As we turn the calendar and arrive on the last month of the year, it is time for us here at Balls to return that time-honoured tradition of celebrating the best Irish sporting beards of 2015. And what a year it has been --- I would daresay it was the most competitive year for Irish sporting beards since the Bomber Liston was in his pomp.
Over the next two weeks here at Balls, we'll be holding a public vote on the best beards of the sporting year. Just like last year, we've broken the beards down by sport and will hold daily votes until we get to the final and can crown the Beard of the Year for 2015.
Today we are opening the voting in the first half of the GAA beard bracket. It's arguably the deepest beard group we've got. The GAA has blessed us with many beautiful beards this year. Tell us which ones you liked best.
GAA Beards
Goalkeepers beards: Aidan Devaney vs Paul Durcan
Two gaelic football goalkeepers, and two of the best beards in Irish sport this year. If they played different sports, they'd likely meet in the final. Durcan responded to his gaffe in the 2014 All-Ireland final by returning to gaelic football with a distinctly Keane-esque beard with grey flecks. Sligo's Aidan Devaney meanwhile may sport the greatest ginger beard of all time. It is voluminous enough to store an entire family of magpies.
Brotherly beards: Aidan O'Shea vs Seamus O'Shea
GAA newcomers: Aidan Buckley vs David Gough
These are two new characters to join the GAA beard scene. Tipp minor Aidan Buckley was one of the viral GAA stars of the summer with his long-flowing, Amish style beard. It was the kind of beard a man might spend 20 years cultivating but Buckley is barely old enough to hold a driver's license. It was an incredible effort and the shaving of it would raise €2,000 in charity back in October. Referee David Gough, meanwhile, made headlines this year by being banned from wearing a rainbow bracelet ahead of the equality referendum. On the beard front, Gough excelled with a tightly-trimmed number. He is the only GAA ref to ever attempt facial hair as far as we can remember.
