The name of Sallins G.A.A. club first appears in the history books in 1887 known as Sallins Robert Emmets. In 1888 the club was renamed Sallins John Mandevilles. This team went on to contest an area final in 1896 against Maynooth where they lost on a score line of 7-9 to 0-3.

Next mention of Sallins was 1920 when they defeated Kilcock in an area final. In 1936 they played an area semi-final against Ardclough and were ahead by ten points when the ball was bursted by a supporter. Sallins lost the re-fixed game. Between 1936 and 1946 there was little excitement except contesting a junior hurling final in Naas against The Curragh. We lost 8-4 to 3-2. In 1947 Ardclough beat us at a semi-final stage of the junior championship in Clane. Sallins disbanded and failed to field teams between 1955-1958. It was 1965 that saw the revival of Sallins G.A.A. club and to present the most successful era in adult football in the club’s history.

The U.12 Hurling Championship in 1964 was the first trophy won by Sallins beating a Newbridge selection in the final. In 1965, the first Sallins adult trophy followed when Sallins junior hurling team defeated Celbridge in the final. The following Sunday that same year, Sallins footballers beat Ballymore in the Junior “B” Championship final by 2-6 to 0-1. They played at Junior “A” level the following year and beat Ardclough by 0-8 to 0-5 to upgrade this fine team to intermediate level. This Sallins team had continued success by beating Castlemitchell in the intermediate championship final in 1967, thus completing the memorable treble.
The transition from Junior “B” football to senior football in four years seemed too much for this young side and the club was relegated to Junior “B” status in 1971. In this year they hit back with a victory in the Junior “B” championship final. This most successful Sallins team brought the Junior “A” title back to the village in 1973 and within four years the intermediate title and senior league Division 2 honours rested with the club. The team in that memorable game in 1977 against Milltown, who this year are to be remembered at the annual Dinner Dance this year – the Red House 17th March – as it is now 25years ago were:
M. McGrath, S. O’Neill, P.J. Cully, Ml. Swan, D. Tumpane (RIP), E. O’Donoghue, L. Swan, P. McCarthy, B. McCormack, G. Whelan, D.Dalton, J. McCormack, E. Shanley, R. O’Donoghue, P. Ryan. Substitutes were W. Buggle, Ml. Ryan, G. O’Toole, P. O’Neill, B. Walsh, K. Redmond.

Ultimately, with Sallins parish being the small village it was, they found it hard to compete at senior level and were accordingly demoted to Junior “A” status. In 1986 defeating Kilcock in the final of the senior league Division 3 bridging a big gap. It was some time before Sallins came to the fore once again but this time it began at underage level. In 1992 Sallins beat Leixlip in the U.16 “B” championship final. This championship is to the honour and memory of our friend Henry Manders, R.I.P.
Success was to follow in 1993 with Sallins minors completing historically the “B” championship and league Division 3 double. The U.16 team also captured the historic “B” championship and league Division 3 double the following year. It was a mixture of both of these successful teams that brought Sallins minors to the “A” championship final. Only to be defeated by Leixlip. It was not entirely unsuccessful as the minors beat Moorefield in the League Division 2 final.

1996 saw Sallins gain their first U.21 championship honour captained by Patrick Johnson and including some of the Sallins house-hold names like Pat Windors, Owen McGrath. Joe Dalton, Damien Behan, David Cully, John Boland, Peter O’Connell, John Langan. Eamon Keane and Shay Collins. Most of this team above have had many underage honours and would look to their future playing adult football with Sallins.
In 1997, Sallins Junior “A” team gained promotion to senior football league Division 1 and held their status until 1999. In 1998 Sallins Junior “B” footballers were successful in the championship captained by Alan Condron including up coming stars like Eric Kinehan, John McCormack, Dermot Keane, Larry McKenna and Cormac O’Donovan. 1999 was yet another historic year for Sallins G.A.A. with adult membership increasing steadily, thus creating need for a third adult team competing at Junior “C” level. With this increase in quantity of players Sallins Junior “B” team won a consecutive championship captained by Trevor Murphy including players like Eamon McCormack, Emmet Travers, John McCarthy, Padraic Carberry, Ros Kenny, Crocker Pender, Finbar O’Rourke and Dermot Doyle etc. Both of these championship winning sides were managed by Michael Curley, Joe O’Rourke, Jackie Collins and Mickie O’Brien. This recent success is a combination of youth and experience. These teams are our Sallins hopefuls!
Denis Dalton, Pat McCarthy, Eamon O’Donoghue, John Keane, Tom Keane, Joe Tobin, Padraic O’Rourke, Junior Creaney, Jimmy Dalton, Dave Robinson, Sean Ryan, Sheamie O’Neill, Pat Ryan, Eamon McCormack, Joe Dalton, Pat Winders, Aaron Smith and Damien Behan have all represented Sallins at various levels for the county.

In 1994 the club held the official opening of our grounds and dressing rooms and were awarded Club Ground of the Year in the same year.
The twelve month period ending, November 2000 had been the most successful year for the club at adult, with the junior A team capturing both Leinster and Keogh Cup. The team on the day when Sallins conquered Leinster was:
A. Smith, J. Boland, L. McKenna, C. Davenport, P. Johnson, P. McCarthy, P. O’Connell, M. O’Brien, P. Carberry, J. Hannigan, D. Behan, D. Keane, E. McCormack, M. McLoughlin, J. McCormack. Subs used were T. Murphy, E. McGrath, P Russell. The men pulling the strings on the line were Tommy Doyle (Team Manager), Mick Corley, John McCormack, Brendan Walsh.
In 2001, however the club under the astute guidance once again of Tommy Doyle, who drilled them well surpassed the previous twelve months. The Junior A title was taken in “one of the best games of football in Kildare in 2001” against Confey – 2-16 to 2-8 – on a day when you wouldn’t put out a milk bottle. The team that lined out this memorable day was; A. Smith, J. Boland, L. McKenna, P. Johnson, P McCarthy, D Behan, P. O’Connell, M. O’Brien, P. Russell, P. Winders, J. Dalton, J. McCormack, E. McCormack, J. Hannigan and B. Gill.

Following that, the team achieved success in the Jack Higgins Cup, against local rivals Straffan and then onto the Noel Moran Cup as divisional winners against another local rival club, Ardclough. Representing Kildare in Leinster, the team was harshly done, when they drew with An Tochar (Wicklow) in Sallins on the opening day. Beating the Portlaoise team by 5 points, an Tochar progressed to the semi -final stage on points difference. Sallins unbeaten in Leinster in two years, had surrendered their title. An Tochar subsequently went on to win the competition. Sallins was selected “Kildare Club of the Year 2002”.

Finally well done to Sallins minors who were county champions in 2009.