Cavan GAA followers urged to share colourful stories of Gaelic games

New book to be a 'treasure trove' of GAA anecdotes

GAA followers in Cavan are being encouraged to share stories and anecdotes related to Gaelic games as a major drive gets underway to source and publish for the first time stories from the grassroots of the GAA.

The collaboration between the Association and publishers, Ballpoint Press, aims to gather the most comprehensive treasure trove of Gaelic-related stories ever compiled in the 136-year history of the GAA.

As well as the four corners of Ireland, stories will also be sought from across the globe, in particular from those who have been GAA frontier people in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and many other countries.

The story gathering will include oral accounts so that all kind of stories can be written down for the first time in book form and also feature in the GAA’s archives at Croke Park.

Well-known journalist and author, PJ Cunningham, will spearhead the undertaking alongside GAA Communications Director, Alan Milton.

Mr Cunningham said it had been an ambition of his for many years to bring what he believes is the “great legacy of GAA stories” together under one roof.

“GAA is a way of life for most Irish people at home and abroad. It is packed with diverse stories from on and off the pitch. I grew up listening to them and enjoying their re-telling but the reality is that many of these stories exist only in word of mouth form.

“At present we all have a bit more time to commit such stories to paper so that they can be preserved for future generations.

“We are looking for ordinary stories from the grassroots with twists and turns rather than plain historical accounts about clubs themselves or ancestors who just won medals or became famous. This is not a collection of how clubs were founded or run but about the people in them. Each club has written its own history - this collection is seeking the yarns and the exploits of its members on and off the field from times past right up to the present,” Cunningham explained.

The author expects Cavan to be a particularly rich source of content for the publication.

“We all know that Cavan’s storied GAA history is second to none. As the first county in Ulster to win a senior All-Ireland and the only county to win an All-Ireland final played outside of Ireland, there is a rich seam of stories there in Cavan.

“Already I have had people getting in touch to tell us about the old club in Blacklion many years ago and how they used to field some players who might not have been strictly eligible and were known as the ‘team of many accents’.

“Iconic names such as Phil ‘The Gunner’ Brady, Willie Doonan and Charlie Gallagher to name but a few immediately come to mind when we think of Cavan GAA and I’m sure there are many stories out there about those two great men and so many others so I would encourage GAA followers to get in touch.”

Potential contributors who feel they have a story but may not feel up to writing it can get in touch with Ballpoint Press and relate their account. It will then be written and sent back for approval before being submitted for final publishing.

This project and the resulting publication will complement the work undertaken by the GAA’s Oral History Project, which was commissioned in 2009 as part of the Association’s 125 celebrations.

The President of the GAA, John Horan, said he welcomed the exploration through the GAA grassroots to find the diversity of stories that undoubtedly exist there.

“The grassroots is the lifeblood of our organisation and it is timely that that such an undertaking is finally going ahead. I’m delighted because it means that there will be a permanent home for these stories in both book form as well in our own GAA archive section.”

The publishers are seeking, most of all, humorous and quirky stories which bring to life the many characters who have been involved in the games down through the decades.

“Apart from the games of hurling and football themselves, I suppose the biggest currency in the GAA are its characters and the stories that keep exchanges in the trenches so interesting,” said Cunningham.

“It is never just the winning and the losing - it is often the twists and turns around events that live forever in the memory.

“All human life emerges through the feuds and friendships, the fun and frolics, the humour, the passion and as often as not all of which is topped off with a sprinkling of roguery or subterfuge.

“The GAA grassroots is indeed a big parish, sweeping across the country and overseas wherever our diaspora reside. It also spreads all the way back to the foundation date of 1884 and right up to the current state of play (non-play) in the Covid-19 lockdown and tentative re-opening.

“From British rule, through the Civil War, 'The Emergency', the era of The Ban and Vigilante committees set up to uncover GAA members attending or playing 'foreign games', the script is one of intrigue, cunning, wit with seldom less than a full-on emotional backtrack.

“There are stories of all shapes and sizes - of disappearing footballs, of 'partisan' acts by referees, of bangers (players playing under false names), of huge coincidences, of dramatic occasions (such as splits in clubs where brother opposed brother), of inadvertent sponsorship (knicks made out of 4-stone flour bags where the Odlums Flour and Owl Logo emerges during a downpour) and how occasions of being 'stitched up' with flag making on a big day caused red faces.”

For further information on how to get in touch see details on pj@gaastories.ie or communications@gaa.ie marked ‘GAA Stories’.

PJ Cunningham can be contacted on 086-8217631.