50 years of the all Ireland club championships

Started by seafoid, November 17, 2021, 08:43:00 AM

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seafoid

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/sean-moran-fifty-years-a-growing-all-ireland-club-finals-reach-major-milestone-1.4730708

My first experience of the phenomenon though was in the spring of 1990 when I visited Baltinglass in Wicklow, as they sized up the All-Ireland final against Clann na nGael from Roscommon.

It was dark and cold but there was palpable excitement about being in the an All-Ireland final – the only previous such distinction in those parts had been Wicklow's junior title all the way back in 1936. They had the familiar club assembly of brothers, O'Briens, Murphys and Kennys and were trained by corner forward Tommy Murphy.

What impact has it on clubs and their neighbourhoods? Well, to this day there's a sign on the N81 welcoming people to Baltinglass, 'All-Ireland club champions 1990'.
Martin Coleman, then club secretary, says that younger people around the club still ask about the day of the All-Ireland and that, before the semi-final, the pitch was thronged with volunteers from all over the county forking the surface to drain it in time for the match.

He also recounts how when at a women's football awards event, he met Cumann Peil na mBan president Micheál Naughton from Donegal and as soon as he mentioned being from Baltinglass, the recognition was immediate: All-Ireland club champions.
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

seafoid

"Thirteen counties and 27 clubs have won the football All-Ireland with 10 and 26 the figures for hurling. "
And counties that never won or rarely won Sam or McCarthy have featured club winners- Antrim (in both), Wicklow, Ros and Laois
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

Milltown Row2

It's an amazing experience to have come to your club, some clubs are blessed with that continued run at it, but to give the regular club player or supporter the chance to celebrate an All Ireland championship will stay with that person/club forever.
None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Ea

shark

Decent chance we will have a new winner in football in 2022, when you look at the teams remaining.

rrhf

Looking in from the outside it sets apart those clubs who achieve it even once,  among the vast majority of GAA supporters for life.  What an amazing achievement for any community! 

TheGreatest

I personally love the club championships over inter county comps.

The last couple of weeks have been excellent, 20, 40, 60 years waits, the scenes of joy around the country are brilliant to see, hard slogged battles,  the stories you hear and read, the team and self-redemption stories

Armagh18

Quote from: TheGreatest on November 18, 2021, 12:25:42 PM
I personally love the club championships over inter county comps.

The last couple of weeks have been excellent, 20, 40, 60 years waits, the scenes of joy around the country are brilliant to see, hard slogged battles,  the stories you hear and read, the team and self-redemption stories
Yeah same as that. I'm lucky enough to have championship medals myself and it means the world to have won them with lads I grew up with as well as older lads I grew up watching.

seafoid

There is something special about seeing the parish on tour en masse in Baile Átha Cliath  on the big day.
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

Estimator

Quote from: shark on November 17, 2021, 11:40:18 AM
Decent chance we will have a new winner in football in 2022, when you look at the teams remaining.
Yeah, i think there are only 4 previous winners left in the competition:

None from either Ulster or Connacht,
One from Leinster (Kilmacud Crokes) and
Three from Munster (Austin Stacks, Dr Crokes & St Finbarr's)

And of those 4 teams - Kilmacud and Finbarr's have a county final to play
The two Kerry teams are only at the semi-final stage
Ulster League Champions 2009

brokencrossbar1

I'm one of the luckiest footballers in Ireland. I grew up with a bunch of lads who were serial winners from we were cubs and we brought that through to adult level. I remember a Clan na Gael man chiding me saying I was the worst player to ever win an All Ireland....I disagreed with him...I told him I was the worst player to ever win 3! 

It is 50 years since the first one and next year is 25 years since our first one but the competition is only getting better. I think our win coincided with the new world we were living in with people having more money from an improving economy and freedom following on from the ceasefire. The GAA became 'sexy' and we as a team were part of the new media focus on the games. Coupled with that was the internet which brought things to a whole new level of exposure.

Our story is well written, our heroes are well known, but to this day I still get goosebumps when i remember back to the 'good old days'....I love meeting old foes who are now good friends. We all have the same aching limbs and fading memories,  though some of the tales are getting bigger as the years pass!


shark

Quote from: brokencrossbar1 on November 18, 2021, 04:03:56 PM
I'm one of the luckiest footballers in Ireland. I grew up with a bunch of lads who were serial winners from we were cubs and we brought that through to adult level. I remember a Clan na Gael man chiding me saying I was the worst player to ever win an All Ireland....I disagreed with him...I told him I was the worst player to ever win 3! 

It is 50 years since the first one and next year is 25 years since our first one but the competition is only getting better. I think our win coincided with the new world we were living in with people having more money from an improving economy and freedom following on from the ceasefire. The GAA became 'sexy' and we as a team were part of the new media focus on the games. Coupled with that was the internet which brought things to a whole new level of exposure.

Our story is well written, our heroes are well known, but to this day I still get goosebumps when i remember back to the 'good old days'....I love meeting old foes who are now good friends. We all have the same aching limbs and fading memories,  though some of the tales are getting bigger as the years pass!

Class. Can't beat it.
My father won one in the early 70's , when the competition was only new. Even then, they knew what it meant. It was a big deal right from the off. They'll soon have their 50th anniversary celebrations of county, province, and all-Ireland. I think just two of them have passed away to date, which is not bad going for men in their 70's. They are all 25 again when they meet up together, of course.

shark

Quote from: Estimator on November 18, 2021, 02:29:59 PM
Quote from: shark on November 17, 2021, 11:40:18 AM
Decent chance we will have a new winner in football in 2022, when you look at the teams remaining.
Yeah, i think there are only 4 previous winners left in the competition:

None from either Ulster or Connacht,
One from Leinster (Kilmacud Crokes) and
Three from Munster (Austin Stacks, Dr Crokes & St Finbarr's)

And of those 4 teams - Kilmacud and Finbarr's have a county final to play
The two Kerry teams are only at the semi-final stage

Even when you look at the provincial championships, there are not than many serial county winners.
In Leinster it is very rare for a "new" county champion to win the province. Ballymun might be the last one, in 2012.
Kildare, Laois, Offaly, Meath, and maybe Dublin, will all have teams competing who are new to this stage. If Mullinalaghta are close to the level of 3 years ago then they could do it again.

From the Bunker

Someone said to me once that if the Railway Cup was renamed the All-Ireland inter-Provincial Series that it would still be on the go.

Offer any player a Chance of winning an AI medal at any level and they will bite your hand off!

Rossfan

#13
Dramatic finish in Tralee.
Penalties now!
Stacks win, some lad called Kieran Donaghy with the winner!
Davy's given us a dream to cling to
We're going to bring home the SAM

seafoid

Driving through a winning parish always had something special. I remember being in Athlone after Brigids won.
Or going through Portumna.
There was absolutely nothing to compare with the Connacht Double. Athenry and Crossmolina did it in 2001
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU