Reflections on History Roscommon Gaelic Games!

By Liam Byrne

This year the Gaelic Athletic Association is celebrating 125 years since its foundation in Thurles on 1st November 1884. Teams played in Co. Roscommon almost from the beginning. In 1885 a letter in "The Roscommon Herald" called for the creation of GAA Clubs in the county and by 1888 teams were active in the north of the county and it is most likely that the south was not too far behind. The Parnellite split of the latter years of the 19th century caused the movement to die down somewhat but by 1902 the GAA had reformed in the county and has survived unscathed ever since. It soon became apparent that there was a need to inform the general public about who was participating in any particular game and the popular Match Programme was invented. The earliest single page GAA Programme dates to about 1913 for an All Ireland Final, on this particular occasion between Kerry and Wexford. It was not until later, in the 1930s, that programmes were produced for All Ireland semi-finals and later still for qualifiers.

The Match Programmes from the famous All Irelands of 1943, 1944 & 1946 (we dont have actual programmes for these games, only images) and an unofficial Programme for the 1946 replay.

The earliest programme of Roscommon interest is probably that for the 1939 Minor Final (the names of the players were on the back of the senior programme of the day) and programmes exist for all the finals from the 1940s, including the famous Roscommon Finals of 1943, 1944 and 1946 (above). Early provincial final programmes date from the 1930s. A Munster final programme exists - Limerick v. Waterford, for 1934 and County Final programmes date from the 1940s (Tipperary Thurles v Carrick-on-Suir in 1946). Programmes of Roscommon interest must also date from the same period and today, of course, programmes are produced for almost every game.

Inter-County Match Programmes from 1972 v. Kerry, 1974 v. Galway, 1979 v. Offaly & 1980 v. Armagh.

GAA Match Programmes are very collectible. Some are almost miniature works of art, but they also contain much of historic and social interest. Programmes always list the players, the referee, the team colours are often given and occasionally they contain snippets of information on the club, the team, the players, the mentors, and much, much more. They are an important historic source for any local club history, where names and details that might otherwise have slipped the memory are often to be found.

County Final Programmes from 1970 (Roscommon Gaels v. Clan na Gael), 1979 (Clan na Gael v. Naomh Brd), 1984 (Clan na Gael v. Naomh Brd) and 1986 (Clan na Gael v. ilfionn).

In this anniversary year of the GAA in Roscommon, we are trying to put together a collection of Roscommon GAA Match Programmes, so that anyone undertaking club history research can have a unique resource to refer to. We therefore appeal to any reader who has any new or old GAA Match Programmes in their attic, shed or press, that they no longer require, would you please consider donating it or them to this archive. As someone actively involved in club history and local history research, their importance cannot be overestimated. Please call Liam Byrne on 087 2431 240 or 090 6489 555 or email: roscommonhistory@eircom.net. To view the collection as it currently stands please go to www.roscommonhistory.ie and follow the GAA links.

Two famous Programmes of recent date, the great Minor All Ireland of 2006 and the New York exodus of the same year, when it is estimated that up to 20% of the population of the county travelled to the game in Gaelic Park!

Liam Byrne - June 2009.