The first match you saw in Croke Park

[Hardy]

So it looks like I am provisional oldest lemon here until some auld timers like Hardy and Lar naParka row in.

I would guess Hardy was at the 1967 AIF at the very least (perhaps the Leinster final that year)  whereas LnP was surely there in for the AI semi in 1967 or 1969.

I'm afraid to say you're not...see my reply earlier...


What age were you? 13
Who was playing, what year  ? Down minors 1977
Who did you go with ? Lads from the club.
Do you remember anything about it ? Down won, it pissed rain and Dublin hammered some other crowd in the other match

I have a hazy memory of Parnell chucking in the ball between two lines of skinny lads in caps like small umbrellas.

[Oraisteach]

Age: 12

1967 Oireachtas Hurling Final between Kilkenny and Clare

Went with juvenile team (Armagh Cuchulainns)

Remember seeing Pa Dillon getting a shocking dig in the mouth and seeing him later at a hotel where both ourselves and the Kilkenny team were having a meal

[ardchieftain]

Dublin v Galway all ireland final, 1980 something?[ not sure of the year ], the one where Duff kicked one of the Galway lads in the head. Went with the u12 team, i was 9/10. we were on Hill16 and it scared the life out of me, the atmosphere was horrible. The few Galway supporters on the Hill being spat on and in one case assaulted. Unsurprisingly, i ended up strongly disliking Dublin for many years after that experience.

[Main Street]

About 18.
Mayo v Australia in 1967.
A gang of mates from St Pat's, Drumcondra.
It was a tremendous spectacle from start to finish with the Aussies giving an exhibition of high fielding at its best and running Mayo ragged with their superior speed and physical toughness.
The "Galahs" won by 2-12 to 2-5 and the margin would have much greater  if their kicking had been on a par with their fielding and handling.

That must have been my first at Croke Park as well, I was about 8 at the time, visiting relatives in Dublin and went to it with my brother  It was a sunny  Saturday afternoon, cost 6d to get in and there was a big crowd,  over 30,000.
Mayo had Langan at full forward but who roamed everywhere and a rock at CHB, Jackie Morley, who would eat Francie Bellew before breakfast. On the football, the Australians were huge and outplayed the Mayo lads.

[CD]

What age were you? I'd have been 10
Who was playing, what year  ? 1986 Tyrone V Galway in the All Ireland Semi-Final. I was there a few months earlier on a School Trip and we got to play on the pitch - scored a point at the Hill before the groundsman called us ashore!
Who did you go with? My Dad and two brothers and a clatter of uncles. I'm fairly sure that as kids we didn't pay in and there were about three people to a seat. I clearly remember the old wooden seating at the top of the Hogan.
Do you remember anything about it? Good memory of the cavalcade of cars heading over the boarder and taking over an hour to go through Aughnacloy. I'd say it was a good four hour drive then.
Also remember McCabe's penalty and stopping in Ardee for the chips on the way home.

Was lucky enough to go to the final as well. Was on the Hill and remember being amazed by the crowd of people jammed in there. A garda held me in front of him on a crush barrier so I could see the game. Have such a vivid memory of Pat Spillane that day with the bandaged knee

[5 Sams]

Dublin v Galway all ireland final, 1980 something?[ not sure of the year ], the one where Duff kicked one of the Galway lads in the head. Went with the u12 team, i was 9/10. we were on Hill16 and it scared the life out of me, the atmosphere was horrible. The few Galway supporters on the Hill being spat on and in one case assaulted. Unsurprisingly, i ended up strongly disliking Dublin for many years after that experience.

1983. The dirty dozen or the 12 apostles depending on where you're from.

[Beantown]

Age ? 4 or 5
I think it was a league semi final between Kerry v Meath in 1979 ish, I may be corrected on this.
Went with my parents and distinctly remember sitting in the Hogan Stand Upper Deck and Kerry wore Blue, and we were amazed by Jack O Shea...Plus my Dad bought me a Kerry strip after the match from a street vendor. He laughed when we asked for a Tyrone strip, so a Kerry strip was purchased!

[T Fearon]

1977 AI semi final Armagh V Roscommon

Memories include £2.50 return train fare from Portadown to Dublin.3 punts admission to Hogan and a brilliant comeback by Armagh to earn a draw! Craic coming home on train was something else!

[pbat]

1983 National League Final Armagh Vs Down.

With my da and uncle.

8 years old.

Remember there was serious trouble on the train home and the guards had to get on somewhere outside Dublin and stay on it until Dundalk. We got of there as well but heard that when the train got to Lurgan it was burnt out. My Da refused to use the train ever again. 

[The Boy Wonder]

What age were you?  Teenage 
Who was playing, what year  ?  1973 Leinster SFC - Laois Vs Meath
Who did you go with ?  Bus from local club
Do you remember anything about it ? Brilliant displays by Willie Brennan, Laois and Ken Rennicks, Meath. The Royals won 

[inexile]

What age were you? I'd have been 15
Who was playing, what year  ? 1977 Dublin v Armagh in the All Ireland Final
Who did you go with? Schoolmates and a teacher
Do you remember anything about it? Main memory is coming down Gardiner Street and seeing some thug being egged on by a group of mates kick a NI reg car with a family (incl 2 small Children who looked terrified) in it. A terrible way for them to end a big adventure.

[Syferus]

What age were you? 7
Who was playing, what year  ? Galway vs Offaly, 1980
Who did you go with ? The ould lad and his uncle and John Tull Dunne
Do you remember anything about it ? Seeing the word "Gaillimh" on the scoreboard and wondering what it meant.The queues for the toilets and the speed required, Crisps and Fanta, leaving the sisters at home and partaking in the world of big men

Do you know young Cyril Dunne? Should as him about Tadg Mannion, Gerry O'Malley's Brigids and Roscommon HB partner and the hat incident.

Wear a hard-hat.

[Orior]

I have a hazy memory of going to see a hurling match when I was 7 or 8 years old

What age were you? 7 or 8
Who was playing, what year? No idea, circa 1968
Who did you go with? Dad, Mum, brothers and sisters
Do you remember anything about it? Yes, a hurl got broken and was thrown over to the touchline. My Dad told my older brother to go down and pick it up. We took it home and tried to glue it together, but it never really worked.

What age were you? 14 or 15
Who was playing, what year? St Colmans College Newry, against Summerhill Co Meath (I think) , circa 1975
Who did you go with? The school, on the bus
Do you remember anything about it? Freezing cold. And there were girls. I discovered girls.

[Upthecut]

What age were you? 12
Who was playing, what year  ? Derry V Meath - All-Ireland Semi-Final, 1987
Who did you go with ? My Da
Do you remember anything about it ? McNicholl's bandage and the Down Minor team. Apparently i told my Da that was the best team i had ever seen.

[seafoid]

What age were you? 7
Who was playing, what year  ? Galway vs Offaly, 1980
Who did you go with ? The ould lad and his uncle and John Tull Dunne
Do you remember anything about it ? Seeing the word "Gaillimh" on the scoreboard and wondering what it meant.The queues for the toilets and the speed required, Crisps and Fanta, leaving the sisters at home and partaking in the world of big men

Do you know young Cyril Dunne? Should as him about Tadg Mannion, Gerry O'Malley's Brigids and Roscommon HB partner and the hat incident.

Wear a hard-hat.

syf

I couldn't give a flying f### about Roscommon fuball, even though the mother is from Ros. Go and win an all Ireland so you have something more recent than 1944 to regale us with.