I've never previously been over to Ireland to watch any gaelic football (im from London so have only watched the London team play), but am planning to take a trip over during the all-ireland this year to watch a few games. I have a couple of questions regarding tickets though; at what point in the competition do tickets become very difficult to get hold of? I mean, if I was in Dublin when the quarter finals were on at croke park, would it be possible to get a ticket for them? Similarly, is it difficult to get tickets for the regional finals (eg the Munster final)?

Finally, im guessing these tickets would need to be purchased in advance, so what website do most people use to get hold of them?

Any help is much appreciated.

willamangiro (UK) - Posts: 10 - 09/02/2010 11:53:59    556066

Ah willamangiro, you are in the same situation I was in a few years ago! Your best bet would be via Ticketmaster Ireland. They email you the tickets, so you get them within a couple of minutes of purchasing. Basically, tickets for any games involving Dublin tend to be harder to get hold of, but if you are quick off the mark when the tickets become available, then you'll get one. Quarter-Finals (for the Football) weekend is always a good bet, as all four games are normally at Croke Park on the same weekend. And you get to see a number of teams play.
Provincial finals depends on which final you attend. For instance, Ulster Football, Munster Hurling and Connacht Football are probably difficult to get tickets. Munster Football may be a tad easier. Leinster and Ulster Hurling are probably the easiest to get tickets for. Leinster Football will depend if Dublin are in the Final.
All-Ireland semis are normally fairly easy to get tickets for, again any game involving Dublin being the exception. All-Ireland Finals are incredibly difficult to get tickets.

Tongo (UK) - Posts: 1795 - 09/02/2010 12:20:54    556115

Buying them online you should try tickets.gaa.ie i dont know if ticketmaster sell them but its worth a look. The bigger the event, the harder it is to get tickets.
but a factor also is who is playing, some teams wouldnt have alot of supporters coming up to croker if they think that they will win and would prefer to wait for a bigger game. I dont want to name counties as that will only start a riot.
From the quarters finals onwards tickets become scarce as more people take an interest in their county. But for normal matches before the quarter finals there are tickets normally sold near Croker, across the road from Quinns pub i think.
Unless you know people over here who can get them through their club or county board. Wear warm clothes its always cold in Croker. Cusack stand and Hogan stand (i think are the best seating areas) with the Cusack getting the sunlight more (to warm you up in the afternoon!) Unless you want Hill 16, but depending on the match you may prefer to be seated and the hill dont do seating!
Im sure you will have no problems getting tickets though early on, dont be looking for them in September!

rossielassie (Roscommon) - Posts: 672 - 09/02/2010 12:32:58    556147

Tongo
County: UK
Posts: 254

556115 Ah willamangiro, you are in the same situation I was in a few years ago! Your best bet would be via Ticketmaster Ireland. They email you the tickets, so you get them within a couple of minutes of purchasing. Basically, tickets for any games involving Dublin tend to be harder to get hold of, but if you are quick off the mark when the tickets become available, then you'll get one. Quarter-Finals (for the Football) weekend is always a good bet, as all four games are normally at Croke Park on the same weekend. And you get to see a number of teams play.
Provincial finals depends on which final you attend. For instance, Ulster Football, Munster Hurling and Connacht Football are probably difficult to get tickets. Munster Football may be a tad easier. Leinster and Ulster Hurling are probably the easiest to get tickets for. Leinster Football will depend if Dublin are in the Final.
All-Ireland semis are normally fairly easy to get tickets for, again any game involving Dublin being the exception. All-Ireland Finals are incredibly difficult to get tickets.

Connaught finals are never played in Croker, us poor souls in the west dont have the pleasure until the quarter finals of the All Ireland.

rossielassie (Roscommon) - Posts: 672 - 09/02/2010 12:35:31    556151

Indeed rossielassie, but willamangiro did enquire about provincial finals as well as going to Croker, so i thought i'd give the full lowdown on tickets for all provincial finals, not just games played at Croker.

Tongo (UK) - Posts: 1795 - 09/02/2010 12:45:33    556166

rossielassie, i don't think anyone intimated that it is? Neither is the munster or Ulster football or hurling?

William, i am in the same position as you, i get over 5-6 times a year depending on how Tipp get on in the championship. I mainly go over for the Tipp games only (and the AI Final) so that may be different for you but (Other than the AI Final) i always get tickets on ticketmaster.ie a few weeks beforehand. I have never had any trouble with any match before the final. As many have said that will all go out the window if you want to get to pretty much any Dub Football match.

For the final there is always talk of no tickets, i have never got my hands on any before the day but come the day of the final there is always loads for sale at face value (and less!!) outside Croker. The only issue would be trying to get multiple seats together.

Another good tip is to open yourself a halifax bog standard current account and throw a few quid in it to buy flights. I always find Ryanair the cheapest and paying with a Halifax Visa electron card will save you the £10 or £15 surcharge.

Finally irishcarrentals.com are the cheapest car hire i have found for a day and there is always a good rate at the Travelodge at Dublin Airport. (Infuriatingly you cannot get to Birmingham after about 6 oclock on a Sunday so i normally come back up the country and stay there the night and get the red eye back at 6 the next morning)

Let me know if you need more info, you can organise yourself fairly well and i have found the last few years that the hassle and cost is more than worth it when you get to a good game.

EamonCorcoran (Tipperary) - Posts: 167 - 09/02/2010 13:46:13    556178

Indeed Rossielassie, but willamangiro did enquire about provincial finals as well as attending Croker, so i thought i'd provide the full lowdown, be it for those Finals held at Croker and those Finals held elsewhere.

And of course it doesn't matter where the Connacht Final is held cos Roscommon haven't made it that far for years!!! ;-)

(cue much stick from the Roscommon fans!)

Tongo (UK) - Posts: 1795 - 09/02/2010 13:51:13    556186

Thanks a lot with your help there, thats some really useful information. So from what I can gather, as long as its not a final or a dublin game, getting tickets online shouldnt be a problem. Annoyingly i am a Dublin fan (its where my family are all from), but im happy to watch any teams play when im over there; so if I cant get a Dublin ticket its not the end of the world.

willamangiro (UK) - Posts: 10 - 09/02/2010 13:55:11    556192

and London has?
Pot Kettle Black comes to mind!

rossielassie (Roscommon) - Posts: 672 - 09/02/2010 14:09:59    556215

I think Munster and Leinster finals would be alot more difficult to get tickets for than Connaught and Ulster.
Bigger provinces, bigger counties, higher numbers of fans.

rossielassie (Roscommon) - Posts: 672 - 09/02/2010 14:43:00    556269

Il correct myself before someone else does. I know Ulster does have a bigger provience than Munster. And that Connaught is the smallest, then Munster, then Ulster and then Leinster. But im talking about big counties and their followings.

rossielassie (Roscommon) - Posts: 672 - 09/02/2010 15:21:09    556327

I'd have thought Leinster Hurling final would be a doddle to get tickets for, hasn't sold out for years. And from what i've seen on the box, there seems to be a fair few empty seats at the Munster Football Final.

Willamangiro: if you are on the ball, you'll be able to get tickets to a Dublin game, but you would need to be on Ticketmaster the day after the draw is made / tickets become available, particularly in the latter stages of the Champo.

Tongo (UK) - Posts: 1795 - 09/02/2010 16:04:20    556409