Gaelic Football and the Civil War

13/10/2023.Reading time 4 minutes.

Kerry’s dominance in Gaelic football over the past century is a testament to the county’s passion for the sport — a passion that was forged by the bitterness of the Civil War. The worst atrocities occurred in Kerry. In retaliation for the killing of five Free State soldiers (including two members of the Dublin Brigade) […]

#OTD in 1957 – Shamrock Rovers are the first Irish team to play in European soccer competition.

25/09/2023.Reading time 3 minutes.

League of Ireland champions Shamrock Rovers welcomed the Busby Babes to Dublin for the first of a two legs in the preliminary round. The Munich Air Disaster, which ripped the heart out of Manchester United’s star-studded team, was still five months away and Duncan Edwards, Roger Byrne, David Pegg and Tommy Taylor all lined out […]

#OTD in 1869 – Birth of athlete, Tom Kiely, in Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary.

25/08/2023.Reading time 1 minute.

Tom Kiely competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics held in St. Louis, Missouri, in the all-round, which consisted of 100 yd run, shot put, high jump, 880 yd walk, hammer throw, pole vault, 120 yd hurdles, 56 pounds weight throw, long jump and 1 mile run. He won the gold medal. Kiely was thirty-four at […]

#OTD in 1902 – Death of Thomas William Croke D.D., the second Catholic Bishop of Auckland, New Zealand (1870-1874) and later Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Co Tipperary.

22/07/2023.Reading time 2 minutes.

Thomas Croke was born in Castlecor (parish of Kilbrin), Co Cork, in 1824. He became the second Catholic Bishop of Auckland New Zealand before returning to Ireland as Archbishop of Cashel and Emly. He was a strong and public supporter of Irish nationalism aligning himself with the Irish National Land League during the Land War, […]

#OTD in 1964 – Birth of World Middleweight Boxing Champion, Steve Collins, in Cabra, Co Dublin.

21/07/2023.Reading time 2 minutes.

Steve Collins is a former professional boxer, known as the “The Celtic Warrior”. He is the former WBO middleweight and super middleweight champion. Collins began his professional career in America, and lost two world title fights on points. It was not until Collins reached his 30’s that he fulfilled his potential. Having competed against the […]

#OTD in 1990 – The Republic of Ireland plays their first ever match in the finals of the World Cup, drawing 1-1 with England in Cagliari, Sardinia.

11/06/2023.Reading time 2 minutes.

Ireland plays England in its first ever match in the World Cup Finals. England took an early lead courtesy of master poacher Gary Lineker. Ireland, under the managership of “Big Jack” Charlton (who had won a World Cup medal with England 1966) fought back to equalise with a goal by Welsh-born Kevin Sheedy. Irish football […]

#OTD in 1939 – Death of Mick the Miller, the greatest greyhound in the history of the sport.

04/05/2023.Reading time 5 minutes.

Mick The Miller is the most famous greyhound of all time. He was born in 1926 in the village of Killeigh, Co Offaly, Ireland at Millbrook House, the home of parish curate, Fr Martin Brophy. When he was born, Mick was the runt of the litter but Michael Greene, who worked for Fr Brophy, singled […]

#OTD in 1971 – The GAA lifted its ban on members playing or attending ‘foreign’ sports such as soccer or rugby.

11/04/2023.Reading time 2 minutes.

The GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) finally revokes its infamous Rule 27, commonly known as “The Ban.” The rule banned all GAA members from playing or watching in non-Gaelic games. Non-Gaelic included rugby, soccer, hockey and cricket. GAA members who broke Rule 27 were expelled from the GAA. This famously included Irish President and GAA-Patron Dr. […]

#OTD in 1979 – Death of hurler Christy Ring, one of the greatest hurlers of all time.

02/03/2023.Reading time 2 minutes.

Cork hurling great and one of the greatest hurlers of all time, Christy Ring went to the great hurling stadium in the sky. Born in Cloyne, Co Cork, the hurling legend won eight All-Ireland hurling championships in a twenty-five year career with the rebel county. His first All-Ireland success was in 1941, the first of […]

#OTD in 1999 – Death of boxer ‘Irish’ Jerry Quarry. He is the only fighter to have fought Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier twice.

03/01/2023.Reading time 2 minutes.

Jerry Quarry, nicknamed ‘Irish’ or ‘The Bellflower Bomber,’ was an American heavyweight boxer. Quarry was rated by Ring Magazine as the most popular fighter in the sport, from 1968–1971, during the peak of his career, partly because he was promoted as the ‘Great White Hope.’ Quarry was a durable and smart counter-puncher/action fighter, often noted […]

Stair na hÉireann | History of Ireland

Category: Irish Sports

Gaelic Football and the Civil War

Like this:

#OTD in 1957 – Shamrock Rovers are the first Irish team to play in European soccer competition.

Like this:

#OTD in 1869 – Birth of athlete, Tom Kiely, in Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary.

Like this:

#OTD in 1902 – Death of Thomas William Croke D.D., the second Catholic Bishop of Auckland, New Zealand (1870-1874) and later Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Co Tipperary.

Like this:

#OTD in 1964 – Birth of World Middleweight Boxing Champion, Steve Collins, in Cabra, Co Dublin.

Like this:

#OTD in 1990 – The Republic of Ireland plays their first ever match in the finals of the World Cup, drawing 1-1 with England in Cagliari, Sardinia.

Like this:

#OTD in 1939 – Death of Mick the Miller, the greatest greyhound in the history of the sport.

Like this:

#OTD in 1971 – The GAA lifted its ban on members playing or attending ‘foreign’ sports such as soccer or rugby.

Like this:

#OTD in 1979 – Death of hurler Christy Ring, one of the greatest hurlers of all time.

Like this:

#OTD in 1999 – Death of boxer ‘Irish’ Jerry Quarry. He is the only fighter to have fought Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier twice.

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: