Here are just some of our favourite GAA memories from our childhood...
1. Sitting on your Dad’s shoulders at matches
Picture credit; Brian Lawless / SPORTSFILE
The worry was that when anything overly exciting happened there was always a risk the auld lad would forget that he's carrying you and start jumping around the place like a lunatic.
2. Getting crisps and fizzy drinks at u10 blitzs
Picture credit: WorldIrish.com
'Who won?' 'I don't know. I'm just here for the fizzy drinks.'
3. You have a large collection of players’ autographs
Picture credit: Oliver McVeigh / SPORTSFILE
Many of these autographs are of players who are long forgotten but your mother's amateur cling-film laminating job means their signature will be forever perfect in your eyes.
4. 'What I did on my summer holidays’ essay was entirely about GAA adventures
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My senior infants teacher told my mother that no matter what story I ever told in her class it always somehow managed to end with 'And Peter Reilly was crying after it (former Cavan and Knockbride captain).'
5. Crazy parents on the sideline
The players were generally fairly level-headed and mild-mannered, the parents on the other hand...
6. Being unbelievably excited every time you passed the county grounds
Picture credit: Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE
Soccer only has one 'theatre of dreams,' the GAA has 32.
7. Your entire school cramming into the one room to watch International Rules matches
It's no wonder so many of us have emigrated to Australia; sure we learned what time it is over there when we were four!
8. You looked up to the senior club players as Gods
Picture credit: Dáire Brennan / SPORTSFILE
No shortage of local heroes. Even the Junior C lads were idolised.
9. Watching matches on television involved five minutes of watching the game, before abandoning it to run outside and play your own imaginary match
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'Why would I watch Dublin against Meath on the telly when I can play it in the garden!?'
10. You survived Sundays on a diet of ham sandwiches and Club Orange.
Picture credit: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE
No time for the dinner; quick mug of tea and then straight out the door after mass.
11. When your parents drove through Dublin you’d spend the entire time looking out the window trying to spot Croke Park
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After countless times of asking, I have now finally come to accept that 'No. You cannot see Croke Park from Skerries.'
12. Going to county games wearing a full kit
Picture credit: Diarmuid Greene / SPORTSFILE
Shorts and socks were a must.
13. Going nuts when the county team arrived at your school
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Didn't matter whether it was the Sam Maguire or the Hastings Cup, when the county team arrived through the school gates it was the highlight of the year.
14. And getting random half days because of it
It's no wonder Kilkenny produce such good hurlers. Sure they spend half the day playing it when they should be in class.
15. Wearing jerseys about 16 times too big
Picture credit: Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE
Playing underage football must have been a hellish experience for Paul 'I love tight-tops' Galvin.
16. Slyly playing lads who were overage in sevens tournaments
The blitzs were always a day where you could play fast and loose with the age rules.
17. Being ready to go to training four hours before you needed to be
Picture credit: Daire Brennan / SPORTSFILE
Underage training would consist of excitedly running around the place at home for four hours and then not being able to fart come the time training actually started.
18. Forging friendships that have lasted a life-time
From childhood...
Picture credit: Ray Ryan / SPORTSFILE
Picture credit: Daire Brennan / SPORTSFILE
To old age...
