The GAA Museum at Croke Park reopened on Friday with Taoiseach Enda Kenny paying tribute to the association as “the very soul of what we are as a nation,” and “without a doubt the best amateur organisation on the planet.”
Strong words indeed and part of a very effective campaign to coincide with the launch of the All Ireland Championship season and, by pure coincidence, the Heineken Cup Final weekend in Dublin.
Coverage in Saturday’s media was assured and GAA Museum Director Mark Dorman was on the Late Late Show on Friday night highlighting some of the artefacts in the museum that are testament to the comments of an Taoiseach.
History is a powerful platform on which to build a successful sporting culture. Even in a modern age dominated by wall to wall media coverage, live broadcasts and social media, it is the great moments that stand out to inspire generations and maintain sport on the high pedestal it has within the life and spirit of the nation.
The final phase of the museum renovation now includes the official GAA Hall of Fame, a modern-day heroes and legends gallery, eight exciting interactive skill zones and dedicated sound booths showcasing clips from the association’s oral history archive. The museum boasts a vast collection of objects that illustrate the development of Gaelic games from ancient times to the present day.
The state-of-the-art visitor experience, which offers a unique insight into Irish social and political history of the past 150 years, has been consistently rated in the top five out of 221 Dublin visitor attractions by the TripAdvisor website over the past two years. Visitor numbers have increased from 67,000 in 2008 to an expected 108,000 in 2013, with 35% coming from overseas markets such as France, Britain, Spain and the USA.
“For many, a visit to the GAA Museum is a living realisation of their life’s passion,” said GAA President Liam O’Neill. “For others, it is a reminder of the GAA’s momentous role in Ireland’s sport, culture, politics and society. For others still, it must act as an introduction to the most successful and effective amateur sporting organisation in the world, with a focus on participation and commitment that transcends sport.”
“This cascades through generations to reinforce Irish identity and pride at parish and club, county, provincial, national and international level. The newly-refurbished museum with all its interactive zones and historic memorabilia helps bring this alive in a fun and engaging way for both Irish people and tourists alike.”
Mark Dorman, GAA Museum Director added, “Since 2008, we have continuously invested in building a state-of-the-art visitor attraction at Croke Park. Last year, we opened the Etihad Skyline Tour which has been extremely successful in attracting extra visitors. All the new additions will ensure that the GAA Museum becomes a must-see attraction for anybody visiting Dublin and interested in gaining a unique insight into Irish culture and society.”
A host of GAA players, past and present were in attendance. This included former Tipperary hurler Tony Reddin, the oldest living member of the hurling Team of the Millennium who was accompanied by 3 generations of his family; the most successful player of all time with 12 All Ireland medals to her name Mary O’Connor, Sinead Goldrick, captain of the Dublin Ladies Football team, Stephen O’Neill, Mark O’Sé and Bernard Brogan all recent All Ireland winners..
The newly-refurbished museum, which is also open on match days, offers visitors an interactive experience like never before. Refurbished galleries focusing on modern heroes of the games feature Four-in-a-Row Teams, Replays and Rivalries, Camogie, Ladies Football, Handball and International Rules.
Other new features include a touch screen poster exhibit of the hurling and football All-Stars, oral history sound booths and interactive games zone where visitors can see how fast they can react, test their passing skills and practice a fingertip save or the art of the high catch.
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Strong Support for GAA Museum
