Exhibition to commemorate the links between the GAA and Dublin’s Phoenix Park​ 

Report:  Thanks to John Tarrant {The Echo) for the following story and pics which feature Frank Murphy, John Norberg, John O'Driscoll and Roger Ryan, who represented Blackrock National Hurling Club at the event.

CORK clubs Blackrock and Dromtariffe contributed to the opening of an exhibition to commemorate the links between the GAA and Dublin’s Phoenix Park culminating on the 1893 All-Ireland finals played at the venue.

OPW Minister Kieran O’Donnell TD, along with representatives of the OPW and officials from the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Associations attended the opening titled ‘Clann of Gaelic Games’ showcasing centuries of hurling, camogie and football activity in the Phoenix Park.

The first ever inter-county match took place in the Phoenix Park in 1886 between Tipperary and Galway in hurling – the success of which is credited with encouraging the establishment of the All-Ireland senior championships. From the 1893 All-Ireland finals played in June 1894 saw Blackrock of Cork overcome Confederation of Kilkenny in hurling and Young Irelands from Wexford were crowned football champions when seeing off Dromtariffe amidst controversary.

Blackrock had captured a county title when overcoming Redmonds from a team captained by John “Curtis” Murphy. For the All Ireland series, club champions carried the county banner with the help of players from other clubs within the county. The Rockies availed of Jim Young and Willie John O’Connell of St Finbarr's, Paddy O’Keeffe from Carrigtwohill and a selection of Cork’s best to ease past Bruree in the Munster Final. A further rampant display guided Blackrock to a clearcut All-Ireland triumph over Confederation to secure Cork’s third outright title. Third time lucky for Dromtariffe when landing county football honours at the expense of Castlemartyr with John O’Keeffe in the captaincy role. Killorglin failed to show in the Munster Final, Dromtariffe progressing to the All-Ireland Final against Wexford’s Young Irelands. From a tense and closely contested affair, a controversial game came to an abrupt end at the close of the third quarter when a Dromtariffe player was attacked by a section of the attendance who also sought a connection between Dromtariffe and the North Cork Militia during the 1798 Rebellon in Wexford. The intimidation saw Dromtariffe refuse to carry on, the Wexford side remained on the field and they were awarded the game on the referee’s report.

GAA Director General, Tom Ryan spoke of the Phoenix Park playing a pivotal role in the years before the GAA’s foundation in its formative era. “It is fitting that in remembering the heroes of the 1893 All-Ireland finals, played in the Park, that we also commemorate the role of the Phoenix Park has played for several centuries in facilitating Gaelic games and the importance it continues to have as a venue for football, hurling, ladies football and camogie,” he said.

Helen O’Rourke, Ard Stiúrthóir of the LGFA and Hilda Breslin, former Camogie President acknowledged the Phoenix Park as a hub for women and girls to enjoy our national games.

The exhibit in the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre will run during July and August, a plaque to mark the 1893 finals was unveiled outside while an oak tree was planted by Minister O’Donnell to symbolise the strength of the link between Gaelic games and the Park in the presence of children who played exhibition games in football, hurling and camogie and GAA Games For All.