It’s now a global organisation but even in far flung places like Hong Kong, New Zealand or Ballinasloe there are some things every GAA person can identify with
Whether it’s the guy that minds the pitch or the glamour associated with Junior B football, everybody has their own GAA tales and we’ve tried to track down the things you will only find in our national games.
1. This pass. Everything about it. The fact they printed it on a ticket.
The best pass of the lot at MacHale Park today? @MayoGAA @WesternPeople pic.twitter.com/SDOV8tdnct
— Anthony Hennigan (@Ant2686) October 19, 2014
2. ‘I paid €80 for a ticket and I’m getting on that feckin’ pitch no matter what’
3. The GAA don’t care who you are, if you pay at the gate you’re entitled to watch the match
Here’s that pic taken @Newmarket in 2004 of cow keeping goalie Rachel Lynch company. @PPAI_IRL #capturinghistory pic.twitter.com/b6myMbxisK
— John Kelly (@jkphoto68) March 30, 2015
4. That special coat of armour for the Munster Hurling Championship
5. Local newspapers getting a bit carried away with things
@JOEdotie the Drogheda echo! pic.twitter.com/jl9IYYKctJ — B Kelly (@bkelly_b) November 27, 2014
6. If you buy a match programme you should expect some changes
Word of warning, bring a pen today. Major changes for the team lists. pic.twitter.com/LoWgx91BSK
— Fermanagh GAA (@FermanaghGAA) January 4, 2015
7. Anyone can ref a game…and we mean anyone
8. All-Ireland finals mean that songwriters across the land tune up their six-strings
9. Kerry players will do ANYTHING to win
10. Because no matter what is happening, anywhere in the world, there’ll always be a lad in his county colours
11. Local radio commentators can lose the rag
12. Not even a broken leg can prevent you celebrating a county final win with your team
@KilmurryGAA celebrate with keeper Jason McDonnell hu broke his tibia after win @MuskerryGAA Jnr football @JOEdotie pic.twitter.com/kDJVrqkIND — Stewart (@BoxClinicCork) September 14, 2014
13. Getting the local lad that has a few euro in the back pocket to sponsor the jerseys
14. It’s the only sport that is the subject of late night booty texts
15. It’s summer, so that means matches called off because of silage. Priorities lads
16. There has been some terrible endorsements. Really terrible
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kADKHIaGoU8
17. And some awkward as hell photoshoots
18. But we still get excited by Irishmen wearing GAA jerseys at world sporting events
https://twitter.com/PedroQ1888/status/562076453677039616
@sportsdes pic.twitter.com/GXUspVhl — Don (@BallinaDon) April 6, 2012
19. ‘Effin’ Eddie Moroney. That is all
20. With modern technology there isn’t even a need to be on the pitch to be a referee
Local man ref’d u12 game from his car on the hill in kilbeacanty,blew the horn for foul and indicator for direction #bestever #refstories — James Skehill (@Jskehill01) June 5, 2013
21. No international sporting event is safe from #MayoForSam
Brilliant! Someone wrote ‘Mayo for Sam’ on today’s Tour de France! #gaa pic.twitter.com/skgcqIqyzm
— Donnchadh Boyle (@depboyle) July 18, 2013
22. Sure you can keep using your phone in the middle of a game
23. It’s nothing but a life of glamour behind the scenes
Anytime @joeywadding and our physio get together you can expect nudity and Joey looking like an aroused lizard pic.twitter.com/iEGyiNbHP4 — Aindreas Doyle (@aindreasdoyle) May 25, 2013
24. The fundraising draw is the lifeblood of any club and the GAA know exactly what the people want
25. If there’s grass on the pitch we can play. Even if there isn’t, we’re still playing
@JOEdotie Spring football in Kerry #IdealConditions pic.twitter.com/DsnsHw34Jk — Denis McAuliffe (@DenisMcAuliffe2) April 14, 2013
26. Somebody, somewhere has this chair in their living room
GAA lover's crying chair? @broadsheet_ie From @Busybees_ie Furniture upcycling pic.twitter.com/f4wmSYJSK1
— Dreamer (@eimearsmack) August 20, 2014
27. Groundsmen. A unique breed. Usually stone mad. Like this lad in Offaly who uses his car to pick up the flags after games
28. In the GAA we adapt, we improvise, we overcome. Especially on scoreboards
29. Don’t mind your ‘oul technology, sure haven’t we a lad here that better than any computer?
@CLGLaois @Express_Sport @JOEdotie Hawk Eye Shanahoe GAA Style. Tony Kennedy pic.twitter.com/SggRVpdZ4q — John Clooney (@jclooney99) August 7, 2013
30. VIP seating, Enniscrone GAA style
31. Even in death the GAA is still a part of your life
This brings a ‘die-hard’ Kildare fan to a different level pic.twitter.com/798MSs5YKH — David Murphy (@GdaDavid) May 21, 2014
32. The GAA has a place for everyone. That place is called Junior B
Hardy full back comes off with 10mins to go in Kildare Junior B Championship and lights up a fag @RorysStoriespic.twitter.com/1BGvNiX0z5 — Tom Kinsella (@TomKinsella1) July 21, 2014
33. Sure you don’t even have to take off your jeans to play a game
What on earth is going on in the Armagh SFC tonight, Dromintee fielding a team v Crossmaglen with 3 men in jeans pic.twitter.com/HXg9wAjzFU — Rostrevor GAA (@RostrevorGAA) September 19, 2014
34. A GAA manager looks out for his players
35. You better get to the game early to get the best seats
'A Truck!' There are seats you'd want for @TipperaryGAA football final between Cahir & @Loughmore_Gaa @LiveGAAResults pic.twitter.com/TzMTggp4UY
— Inpho Photography (@Inphosports) December 21, 2014
36. You need to lay down a marker early. Before the game is preferable
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhNIB4SsdsQ
37. Your wedding invites are classier than an outside of the left from Ciaran McDonald
Let’s hope it isn’t the only ‘big game’ I’ll be going to that weekend @MayoGAA @JOEdotie #WeddingInvite #MaigheoAbú pic.twitter.com/XP3DG3BUQX — Ciara Galvin (@CiaraSmuck) August 8, 2014
38. Probably the greatest GAA tweet of all time
If anyone happened to bring a spare microphone to Aughrim, can you drop it over to Pat.
— Official Wicklow GAA (@wicklowgaa) October 27, 2013
39. Most of all, it’s fun for all the family
