Ask anyone in Ireland about Liam or Sam and chances are they’ll know you mean the trophies handed out by the All-Ireland hurling and football champions. But what about the other 2,000 pieces GAA silverware across the country, how many of us know the stories behind these cups, how they came to be and how they got their names?
Scéalta na gCorn sees presenter Gráinne McElwain travel around Ireland visiting clubs and county grounds, learning about the lesser known stories behind our nation’s trophies.
She will learn how some cups are named after Irish revolutionary patriots such as Roger Casement and Terence McSweeney, how other trophies are named after clergy, still others after famous GAA administrators who contributed to the development of the Association, and how even more named after players and core members, their memory is perpetuated with trophies and cups named after them.
On September 28, in the third episode, all roads lead to Saffron County.
Antrim is a hurling stronghold and Grainne wants to know about the Volunteer Cup known as the Big Ears and Roger Casement’s historic role in the Hero’s Shield competition.
It’s not all about hurling though, and Grainne is traveling to Belfast to learn more about senior football, the Seamus Macpheran Cup and the local club presenting the trophy in memory of 16-year-old Camogue.
She meets John Gough, referee of the scandalous All-Ireland football final, and discovers that the silverware is not just for the players.
Produced by Imagine Media with support from NI Screen’s Irish Language Broadcasting Foundation, Scéalta na gCorn began airing on TG4 weekly from 14 September at 8.30pm.
https://www.northernirelandworld.com/news/people/the-stories-behind-antrims-gaa-silverware-to-be-revealed-3847893
