Analysis: in 1920, Tipperary's footballers were as heralded and successful as the county's hurlers, but it all changed afterwards
1920 was quite a year in Ireland. The War of Independence was ongoing throughout the country, Cork was devastated by a series of fires that swept through the centre of the city and the Government of Ireland Act was agreed. The GAA's playing fields staged their own dramatic episodes, with the Tipperary football team at the centre of it. As the team claimed the All-Ireland title of 1920, the county's footballers reached heights they have not been reached since.
Tipperary has been considered a stronghold since the first years of the GAA. The association itself was established in Thurles in 1884 and there is evidence of centuries of Gaelic games in the county and matches were more widespread in Tipperary than any other part of the country. Tipperary were the first team to do the double of senior All-Ireland titles in capturing both the hurling and football titles of 1895 at the first All-Ireland finals held in Croke Park.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland, Elaine Keogh looks at the events of the morning of Bloody Sunday 1920
As well as being a GAA fortress, Tipperary was also renowned as a rebel county in the War of Independence, mainly because of the large number of IRA activists that the county produced. 1920 was a particularly bloody year in Tipperary, with 52 people killed, 29 of which were police or military Crown Forces. When Tipperary took on the Clare footballers in Clonmel in August, 30 soldiers with bayonets entered the field and caused spectators to scatter away from the grounds with some being knocked down. There were no injuries reported and the cause of the sudden charge is unknown.
Regrettably, the Tipperary footballers would experience another match in 1920 which was interrupted by military personnel. This time, there were many injuries and fatalities. Crown Forces opened fire during a challenge match between Tipperary and Dublin in Croke Park and 14 people lost their lives. One of the victims was Tipperary footballer Michael Hogan, who died after sustaining a gunshot as he crawled to safety towards the corner of the grounds. Hogan was buried in his teammate Jack Kickham's Tipperary jersey and his coffin rested on the shoulders of his fellow footballers as he was laid to rest in his home village of Grangemockler.
The Sunday after Bloody Sunday was deemed to be a 'blank day' in Hogan's memory by the South Tipperary County Board, with all fixtures postponed. Due to the turbulence of the War of Independence and subsequent Civil War, it would be some time before the Tipperary footballers would play together in a championship match. The 1920 and 1921 All-Ireland football finals were not played until 1922 and 1923 respectively and normality was only restored to the schedule in 1926
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From RTÉ Archives, former Tipperary footballer Bill Ryan recalls the events that took place of Bloody Sunday 1920 for an episode of Talk Of Times Past in 1986
In the 1920 championship, Tipperary beat Waterford and Kerry, followed by a victory over Mayo in the semi-final. This was 19 months after Dublin had qualified in the other semi-final and so the 1920 All-Ireland final in June 1922 saw a repeat of the Bloody Sunday fixture with Dublin facing Tipperary.
With Dublin as firm favourites, the Tipperary team made rigorous preparations and trained in Mullinahone, staying in houses nearby for the fortnight before the final. Every day, there was a regimen of football, running and sprints. The Freeman’s Journal described the All-Ireland final of 1920 as ‘one of the best and most exciting’ in then 33 year history of the GAA.
Tipperary beat Dublin by 1-6 to 1-2, with Ned O’Shea singled out as an outstanding player. After this ‘glorious victory’, the Tipperary footballers paid tribute to their teammate Michael Hogan by gathering at the spot on the field where he was shot as the CJ Kickham Band played a musical tribute.
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From British Pathé, Tipperary win the 1920 All Ireland football championship
But the highs of Tipperary’s victory in the 1920 football championship would not be seen again. In fact, Tipperary have not made an appearance in a senior All-Ireland final since. However, many a minor and junior All-Ireland title has made its way to the Premier county over the years. 2016 saw a massive surge in Tipperary football with their seniors reaching the All-Ireland semi-finals for the first time since 1935. In a repeat of the semi-final of the 1920 championship, Tipperary took on Mayo, but the result would not be replicated as the men from the West advanced to the final.
The romantic notion of a replay of the 1920 All-Ireland final between Dublin and Tipperary in this already remarkable season 100 years on from the Premier's last senior victory is still alive as the footballers remain in the race for Sam Maguire. As Tipperary play Cork in the Munster final this weekend 100 years after Bloody Sunday, wearing the green and white of the footballers who played in that infamous match, the memory of a century ago will no doubt linger.
After enduring the distress of Bloody Sunday and seeing their teammate perish on the field of play, it is remarkable that Tipperary team would rise to the pinnacle of Gaelic football shortly afterwards. It is because of that fateful day in Croke Park in November 1920 and a gallant All-Ireland victory while the memory of Michael Hogan was clear in their minds, that the footballers of Tipperary will be forever embedded in GAA history.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
