March 8, 2025 - Saturday
Hello everyone! My name is Kate DiMartino and I am a sophomore Sport Management major.
The afternoon of Day 2 of our Ireland trip took us to Croke Park, the iconic stadium for Gaelic sports. Our guide gave us a fascinating look into the history of the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) and the significance of Gaelic Football and Hurling in Irish culture. We learned that until 2007, Croke Park was reserved solely for these sports, with Rugby and Soccer only allowed later.
One of the most memorable parts of the tour was walking through the players' tunnels and visiting the locker room, where we saw the jerseys of all the teams plus the current champions placed up top. We also got a glimpse into the players' lounge, where the lights change color to reflect the teams that played that day, symbolizing the respect between rivals.
The tour also included visiting the GAA museum, where we saw the famous trophies like the Sam Maguire Cup for Football and the Liam MacCarthy Cup for Hurling. The stadium itself holds 82,200 people, and we learned about its dimensions and the intricate history behind the games while standing in the highest area of the arena.Fun Fact: The screen/TV inside the stadium is the same size as a tennis court!
To cap off the tour, we got a chance to try out Gaelic Football and Hurling in a fun, hands-on experience. It was a great way to connect with Ireland's rich sports heritage, and a perfect way to celebrate International Women’s Day in such a culturally significant place.
I provided some pictures from the tour below. More adventures to come! Stay tuned!
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