All posts tagged as gaa

20 Mar

Galway vs Dublin gaelic Division 1 league

In h. Sport by admin / March 20, 2018 / 0 Comments

Galway hosted Dublin in Pearse stadium, Salthill in Galway. Galway had already qualified for the Division 1 league final, Dublin only needing 1 point from their remaining 2 games. But this was still a hard hitting, competitive match.

Galway held a 5 point lead at halftime but with the wind in the second half Dublin powered back (don’t they always?) and looked like winning the match by going 0-13 to 0-12 up deep in injury time. The Dublin team then appeared to try to close the game down, I managed to capture some photos of the ‘action’:

Galway Dublin GAA fighting

Here’s some photos from the game itself to prove that a match took place as well…..

Galway vs Dublin GAA

Galway: Ronán Ó Beoláin; David Wynne, Seán Andy Ó Cellaigh, Eoghan Kerin; Gary O’Donnell (0-02), Johnny Duane, Cathal Sweeney; Thomas Flynn, Ciarán Duggan; Peter Cooke (0-02), Paul Conroy, Shane Walsh (0-01); Adrian Varley (0-01), Seán Armstrong, Barry McHugh (0-05, 0-03 frees, 0-01 ’45).

Subs: Eamonn Brannigan for Varley (41), Damien Comer (0-01) for Walsh (46), Johnny Heaney (0-01) for Cooke (50), Seán Kelly for Armstrong (57), Declan Kyne for Ó Ceallaigh (76, black card).

Dublin: Evan Comerford; Michael Fitzsimons, Philip McMahon, David Byrne; Eric Lowndes, John Small, Jonny Cooper (0-01); Michael Darragh MacAuley, James McCarthy; Ciarán Reddin, Ciarán Kilkenny (0-05), Paddy Andrews (0-01); Colm Basquel, Dean Rock (0-02, 0-02 frees), Paddy Small (0-01, 0-01 free).

Subs: Brian Fenton for Lowndes (half time), Cormac Costello (0-02, 0-02 frees) for Rock (48, black card), Conor McHugh (0-01, 0-01 free) for Reddin (50), Emmet Ó Conghaile for MacAuley (59), Eoghan O’Gara for Paddy Small (63), Andrew McGowan for John Small (67).

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).
Slots bonus available.!!

22 Jul

Pairc Ui Chaoimh

In h. Sport,k.Buildings & Architecture by admin / July 22, 2017 / 0 Comments

Páirc Uí Chaoimh is a Gaelic games stadium in Cork, Ireland, home to Cork GAA. Pairc Ui Chaoimh stadium is located in Ballintemple and is built on the site of the original Cork Athletic Grounds. The venue opened in 1976, and underwent a significant redevelopment from 2015 to 2017. You can view images of the completed stadium on http://paircuichaoimh.ie/

I’m used to large crowds in Pairc Ui Caoimh on sunny summer Sundays seeing Cork yet win another hurling or football game (the glorious ’80s and ’90s). In 2011 I was walking with my son around the Atlantic Pond was allowed into the stadium to have a wander around. I know Pairc Ui Caoimh was opened in 1976, so you could call it an old stadium but I was still amazed at how small and dark the changing rooms were.

08 Sep

Galway Minor Hurling- All Ireland Champions

In a. Galway,d. People & Animals,h. Sport by admin / September 8, 2015 / 1 Comment

Visit to Turloughmore GAA

The Galway minor hurling team won the 2015 GAA hurling minor championship, beating Tipperary 4-13 to 1-16 in Croke Park in the final. The team arrived back in Galway with the Irish Press cup and visited some clubs around Galway county to large crowds of fans.

Manager Geoff Lynskey of Liam Mellows, captain Seán Loftus and others gave speeches to a great crowd of fans in Turloughmore GAA club. The players made time to sign autographs, hurleys, jerseys and have their photos taken with the admiring kids.

Galway Minor Hurling (12)

Galway Minor Hurling (2)

Galway Minor Hurling (3)

Galway Minor Hurling (4)

Galway Minor Hurling (5)

Galway Minor Hurling (6)

Galway Minor Hurling (7)

Galway Minor Hurling (1)

Galway Minor Hurling (9)

Galway Minor Hurling (10)

Galway Minor Hurling (11)

03 Sep

Semple Stadium, Tipperary (It’s a Long Way to Tipperary)

In h. Sport by admin / September 3, 2013 / 0 Comments

Semple Stadium, home to Tipperary GAA

The GAA is close to the heart of many Irishmen and women. Local GAA hurling and gaelic football clubs are in every village and town across Ireland are a great source of pride. Tipperary is the home of hurling and Semple Stadium is the home stadium to Tipperary GAA. Semple Stadium is where Tipperary play their (great) hurling and football. Located in Thurles, County Tipperary, it is the second largest stadium in Ireland (after Croke Park), with a capacity of 53,000. Opened in 1926, it hosted many memorable Munster Hurling Finals.

I remember being present at the 1987 Munster final with my father. We watched in anguish as Nicky English lost his hurley but managed to dribble the sliothar with his foot and kick it past the mighty Cork goalkeeper Ger Cunningham to help Tipperary earn a draw. Tipperary went on to demolish Cork in extra time of the replay and win by 3 goals. (I’m from Cork, who used to be a strong hurling team. Currently they’re in a state of transition.)

The colours of Tipperary are blue and yellow and these colours are reflected throughout Semple Stadium. Normally Semple stadium is packed with fans so people don’t get a chance to see the beauty of the empty stadium; it’s strong colours, patterns and designs of the stadium. These photographs were taken with a smartphone, proving the phrase that the best camera you have is the one you have with you. I was driving through Thurles and was lucky that the stadium was open, allowing me in.

CLICK ON IMAGE BELOW TO VIEW A LARGER, PANORAMIC VERSION

OTHER GAA STADIUMS I’VE PHOTOGRAPHED

To date I’ve photographed three empty GAA stadiums in Ireland (Galway’s Pearse stadium and Cork’s Pairc Ui Chaoimh). I hope to photograph some more over the next few years. Ironically Croke Park, the largest and most modern GAA stadium in Ireland, I found very plain and uninteresting to photography.

Click here to see my photographs of Pairc Ui Chaoimh, home to Cork GAA.
Click here to see my photographs of Pearse Stadium, home to Galway GAA.

‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary‘ is a world famous song written by Jack Judge. It was allegedly written a 5 shilling (old Irish money denomination) bet in January 1912 and performed the next night at the local music hall.

05 Sep

Wicked Game (The Art of making a hurley stick )

In h. Sport by admin / September 5, 2012 / 1 Comment

Hurling.

The quickest field game in the world.I spent a weekend in Kilkenny recently and on Sunday morning was wandering around Kilkenny Castle grounds. There was a small marque set up and a hurley (camán in Irish) maker inside showing how a hurley is made. Tom O’ Donoghue was his name, a very friendly guy who showed us the process of making a hurley- from the block of wood, the tools used to cut and finish it off. A very interesting process.

Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). Hurling has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years and is thought to be the world’s fastest field team game in terms of game play.
Hurleys are made from ash wood, the base of the tree near the root is the only part used.

Post title taken from a song “Wicked Games” by Chris Isaac, which featured in David Lynch’s dark film Wild At Heart

05 Mar

Let’s Get Ready To Rumble

In a. Galway,h. Sport by admin / March 5, 2012 / 1 Comment

The last set of photographs in my series from Pearse stadium home to Galway GAA hurling and football.
I particularly like the ‘Sales Office’ photo.

Post title Let’s Get Ready To Rumble taken from the song ‘Lets Get Ready To Rumble’ by Ant and Dec and also used in many sports, mainly boxing before big fights.

02 Mar

Maroon 5 ( Galway GAA Pearse Stadium stand )

In a. Galway,b. Abstract/Arty,g.Colourful by admin / March 2, 2012 / 4 Comments

This is the second set of photographs from my wander around Pearse Stadium, Salthill home to Galway GAA hurling and football. In this set I’m posting patterns and strong colours seen in the empty stand which wouldn’t be seen on match day.

…and an ‘abstract’ one thrown in for good measure

My first set of photographs from Pearse Stadium can be found here

Title taken from the American Pop Rock band named ‘Maroon 5’. I know I have more than 5 maroon photographs in the post but couldn’t resist adding this title

01 Mar

Play It Low Into Joe ( Pearse Stadium Galway GAA )

In a. Galway,h. Sport by admin / March 1, 2012 / 4 Comments

Last summer I wandered into Pairc Ui Caoimh, Cork GAA stadium when it was empty and took photographs of the empty stadium. So I called into Pearse Stadium, Salthill, home to Galway GAA. The stadium manager kindly allowed me to walk around taking photographs . Here’s the first set of photos, more to follow soon.

Not Men But Fír

The changing rooms were surprisingly extremely large, there was even a physio room and warm up room. Compare this to the changing rooms that Cork GAA have-

My second set of photographs from Pearse Stadium can be found here

Title taken from the song ‘Play It Low Into Joe’ by The Cash Strapped Johns

23 Nov

Oh To Be, Oh To Be, Oh To Be A Rebel

In g.Colourful,h. Sport,k.Buildings & Architecture by admin / November 23, 2011 / 2 Comments

This is my second set of photos from Páirc Ui Chaoimh, home to Cork GAA hurling and football.
These photos some an empty stadium and shows the patterns and colours on the stand and terrace, which is normally hidden/covered by fans.
The last photo isn’t staged, Conor saw the flag, ran over and started waving it.

Here’s the link to my first set of photos from ‘The Park’ (Páirc Úi Chaoimh).

You’re always so calm and so cool,
Donal Óg just knows what to do,
Mulchay, Muphy, The Rock,
Will just play each minute on the clock.

Sean Og, Ronan and John,
They will just sting you along,
They’re just sheer class on the grass,
Rebels, we watch as they pass.

Gerry O Conor will leave you for dead,
Tom Kenny, he’ll fix you then
The attack starts all over again,

McCarthy wheels at you,
And Neil Ronan he knows what to do,
All they have to do is keep hurling at you.

Oh to be, oh to be, oh to be a Rebel,
We love ye Rebels, you’re so slick and so sharp,
We love ye Rebels with every beat of our heart,
We’ll follow Rebels all the way to Croke Park.

Lyrics taken from here, thanks to cathalosull21. It’s a slightly outdated song now but is from when Cork hurling was at it’s pinnacle (in recent times).

09 Nov

Where We Sported And Played- Pairc Ui Chaoimh

In h. Sport,k.Buildings & Architecture by admin / November 9, 2011 / 2 Comments

Pairc Ui Caoimh stadium, home to Cork GAA

Pairc Ui Caoimh a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) stadium in the Ballintemple area of Cork in Ireland, where major hurling and Gaelic football matches are played and home of Cork GAA. Pairc Ui Caoimh had an original capacity of about 50,000, however, this capacity has been progressively reduced because of safety regulations to the current figure of 43,500.

I’m used to large crowds in Pairc Ui Caoimh on sunny Sundays in the summer and seeing Cork win another hurling or football game. I was walking with Conor, my son there a weekend over the summer and was allowed into the stadium to have a wander around. I know Pairc Ui Caoimh is an old stadium but I was amazed at how basic the changing rooms are (see 2nd last photo).