GAA Bits & Pieces

Compiled by Joe Quille

The game of football may date back to the Middle Ages in Ireland. In 1338 a football match was played on the frozen Liffey and 400 years later a football game is again recorded on the frozen Dublin river in 1740.

In Ireland the National game of hurling has been played for over 2.000 years and features in many ancient legendary tales. A hurling match preceded the battle of Moytura near Cong, Co. Mayo about 1272 BC. In 1367 hurling was forbidden by the statue of Kilkenny and in 1527 the statue of Galway also banned the game of hurling.

Following the devastation caused by the Great Famine Gaelic games almost disappeared in Ireland. In 1879, some thirty years after the event the athletes, Michael Cusack, a Clare born teacher, and PW Nally from Mayo took a stroll in the Phoenix Park. They discussed on that occasion the revival of Irish games which brought about the birth of the Gaelic Athletic Association on the 1st of November 1884 at a momentous meeting held in Hayes Hotel, Thurles. The 37 year old Michael Cusack was elected Secretary, and the famous athlete Maurice Davin became President. National figures, Archbishop Thomas Croke of Cashel, Charles S. Parnell and Michael Davitt were the Association's first Patrons.

Those who never won an All-Ireland are spoken of with fondness. In football, Dermot Flanagan (Mayo), Charlie Gallagher (Cavan), Eugene Hughes (Armagh), Frank McGuigan (Tyrone), Brian McEniff (Donegal), Sean O’Connell (Derry), Liam McHale (Mayo), Gerry O’Malley and Dermot Earley (Roscommon), Joe Kernan (Armagh), Packy McGarry (Leitrim), Sean O’Connell (Derry) and Kerry's Tom Prendergast.

Hurling is no different. Stars like Gary Kirby, Ollie O’Connor and Leonard Enright (Limerick), Ger Loughnane and Seamus Durack (Clare), Noel Dromgoole (Dublin), Joe Sammon (Galway), Mattie Forde (Wexford), Josie Gallagher and Joe Sammon (Galway) have never won an AllIreland senior medal.

The All Stars. In the spring of 1971 four GAA writers met in Dublin to discuss the chances of reviving an awards scheme from the 1960's, whereby the country's best hurlers and footballers - in their respective positions - were honoured on an annual basis. That fruitful meting led to the founding of the GAA All -Star scheme.

A selection committee of ten writers and broadcasters picked the first teams and Carroll’s cigarette company became the sponsor, a position they held until 1979. And so on December 15, 1971, Offaly hurling goal-keeper, Damien Martin, took his place in sporting history when he accepted the very first GAA All-Star award. The others were, Tony Maher (Cork), Pat Hartigan (Limerick), Jim Treacy (Kilkenny), Tadgh O Connor and Mick Roche (Tipperary), Martin Coogan, Frank Cummins and Eddie Keher (Kilkenny), Francis Loughnane and Michael 'Babs’ Keating (Tipperary), Mick Bermingham (Dublin), Ray Cummins (Cork), Eamonn Cregan (Limerick) and John Connolly (Galway).

GAA Trivia. In the first AllIreland football final Limerick Commercials beat Young Irelands Dundalk. In the early years counties were represented in the All Ireland series by their club champions.

The only footballer to win an All Ireland medal in a 60 minute and 70 minute final was Brendan Lynch Kerry. Five Delaney brothers played for Laois in the 1936 football final when they were beaten by Mayo. Their Uncle Tom was in goal. When Dublin won the All Ireland in 1906 and 1907 they had players from 10 counties but none from Dublin itself!

Michael Cusack became the first General Secretary of the GAA in 1884. There were 14 General Secretaries after Cusack including Luke O’Toole and Padraig O’Caoimh until Sean O’Siochain (1964-1979) when he became Director General. Liam Mulvihill (1979-2008) succeeded O’Siochain and Padraic Duffy became Director General in November 2007.

Limerick's seven hurling crowns were won over six decades. The only decade they won two titles was the 1930's (1934 and 1936). The county has taken only one All-Ireland in the last 69 years -1973.

Clare went 81 years between their All-Irelands. The longest number of years to have passed between a county winning All-Irelands Football finals is 115 years. Limerick footballers won their second crown in 1896, but haven't been able to add another up to 2011. But Kerry hurlers can better this. The Kingdom landed their only title 119 years ago in 1891.

Kerry's hundredth Football All-Star was Marc O’Shea (2006). A year later Marc, together with his brothers Dara, and Tomas became the first set of brothers chosen on the same All Star football team.

It was not until 1999 that a goalless All Ireland senior hurling final was played. Cork beat Kilkenny (0-13 to 0 - 12).

In 1924 fans paid five shillings to sit in the newly erected wooden Hogan Stand. A new scoreboard on the Railway end was used that year for the first time.

Mick Crowe from Limerick refereed 9 All Ireland Senior Finals (7 in hurling and 2 in football).

The GAA produces 45,000 match programmes for each of the All-Ireland senior finals. In November 1913 the name “Croke Park” was used for the first time. In 1896 the height of the crossbar in GAA games was lowered from ten and a half feet - to eight feet and the first County Board to be established was Wexford in 1886.

Duagh – 1960 North Kerry Senior Football Champions

Back – Billy McCarthy, RIP, Lyre, Timmy Joe Brandon, Kilmorna, Dan McAuliffe, RIP, Duagh Village, Jimmy McNamara, RIP, Derrindaffe (wearing cap), Pat Dillon, Trienearagh, Jack Buckley, RIP, Lyre, Fr. Vincent O’Connell, Moynsa, Matt Dillon, RIP, Trienearagh, Dan JD Keane, Kilmorna. Front – Timmy Nolan, RIP, Trienearagh, Brendan McKenna, Lyre, Pat Joe Heaphy, Duagh Village, Tom Nolan, Captain, Trienearagh, Billy Doran, Lyre, Patsy Larkin, Larkins Cross, Patsy McNamara, RIP, Derrindaff, Kevin Dillon, Trienearagh. Three Dillon brothers, Pat, Matt, Kevin, played on the team.