I think Gaelic football is the greatest ball game in the world bar none. The game, at times challenged by modernity, has evolved elegantly into an exciting code with current fitness/tactics and demeanour while remaining faithful to its heritage. I know some will disagree, but I believe this to be the unique legacy of the great Dublin teams of the Seventies. Yes Kerry were great too but that was nothing unusual. It was the Herrernan/Hannahoe teams that changed the guard, introduced new methods, professionalism, prodded the sacred cows and emerged with a fabulous, free-flowing game that continues to this day. They, in simple terms, had the wow factor. I could mention some of the great players but it was as a unit that Dublin defined a new era and truly marked 1974-80 (with great respect to the Kingdom) as a watershed in the history of Gaelic Games.

Brick_Wall (Dublin) - Posts: 13 - 28/04/2010 13:53:26    632255

Brick_Wall
County: Dublin
Posts: 7


The Great Micko pretty much said that the great Dubs team of the 70's saved Gaelic Football!

And that's coming from the greatest manager of all time...

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 28/04/2010 13:59:41    632267

Jack O'Shea said on TG4 over the spring that had the Dubs of the 70's not come along, GAA as a whole was in serious danger and in his opinion, Dublin saved the GAA as they made it "cool"

Hillstreetblue (Dublin) - Posts: 163 - 28/04/2010 14:35:03    632336

And the cool song of '74

'for 11 yrs we waited
now out time has finally come
let the railway end go barmy
for hill16
has never seen
the like's of Heffo's Army'

witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 28/04/2010 15:28:20    632428

Backlash in the post....

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13837 - 28/04/2010 15:30:16    632438

bring back them glorious days

delboydub (Dublin) - Posts: 665 - 28/04/2010 15:43:23    632453

Dublin did have a great team 76/77 likes of P. Cullen ,R. Kelleher , the great K. Moran, B. Mullins, B. Brogan,J. Keaveney, but like all great things they come to an end.

fortyfive (Tyrone) - Posts: 5929 - 28/04/2010 16:18:00    632514

Hillstreetblue: That Dublin made GAA cool was exactly what I was struggling to say. Thanks.

Brick_Wall (Dublin) - Posts: 13 - 28/04/2010 16:24:06    632526

I'm not sure that they saved Gaelic football nationwide. The games had just come off a glorious decade when both Galway and Down fielded outstanding football teams. Kerry as usual were always there or thereabouts. The seventies opened up iwth two more exciting teams in Offaly and Cork. The games nationwide were in good health and the championships were competitive. What that Dublin team did was rescue the games in Dublin.All of a sudden in Dublin, Gaelic Games were the big thing. The excitement and hype was huge.The media got in on the act and very quickly the coverage of Gaelic Games exploded. Dublin revolutionised how teams trained.Their fitness levels were way above what had gone before. They also revolutionised how the game was played, moving the ball very quickly through the hands and introducing support play the likes of which had never been seen before. Kerry as always when a new challenger appeared reacted to, adapted to, matched and finally mastered the challenge. The Dubs of the 70's had that WOW factor moreso than any other team I remember in football. I couldn't agree more with brickwalls assertion that their appearance on the national stage represents a watershed in footballs history and that what we have today has evolved from what they introduced. A truly great team

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6193 - 28/04/2010 16:35:59    632545

Wait while I wipe the tear from my eye!

What a lot a nostalgic clap-trap!

Cavan, Down, of coarse various Kerry teams and the present Tyrone team (among others) can (and probably do) point to their teams golden period(s) over the years.

The Dublin team of the 70's that won 3 all-Irelands were a truely great team, but jesas lads tone it down a bit, you are just inviting a backlash!

Yer Man (None) - Posts: 286 - 28/04/2010 16:39:30    632557

Sure we're only quoting the likes of Jack O'Shea and Mick O'Dwyer lads....

Take it up with them but to be honest I think they might just know a thing or two about Gaelic Football in the 1970's - What do you think....?

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 28/04/2010 16:54:50    632582

There was definitely less emphasis on fitness in those days , and individual skill was I believe celebrated over and above the team. Look at Jimmy Keaveney. He wouldnt last 10 minites in modern training but he knew how to handle a football.

gaelantrim (Antrim) - Posts: 1616 - 28/04/2010 17:08:47    632608

Jimmy Keaveney would make mince meat of out most of the ultra fit defenders today, you cant defend against this kind of skill

link

throw in the panther, paddy cullen, tony hanahoe, mullins, brogan... what a team

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4663 - 28/04/2010 18:39:50    632769

I suppose a similar thing to Limerick Wexford and Clare in hurling 90's

castlemaine (Kerry) - Posts: 546 - 28/04/2010 19:20:09    632826

you know antrim looks can be decieving, keaveney was no slouch,he gave no less a man than johnno keefe who was a fitness fanatic the runaround a few times.Won three all irelands, not bad for a man that came out of retirement.

chicago09 (Kerry) - Posts: 694 - 28/04/2010 20:54:34    632931

i have great memories of brian mullins . a great great footballer . a legend .

ta32 (Tyrone) - Posts: 4907 - 28/04/2010 21:50:01    632995

bad.monkey
County: USA
Posts: 2085

632769 Jimmy Keaveney would make mince meat of out most of the ultra fit defenders today, you cant defend against this kind of skill

link

throw in the panther, paddy cullen, tony hanahoe, mullins, brogan... what a team

Nice link there man...

By the way another record I believe the Dubs own...Tony Hanohoe is the only player/Manager to win an All Ireland! What an amazing achievement... one that will possibly never be surpassed!

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 28/04/2010 21:53:17    633003

It's utter nonsense to suggest that the 70's Dubs "saved Gaelic football" or to say that team had the "wow" factor - they certainly had the "pow" factor. They were a hard & physical (some might say dirty) team that sought to impose themselves on the opposition. My best memory of them is seeing their backs trying to decapitate Pat Spillane in a AI Final. They will always be in the shadow of that great Kerry team; who were beyond any doubt the best team that I had the privilege of seeing.

I will accept that the Dubs of that era had good footballers - David Hickey was a class act, but too many of them were more interested in inflicting pain than playing football. That Kerry team were the only ones able to stand up to them and if necessary give them a taste of their own medicine.

Box13 (Galway) - Posts: 56 - 30/04/2010 13:03:01    634618

They were a hard & physical (some might say dirty) team that sought to impose themselves on the opposition. My best memory of them is seeing their backs trying to decapitate Pat Spillane in a AI Final.

that was mickey ned not pat spillane...

link

In the modern game, in this 30 second clip alone there would 3/4 red cards and 2 yellows

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4663 - 30/04/2010 13:48:45    634679

Box, a Galway man accusing Dublin of being dirty!! Galway tried several times to 'sort out' Dublin and by jaysus they were sorry for it :-)

As Heffo said in '83: "Galway came up to kick us, and we didn't let them down." !!

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 30/04/2010 14:04:26    634692