Last Sunday at Croke Park, history was made in front of 82,000 people.
3 players from the Dublin team - Stephen Cluxton, Michael Fitzsimons and James McCarthy became the first to obtain 9 All-Ireland medals!
That’s right, NINE…
A record many doubted would ever be equalled, let alone broken.
Who would’ve thought that after that first one in 2011, we’d have seen 3 players from that team replicating the highest achievement in the sport, another 8 times!
However, that is exactly what happened at Croke Park last Sunday.
A truly incredible achievement and a milestone that now seems impossible to reach.
These players have been granted immortality in the long, rich history of the GAA and what’s particularly fascinating is that all 9 of those All-Ireland players can be traced straight back to the communities these players come from.
Just venture on down to any local club on the weekend and you’ll see that Football is at the heart of so many communities across the country.
The passion from under 8’s to minor, and all the way to representing their counties on the grandest stage of them all - All-Ireland day is truly something to see.
The All-Ireland is a culmination of the endless hours of passion and effort from these local communities displayed week in, week out.
However, a great GAA team is only as strong as the community behind it and without this commitment from these communitiesThere simply wouldn’t have been the opportunity to win that first All-Ireland medal,
let alone create history at Croke Park last Sunday.
So shoutout to Parnells, Ballymun Kickhams and Cuala GAA…
Elite communities, behind elite players.
It is as much a win for the community these players come from as it is for the players themselves. We at Guaranteed Irish, want to champion the community aspect of our elite sporting teams and athletes this month.
So, when history recalls Dublin’s very own record breakers, spare a thought for the communities that paved the way for those players.
Congratulations lads, you’ve done your communities proud.