeting to set up a Dublin Committee had been held in the Gresham Hotel. Fund raising football tournaments were being held and shortly financial help was being sought from the Central Council, the Munster Council, throughout Ireland and the U.S.A. Committees were set up in New York where a big benefit night was held and in Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco and other Cities. The Kerry County Board had approved the idea but were not in those early years to give financial aid.

 By 1932, two sub committees of the Croke Club had been set up. Dr. Eamonn O’Sullivan Eugene O’Sullivan and John Clifford were to select the most suitable site, the present site being eventually chosen. Con Healy, Neilus McCarthy, Tim O’Meara, Maurice F. O’Leary, Charlie Fleming and Paddy Murphy were to start raising funds.

 On the 10^th of June, 1932, a field of about 11 acres and 33 perches, statute measure, was purchased from Denis Courtney by the Club for £700 and they had decided to purchase a further

half acre adjoining. The Final Purchase cost for the two lots was £830. Indications of “investments” of £300 and £400 respectively from both the Central and the Munster Councils were given.

 As things turned out, it was not until the 23^rd May 1940 that the Solicitor for the Central Council was able to write “At long last and with much relief, this case is now completed”. The Field was vested in Trustees, Paddy O’Keeffe, on behalf of the Central Council, Sean McCarthy on behalf of the Munster Council, John Joe Sheehy on behalf of the Kerry County Board and Eugene O’Sullivan on behalf of the Dr Crokes Club.

 The initial negotiations for purchase were intricate. In addition to the two lots of land purchased it was necessary to exchange an acre of land with a neighbour to straighten the field. Releases from Banks and Land Commission approvals were slow and tedious.

 The Club already had the Cricket Field of about 8 acres near Flesk Bridge, under lease from Lord Kenmare for £15 p.a. Lord Kenmare generously agreed to let the Club sell that field, valued at £300, and simply transfer the charge of £15p.a. to the new field. This would be redeemable by paying off the £300 whenever the Club wished. The G.A.A Central Council however would not agree to this arrangement.

 Neither would the Central and Munster Councils agree to give the money as a free grant.

 As early as December 1932 the Club seems to have agreed reluctantly to the conditions, as long as they could get a trusteeship.