This photographic and stories project from Brendan Ó Sé tells the story of the 2018 All-Ireland Hurling Championship - a championship capturing the imagination of the country in its new format. The stories of the fans are showcased in a visual form and also supported with anecdotes elicited of who these spectators are. It explores how going to these matches, be it with their families or friends, is what makes the GAA so special, so unique and so Irish.
Offaly supporters and both in Offaly’s development squad, Martin Lawlor and Tom Errity hoping to make the grade in senior in a few years time and bring the glory days back to Offaly hurling.
Denis told me the first GAA match he ever went to was the football final of 1982 between a Kerry side gunning for a record five-in-a-row and an Offaly side hoping to avoid back-to-back final losses. “As first matches go,” I said, “there cannot be betters ones than that.” “100%,” he said. “It was magic!” When defeat looked certain for Offaly, up popped Seamus Darby to break Kerry hearts. “I’ve lived off that moment my whole life,” he said. “And we beat ye in 2000,” he said, reminding me of 2000 when Offaly beat another reigning champion: the Cork team of 1999.
I felt the hurt in the faces of these two characters. Having been on the wrong side of many matches with Kilkenny I knew how they felt. When I asked their names, Gerry - who told me he is known as Dublin Gerry - told me to Google him. I did, he is a famous Dublin fan. Himself and his buddy Peter Mulligan were two gents. Just a pity to have met them when the Dubs lost.
Edge of the seat stuff.
Brothers, Paddy and Donal Brassil meet up. Paddy lives up in Carlingford and Donal in Cork. Paddy told me of his favourite goal. One scored back in the 50s. Donal, the younger brother, listened patiently as Paddy spoke. Then with a glint in his eye and a broad grin he said: “I don’t have one favourite goal. I’ve three!”
Denis Joseph McClean is getting on in years but that does not hold him back. Neither does living in Birmingham. Amazingly Denis flies in for every Cork match. “I never miss them. Not once since 1966.”
“Oh, they try, believe me they try, but I keep them in line.” Gerry Costello, the bus driver for the Clare hurlers, a Limerick man, told me the lads try to wind him up about being from Limerick but he gives as good as he gets. “Ah, they’re good lads, really, he said. They’re never any bother." Gerry, a carpenter by trade, has been driving the bus for the Clare hurlers for 6 years. The highlight? “Ah, sure it has to be 2013.” I heard a lot about 2013 yesterday.
3 generations of the Darcy family of Tipp supporters - Meta, Helena and baby Emily.
Cork fan’s hands on the team’s colours.
Speaking to Michal Koziol, I asked him what it was about hurling that attracted him. "I started to go to the games with the lads and I love it all. The game is so exciting, so fast." What about the craic before it, I asked, would you get that in Poland? "No,” he said, “not at football matches, maybe volleyball. Ireland is special. It is brilliant with all the fans together."
Some people dream of wearing the blood and bandage of Cork when they are kids. For Limerick man Kevin McMahon it was "a bit of a nightmare." Kevin was down in Cork for his stag and his buddies, Trevor McInerney and Dylan Rees thought "it would be good craic to dress him up in a Cork jersey and a camogie skirt for the match; to show off his fine legs." Kevin was getting married to "a Limerick lass" on 5 July. "I hope you’ll be wearing this then,” I said. "Will ya eff off! he said. "Show's what's under the dress,” I asked. Coyly, Kevin lifted his skirt to show a lovely pair of frillies.
The Smith family from Tipperary who lost their son Eric, but remember him and his love of Tipp and hurling with this flag that they bring to all the games.
Tipperary fans, Margot McGrath Emily and Sid Ryan, who take following their county seriously. “He’s not my husband! My husband is at home. Sid is my match day partner.” It takes Sid two minutes to get ready. “It takes Margot a little bit longer,” said Sid.
Nickey Cash and Mick Roche, two men married to two sisters, having a picnic before the game. Nickey told me a great story. In 1957, as a one-year-old boy, his parents brought him to Croke Park to see Wexford play Tipperary. Although Tipp won, I'm told not all Tipp fans were happy. There was one man who left covered in my vomit. I had thrown up all over him.”
DJ Carey signing autographs at Kilkenny V Wexford.
'Pencil' and Olive Doyle going together to Waterford matches for years. Usually take a camper van and make a weekend of it.
Cyril and Justine Kelly, a Canadian, bringing their 10-week baby boy, Beau, to his first Munster Hurling Championship match. “It’s important for him to know about his Irish heritage. His culture. His traditions.” “But he won’t remember it.” “We will tell him of it.”
“Yerrah, we’ve tried our best to make him a Waterford supporter, but he loves Cork too much. We’re living in Midleton and his favourite player is Conor Lehane.” Laura and Myles Tobin with their son Shay on the way to the game in Sunday.
Waterford fan, Shane Browne, has been following Waterford for 26 years. With the seniors out, Shane will now follow the county’s minors as they progress in the championship.
Thurles town square was dressed in the red and white of Cork and the blue and saffron of Clare. Walking past Lar Corbett's bar I came across a group of young fans from both sides standing opposite each other belting out their chants. Then suddenly a flare was lit and the both sets of fans jumped into each other's arms and a version of 'The Fields of Athenry' broke out.
Beautiful moment between Cork captain, Seamus Harnedy and his mother on the pitch in Semple Stadium after Cork’s win over Clare in the Munster Final.
Father and son both fascinated watching the Galway hurlers warming up. Great to see little kids coming to the matches with their hurleys and sliotars.
Vincent Kelleher, a Kerryman, has been bringing his chip van to Thurles to feed the fans on their way to the games for years. “Oh, it has to be hurling. It’s a much more exciting game than football...All the fans are great. I suppose Cork would bring the biggest numbers.”
“Following Wexford will bring more days of disappointment than the opposite, but still we have great days out.” Brendan Connick was a great sport to stand for a portrait in the Idle Hour pub doorway, which was painted in Wexford colours. Brendan was there with his daughter Silvia.
Clare fan decked out in county colours.
“The first match I went to was a great one. I saw Joe Connolly lift the cup for Galway in 1980.” Steve McKieran told me. “We’re bringing little Allie to her first match today.” “She’ll bring ye luck,” I said. “We don’t need luck!”
Met these two gas lads on O’Connell Street yesterday. Cathal Lowry from Galway and Joe Costello from Clare. The two lads live together in Limerick and have been giving each other hell leading up to yesterday’s match. Heading into Hill 16, “where the real craic is.”
These two neighbours go to all the matches together. “Pa loves to dress up and sure why not. He looks great. Look at those shoes.” Liam Goodwin told me. “Beating Kilkenny was like winning the lottery for me. Better! Everything is possible now. We got them off our back.” Pa Buckley told me.
Two Cork supporters, Tom McCarthy and John O’ Connor. “We grew up in Millstreet. It was football all day long, but that’s changing now. Before there’d be no players from there on the Cork team, but now sure we’ve Mark Ellis.”
To the heart of hurling – two young Clare fans entralled watching their Clare heroes warm up before Galway Clare replay in Thurles.
Met this great man on the pitch in Thurles.91 years old and still wants to get up off his seat at the end of the game and greet his heroes on the field. Amazing! He never misses a match. Not just Galway hurlers - their footballers too. And minors. And club. And he loves horse racing. And he does it all with his family. His wife, Phil, could not be with him as she was in hospital in Dublin. His daughter, Áine, showed me a photo of her in her Galway jersey watching the game.
"I do, I do. The first match I brought him to was the '98 All-Ireland Football Final against Kildare. He was 5. I told him to stay next to me. I told him. Do you think he did? Course not. I lost him. Public announcement. Got him back. Still have him!" Gerry Burke told me about his son Darren.