1974 All Ireland final .I was 6 years old and sat on my fathers knee in the Nally stand .
Galway v the Dubs .
My 2 lasting memories are Paddy Cullens penalty save taken by Liam Sammon which would have put us 8 points clear and the maroon dye all over me from the old crepe paper hats in the rain.
Great memories of the big day out with my now long gone dad .

StopTheLights (Galway) - Posts: 404 - 04/09/2013 17:48:22    1475238

1981 for Limerick v Galway. I can't remember if it was the draw or the replay. My ould lad took me. The thing is those memories of going to the matches with your ould fella are run of the mill when you're a youngster but as you get older and take your own kids to the game the memories mean something more. When you look at Croker of old, Croke of today and then think of the millions of people who flocked through the gates to shout on their heroes over the years, well it's hard not to feel a pang in the heart about how great Gaelic Games and their impact on Irish life & society and those living abroad.

Hence why I think this song is absolutely brilliant (even if nothing to do with Limerick) but it captures all the magic and brilliance of attending Gaelic Games:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmyX1r9A3yU

Despite working abroad a few times I've never been out of the country on all-Ireland hurling final day (football either). Thank God because I couldn't handle that, I'd miss home too much. The all-Ireland is something huge, something all us Irish people should be proud of. I've been to three with Limerick & we lost them all but by Jesus did the hair stand on the back of my neck when I saw Limerick parade around with Offaly as I was in the Canal End in 1994. Here were lads I'd met, lads who I'd worked with and lads as honest as the day is long, doing their best to achieve something magical. The very same in 1996 and again in 2007. We didn't win but what a privilege it is to go to Croke Park and support your county.

Croker is something to be proud of and hold thousands of magical memories.

Slayer

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 04/09/2013 17:50:42    1475240

StopTheLights wrote:

Great memories of the big day out with my now long gone dad .

money just can't buy this stuff. Top class post. Great thread too, well done to the original poster, fantastic.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 04/09/2013 17:52:10    1475241

1970 League final win over Down, aged 10 years and my first cousin on the team, proudest young man in Ireland! ...MAYO: E. Rooney, S. Hughes, R. Prendergast, R. Niland, J. Carey, J. Morley, J. Earley, P.J. Loftus, J. Langan, T. Fitzgerald, J. Gibbons, J. Corcoran, D. Griffith, W. McGee, J. Cribben. Sub: S. O'Grady

beal (Mayo) - Posts: 1388 - 04/09/2013 17:58:27    1475245

1988 all-ireland semi final v Meath. Sitting in old cusack stand. My dad brought me. dont remember too much about the game spent most of the time looking in awe at the great old stadium and the colour. Remember TJ kilgallon had a great game in midfield against a Meath team that were at the peak of there powers they had class players all over the pitch. We got a few goals near the end to make scoreboard respectable (mchale i think). not many better teams have won sam since in my opinion

richardcrowe (Mayo) - Posts: 61 - 04/09/2013 18:19:20    1475253

OLLIE
County: Louth
Posts: 5224

1475202 lamhliathroid1
County: Tyrone
Posts: 23

1475102
OLLIE
County: Louth
Posts: 5222

1474594 Sunday 22nd September 1957. Louth 1-09 Cork 1-07. I remember it like yesterday

Did Joey Maher play for Louth that day?

He did indeed in the handball.


One of the greatest 60 by 30 players. I had the pleasure of seeing him v ,I think, Clones's famous left hander Seamus McCabe in the big alley. I thought he played senior football for Louth too, but maybe not.

lamhliathroid1 (Tyrone) - Posts: 25 - 04/09/2013 20:14:17    1475346

lamhliathroid1
County: Tyrone
Posts: 24

1475346
OLLIE
County: Louth
Posts: 5224

1475202 lamhliathroid1
County: Tyrone
Posts: 23

1475102
OLLIE
County: Louth
Posts: 5222

1474594 Sunday 22nd September 1957. Louth 1-09 Cork 1-07. I remember it like yesterday

Did Joey Maher play for Louth that day?

He did indeed in the handball.


One of the greatest 60 by 30 players. I had the pleasure of seeing him v ,I think, Clones's famous left hander Seamus McCabe in the big alley. I thought he played senior football for Louth too, but maybe not.

There is a stature of him in Drogheda beside Scotch Hall shopping centre which was put up in 2008.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 04/09/2013 20:25:38    1475352

slayer
County: Limerick
Posts: 4745

1475241 StopTheLights wrote:

Great memories of the big day out with my now long gone dad .

money just can't buy this stuff. Top class post. Great thread too, well done to the original poster, fantastic.



Thanks a lot Slayer.
Its funny I've been to Croker numerous times since that first visit in 1973 and although I'll always treasure the memories of 2003, 2005 and 2008 there will always be something so different about my first visit.
I think looking back its about recalling a dream in time, cherishing companions, being initiated into a lifelong brotherhood, the memories remaining vivid and almost other worldly and precious.

lamhliathroid1 (Tyrone) - Posts: 25 - 04/09/2013 20:52:36    1475374

Brilliant posts here. Proves that no matter we are from different counties and sometimes get a bit narky!, that end of the day we share an association with the greatest organisation in the country and with the greatest sporting venue in the country. I have been at a fair few finals over the years. If I only get one ticket this year, which I will almost certainly, then I am giving it to my daughter who has never seen the Dubs live in a final, and who can stand on the Hill with her uncles. That would in itself make me happy.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 04/09/2013 21:03:45    1475386

The hairs are well up on the back of my neck reading this. I think it could be my favourite ever thread on this site. Wonderfully evocative descriptions.

an tseabhac (Kerry) - Posts: 441 - 04/09/2013 21:57:19    1475449

My first trip was 1996 v mayo.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 05/09/2013 09:53:29    1475504

All Ireland semi versus Kerry 1997. Remember thinking at half time we're gonna win the All Ireland. Second half Mike Frank goal killed that notion and Larry hitting the crossbar when easier to score goal. Cavan flags everywhere in Dublin. Shouting I'm Offaly sorry going through Meath (Beat them in Leinster final) and then the craic coming back home through Kells (ie stones-no bypass then).

doratheexplorer (Cavan) - Posts: 1467 - 05/09/2013 10:03:05    1475510

First time in Croker was watching Crossmaglen beat Knockmore in the 1997 club final. First time watching Armagh was 1999 vs Meath All Ireland Semi Final, top deck of the Cusack, all I remember is Ger Reid being sent off thankfully had a few good days there over the following years!!

ArmaghinWarwick (Armagh) - Posts: 26 - 05/09/2013 10:46:49    1475546

My first trip to Croke was made with my Father and a few of his friends to the '94 Semi final against Cork, as a boy of 14. I remember sandwiches and tea from the car and cold cooked sausages with brown sauce out of tin foil. En route to the stadium, I was treated to a good sized red & black flag and a headband. I was smiling my head off as I climbed the steps to the upper Hogan, but my jaw dropped when I saw the field. Clones had impressed me the previous month but the scale of Croke Park was simply incredible. We made our way to our wooden seats with the flakey paint and against all the odds, out of the 80,000 fans expected for the game, sitting in front of us was my History teacher. She had come to watch the Armagh minors, who lost as I recall.

The tension grew as fans took their places and we belted out Amhrán na bhFiann amidst the overwhelming noise and colour, the Down men having already emerged from the recesses of the stand. I watched proudly as 3 club men represented the county. Expectations were high and the team did not disappoint. Mickey Linden had another great game as he had done all year and the lads qualified comfortably for the final. The occasion was complete when I joined in with a good old fashioned pitch invasion. I'll never forget it the rest of my days and just typing this is giving me a serious nostalgia trip.

Suas Sios (None) - Posts: 1558 - 05/09/2013 11:35:38    1475580

I have some sketchy memories of games in Croker in the late 70s as a child with the Da marching us down to join the masses trying to squeeze into the canal end. This was before Health & Safety became a dictionary term and how somebody wasn't killed I'll never know, especially coming out from games. The terrace was probably suitable for 5000 but I would say 8000 squeezed in for the big matches as it was pay at the gate and the Da always lifted me over.

My first vivid memory of Croker was from a seat in the lower Hogan though for the 1980 LSFC final against a great Offaly team who pipped us by a couple of points. That game will be most famous for John O'Leary's debut. I just remember there being a great atmosphere at that game and loads of colour with everyone wearing those tissue hats with the cardboard peaks and my cousin had a blue and navy rattler like you'd see at the old soccer games from the 60s and 70s. The ears were ringing for about a week after that game.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4742 - 05/09/2013 14:57:38    1475823

I registered especially to post on this great topic & am proud to be from the same country as posters on here ( even the other-31-baiting Snufalufagus !! ) - for all the KK/cork rivalry, the Cork contingent here are more broadmininded and articulate than those on PROC .

Mine was the Lein hurling Final '77 when Tony Doran's Wexford beat us, went with hurling-mad cousins who were disappointed but the being in Croke Pk made up for it for me - I was 11. Plenty of coke'n'chips,etc. from my lovely late uncle who was also great hurling company over a pint.

My happiest day there since ? '92 AllIrl, our first in 9yrs, I was starting to think I'd never see KK win one again. What 15 men from my county have done in recent years doesn't make me better than anyone not from Kilkenny, it makes me luckier.
My worst was the day Offaly bet us out the gate in the '95 Lein final in , as the Dubs say , the p******* of rain.

AnFearDonn (Kilkenny) - Posts: 65 - 05/09/2013 15:36:37    1475875

05/09/2013 14:57:38
Joxer
County: Dublin
Posts: 1202

...and my cousin had a blue and navy rattler like you'd see at the old soccer games from the 60s and 70s. The ears were ringing for about a week after that game.

A rattler! My only knowledge of those is them still being drawn in the hands of fans in Roy of The Rovers and other soccer comics in my mid-1980s boyhood. Never saw one in real life, though. So they lasted into the decade!

an tseabhac (Kerry) - Posts: 441 - 05/09/2013 15:38:33    1475878

Was for the AI Hurling final in 1989.

Remember the whole frenzy within the county in the weeks leading up to it and the problem with sourcing tickets - admittidely as I was only a 12 year old I knew nothing of the lengths gone to but years later found out that there were calls made to nearly every county in Ireland. However, on the Friday before the game it was confirmed that we had got 6 tickets - 3 for the hill, 2 beside each other in the Hogan and 1 in the Cusack so Saturday morning seen a trip in to the town (Ballymena) to get flag poles for the 'Aontrium Abu' flags we had purchased (incidentally I still have the flag which I got signed by all the unvictorious team). Not having any luck with actual flag poles it was left to go to Dunnes and get a number of floor brush handles which the flags were then attached to.

On the Sunday morning it was a very early start as this was in the days pre Motorway where you went through every hole in the hedge, so the sandwiches, crisps and flask of tea were packed in to the car and myself, the two brothers, dad and my uncle headed off before 7. Remember thinking as we were between Newry and Dunndalk that we were never going to make it as the traffic was at a virtual standstill and progress was slow and won't forget my dads outburst and the 'bloody eejit' who he could see in his mirror was coming flying past everyone on the other side of the road, round corners and the lot. His mood eased a bit though when he realised the eejit was actually his cousin and that this type of manoeuvre wasn't strange to him. A man always in a hurry and with no patience!

Anyway, we arrived eventually and parked at my Great Aunts in the Artane area and she had made a lunch/dinner for us though remember it was lamb (which I then didn't like) potatoes and veg so for me it ended up being potatoes and butter. Fed and watered we made our way on foot to Croke Park only to be stopped by the Gardai at the first cordons and our impromptu flag poles were confiscated as they were deemed a security threat which we were informed could have been used as a weapon. After a bit of fruitless protesting we made our way through and split up depending on which part of the ground we were heading. As I was the youngest of the siblings I headed off with Dad to the two seat together in the Hogan and after settling in remember looking around the ground and being amazed at the number of people in the stadium and the buzz/noise around the place. I also remember the Artane band playing The Town I loved So well (must just have been playing a selection of tunes from the North) and when it was over all the people around us standing up, turning in our general direction and applauding. Then, from two seats directly in front of me a man stood up to take the applause and then I realised it was Phil Coulter himself.

I also remember the feeling of anticipation that we were actually going to win as to me then Tipp was just another county, so why should they be any better than us. Of course what happened over the next 70 mins doesn't require much summing up - I just remember my feeling of expectation quickly disappearing and being replaced by dread and disappointment and then dejection as some of the goals started to fly in. When the full time whistle went we hung around for the presentation of the cup then met back in our agreed meeting spot before heading back to Artane to pick up the car and join the queue of cars setting off for Antrim again.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 05/09/2013 17:04:56    1475981

an tseabhac
County: Kerry
Posts: 212

1475878
05/09/2013 14:57:38
Joxer
County: Dublin
Posts: 1202

...and my cousin had a blue and navy rattler like you'd see at the old soccer games from the 60s and 70s. The ears were ringing for about a week after that game.

A rattler! My only knowledge of those is them still being drawn in the hands of fans in Roy of The Rovers and other soccer comics in my mid-1980s boyhood. Never saw one in real life, though. So they lasted into the decade!

________
They sure did. I remember them in late 70s and early 80s. I think Lego even brought out a kit for making them. Those tissue hats are a very vivid memory though. The peak had the county name on it and was stapled on. The Hawkers could switch the peaks around depending on who was playing to keep the sales up. So yellow and green sold for Kerry one week, Donegal the next and Meath the following. You just needed a tweezers and a staple gun to change the peaks. Jayzus they were great days all the same. The whole package is a bit sterile and almost too well produced these days. Almost like the advent if CDs I think I still prefer the vinyl with the hissing and scratches.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4742 - 05/09/2013 18:26:48    1476033

Anyone remember the Bart Simpson caps that was out in early 90s selling outside Croker that would say e.g. Bart Simpson supports Louth?

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 05/09/2013 19:11:09    1476066