What's your earliest memory of the GAAboard?

[magpie seanie]

I think it was 2001 I first docked here in the aftermath of Sligo's defeat of Kildare. One of my earliest thoughts on the board which is probably shared by most first time users was - "Who is this Tony Fearon guy and is he for real?" Over the years I have been convinced of the following - (1) Fearon was actually one of O'Neill's creations; (2) O'Neill and Fearon were actually great buddies and used to have these rows on the board to see what reaction they'd get. I spotted a bald Tyrone fan and a large Armagh fan having a few pints together in Meaghers after the 2003 AI Final and was sure it was the bucks. Glad I didn't approach them!

[Orior]

I think it was 2001 I first docked here in the aftermath of Sligo's defeat of Kildare. One of my earliest thoughts on the board which is probably shared by most first time users was - "Who is this Tony Fearon guy and is he for real?" Over the years I have been convinced of the following - (1) Fearon was actually one of O'Neill's creations; (2) O'Neill and Fearon were actually great buddies and used to have these rows on the board to see what reaction they'd get. I spotted a bald Tyrone fan and a large Armagh fan having a few pints together in Meaghers after the 2003 AI Final and was sure it was the bucks. Glad I didn't approach them!

That might have been Rufus T Firefly representing Armagh.

[easytiger95]

2001 for me, in the midst of the Foot and Mouth - I was about to start working on Breaking Ball, and thought I needed to shed my Dub blinkers. My eyes were opened in a big way.

Everyone was always really helpful when i needed help with the programme, and i have really good memories of contributors like Sonny, GalteeMountainboy, the Bottler, etc

Hardy, Magpie, Az, BNM and the Muppet always good for sanity, Hill is Blue, Heffo, Lynchbhoy (honorary) and Indiana always good for local Dub stuff, O'Neill for Farneyboy and other creations, whilst Fearon is, of course, a long running situationist prank, dreamt up by nihilist performance artists in Dresden as a scathing commentary on the gullibility of the online community.

[easytiger95]

forgot to mention Bud - seldom seen now but an implacable Laois foe of the Dubs - and good craic with it.

[seafoid]

Media coverage of GAA in the late 90s was poor enough and very formulaic. Tom Humphries in the Irish Times used to write great stuff and there'd be the odd article in the Sunday papers but it wasn't great overall. Sites like this made a big difference. You could talk about GAA and many times the fans would be as good as if not better than the journalists. It is still true especially where people like Brehony and Spillane are concerned.

[deiseach]

Richard someone who was into GAA journalism and had a site of classic articles

Richard Behal, Gaelic Gazette. It was a great site. Sadly his daughter died and he lost the will to update it. I think he emigrated to Australia. I've often wondered whether he was related to this Richard Behal.

[Billys Boots]

Can't remember - kind of trundled in when Shamrock Shore euthanised the Longford GAABoard.  2002?? maybe.  Maybe earlier, I was here when Aaaaargh won the AI in 2002 (when football was invented). 

[seafoid]

Richard someone who was into GAA journalism and had a site of classic articles

Richard Behal, Gaelic Gazette. It was a great site. Sadly his daughter died and he lost the will to update it. I think he emigrated to Australia. I've often wondered whether he was related to this Richard Behal.

I didn't realise that, Deiseach. It must have been a terrible blow. The site really was top notch.
Nobody ever seems to have collected Kevin Cashman's output either. 

[illdecide]

The Mucksavages Thread always got a laugh when you're in depressing work and needed something to take your mind off it. Also there was a phase there where there were that many multiple name users you didn't know who was who

[bennydorano]

I appeared in around the invention of football era myself. I would echo the sentiments that the quality of analysis on here (at times) was the equal of any print media, probably still is but I cant be arsed reading as much these days & things change over the years.

The mucksavage thread was prob my favourite too (not that old tho, 4 or 5 years?), a real shame it wasn't retained in some shape or form - eventhough it would still be scandalous today.

[Orior]

My favourite of all time is the Larry Reilly thread.

[Croí na hÉireann]

I stumbled across a "Things You've Heard At GAA Matches" around 03 and haven't been able to get out since. It was a whole different world from the hoganstand.

[Farrandeelin]

Joined in 2009, had been a lurker for a while before that. Reading those old threads bring back memories!

But, 6 years on, and the same aul shite from some

Could all Mayo posters be banned till the Ballagh Rossies can play with their native County? 

Note the random reference to Mayo-Ballagh-Ros in a thread without even the most tenuous links to the subject!

Speaking of Rossfan, I assume he changed his name from rosmanrosfan to just Rossfan?

[Asal Mor]

Nobody ever seems to have collected Kevin Cashman's output either.

That is a shame. I could only find one article of his online(on Uibhfhaili.com I think)but nothing else out there.

[T Fearon]

Anyone remember Ken Reilly,a Meathman, exiled in the States, posted a lot in the late 90s,usually as high as a kite?

True story, an Armagh man, who should have known better (a retired professional class member) asked me once in the midst of the Tyrone Armagh mania, and I quote "Who is that cnut O'Neill?"