Lot of crap on here in the last couple of days to be fair.

The North v South thing, big counties v little counties, County X is the ruination of our game etc is all getting a bit much this week.

For those who love our games, just want to find out when did Gaelic games first hook you and make you fall in love?

For me it was not at a game, it was my parents driving us into Tralee after the full time whistle went in the 1997 All Ireland final.

I'll never forget the scenes driving down Cashel St, the dancing, singing, music, tears and shouts of pure joy. I finally understood what the GAA meant to Kerry. I've adored it ever since.

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 09/03/2016 21:49:27    1833101

That first moment for me was probably the Connacht final in 1996, when an unfancied Mayo beat Galway in McHale Park, with John Casey rasping home a fine goal in the first half. My family lived abroad then and we were back on summer holidays in Ireland, so it really was my first exposure to gaelic games as a kid.

This was topped off by being in Croke Park for the semi-final win over Kerry (didn't really appreciate the novelty of it back then!) and watching the drawn final in a pub in London with my father. There was a bit of craic there as the owner and his wife came from Meath and Mayo respectively. Thankfully didn't get to see the replay schemozzle, and this being the pre-internet era, the result was relayed by means of a phone-call. Disappointment aside, I was hooked and started practising my soloing, point-shooting in earnest out the back garden, out on the street, anywhere I could find. I'd often puzzle my peers by wearing my white Genfitt jersey to soccer training, and eagerly tuned in to Clash, the old Sky Sports highlights programme, of a weekend.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 10/03/2016 09:52:29    1833131

My Father took me to a game early seventies v Offaly , I got an orange and apple going in , I for some reason was lifted over the turnstile , I was hooked , my primary school wore the exact same colours as that 70sDublin team , I played for the school I was hooked ,
I had a second coming , interest had waned a little girls drink etc , then along came Meath and have been a disciple ever since.

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 10/03/2016 10:38:30    1833161

Mayo v Galway in the Connacht final was my first introduction to gaelic games (I was 8 years old and my family lived abroad at the time). We were back in Ireland on summer holidays and John Casey stuck a rasper of a goal in the Tribesmen's net, and I was hooked. Went to the semi-final win in Croker over Kerry (didn't realise how rare it was back then!) and watched the drawn final in a pub in London with my father (which was good craic, given that the owner and his wife were from Meath and Mayo respectively).

Living in the pre-Internet era, we got the bad news of the replay result over the phone. Nonetheless, I knew that gaelic football was for me, and started practicing my soloing and shooting in earnest, and often puzzled my soccer team-mates by turning up to training in a white Genfitt jersey. Once we got back to Ireland the first thing I found out was when gaelic football training was on.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 10/03/2016 10:47:38    1833170

Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8iZO2BmUxA

Was sitting on the pitchside concrete benches pretty much in line with the shooting angle! Some score!

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12378 - 10/03/2016 10:49:23    1833172

My Mam and Dad brought me and my younger brother to the '85 All Ire final between Dublin and Kerry.I was just 8 years old and bro was 6.Over the turnstiles and sat on me Da's knee.
I remember the speed and movementof the Kerry forwards intrigued me ; especially the slick hand-passing.Nice silky jerseys with square numbers on the back ; at least that's what i remember.We were in the Upper Hogan,close to the Hill,and the colour and noise of the Hill whenever Dublin scored was fascinating.Game,set and match - hooked for life!

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 10/03/2016 11:24:56    1833198

Dublin V Galway 1974, like crack cocaine, instantly hooked :)

KerryKillers (Dublin) - Posts: 711 - 10/03/2016 12:41:09    1833235

22nd of September 1957. The smallest county in Ireland beat the biggest county on a scoreline of 1-09 to 1-07. Louth won Sam for the first and only time and were All Ireland Champions for the first time in forty five years.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 10/03/2016 12:56:21    1833244

As a child I remember Meath winning All-Irelands in 87 and 88,loved the excitement and have literally followed Meath since then

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 10/03/2016 12:58:05    1833246

watching the Kerry Golden Years games. I grew up when Kerry were rubbish so it was always good to pop on the tape so see the legends play.

woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 10/03/2016 12:58:11    1833247

KerryKillers ; aghh good old cocaine,i've paid through the nose for that stuff over the years (:

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 10/03/2016 13:05:54    1833251

It was in the 70s after losing yet another Connacht championship game and my Dad telling me 'Never gonna watch them ******* playing again'!!! I loved going anywhere with my Dad but going to games was even better. The banter and the craic and hearing adults swearing saying things that I couldn't understand at that age but it sounded pure mad. A different world, once you've been you'll always wanna go back.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8042 - 10/03/2016 13:21:43    1833255

5th feb 2006.

Battle of Omagh..

Nothing like a good ould fashioned bust up to get ya hooked wha!!!!

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13654 - 10/03/2016 13:28:09    1833259

It was in early August 1990 when I told my Dad that Cork could win the double and he laughed and said, if they did he would give me 10 punts. For 2 months I was engrossed in it all and the old fella was never so happy to give away money. After that, I've followed it all intensely ever since and enjoyed it all.

BaldyBadger (Cork) - Posts: 313 - 10/03/2016 13:28:39    1833260

Seamus Darby v Kerry in 1982.

In Limerick back then, the Kerry 78-81 teans were gods. Jimmy Deenihan had visited the local schools with Sam & we had our pics taken in it. I remember in the build up to the final (first final I can properly remember) nobody around where I lived, not a soul, thought Offaly could do it.

Then they did and the sight of him doing that dance, Micheal O'Hehir's commentary and the heroics of stopping the five in a row - hooked!

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 10/03/2016 14:05:14    1833282

My first game was the 1977 semi final v Kerry, went with my two cousins, we paid 30p I think, to get into the hill. Met Brian mullins outside and was talking to him purely because my cousin was a pupil of his in the community school in kilbarrack, I didn't know at the time how big a star he was but when we met him at the back of the hill that day on his way into the match he had his gear bag slung over his shoulder and his arm arm around his girlfriend Helen who he later married, no meeting up and getting a garda escort to croker in those days !

DUBJOHN (Dublin) - Posts: 941 - 10/03/2016 14:07:34    1833284

My first game was the 1977 semi final v Kerry, went with my two cousins, we paid 30p I think, to get into the hill. Met Brian mullins outside and was talking to him purely because my cousin was a pupil of his in the community school in kilbarrack, I didn't know at the time how big a star he was but when we met him at the back of the hill that day on his way into the match he had his gear bag slung over his shoulder and his arm arm around his girlfriend Helen who he later married, no meeting up and getting a garda escort to croker in those days ! What a game it turned out to be the atmosphere was electric and what a comeback by the Dubs that day! I was HOOKED!

DUBJOHN (Dublin) - Posts: 941 - 10/03/2016 14:09:32    1833285

Cue

A substance not to be sneezed at! :)

KerryKillers (Dublin) - Posts: 711 - 10/03/2016 18:24:21    1833417

Cue

A substance not to be sneezed at! :)

KerryKillers (Dublin) - Posts: 711 - 10/03/2016 18:26:00    1833418

KK,Its never a sollution ; only when you dissolveit in water.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 10/03/2016 18:55:11    1833430