Press

Réabhlóid GAA - how hurling redefined itself as a sport in the 1990s

TG4 16th December 9.30pm

26.11.20

Réabhlóid GAA is a new one-hour documentary that tells the story of how hurling redefined itself as a sport in the 1990s to truly become our national game.

For over a century, the hurling spoils were shared among the traditional three superpowers of Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary. As the decade began there was no sign of the aristocracy being unseated. Then, in five minutes in 1994, the hurlers of Offaly sparked a revolution. Along came a collection of upstarts to destroy the old order, and go down in history as Ireland’s most charismatic, colourful and enduring personalities.

This is their story, their words and their deeds – in the defining period of modern hurling history. Réabhlóid GAA digs deep into an extensive archive of classic GAA shows- from Breaking Ball, Road to Croker, Committee Room, Championship Matters, Thank GAA It’s Friday – weaving together archive interviews with unforgettable action from some of the greatest games of all time. Featuring, among others, Davy Fitzgerald, Ger Loughnane, Brian Whelahan, Johnny Dooley, Johnny Pilkington, Liam Griffin, Martin Storey, all in their heyday, these are the winners writing the history as they lived it.

Réabhlóid GAA is the latest offering from Loosehorse, the standard-bearers in GAA and sports documentary with an acclaimed track record featuring The Boys in Green, Micko, Giles and many more, and is directed by Ronan O’Donoghue (Sunday Best, Jayo, All Ireland Day). Diarmuid Lyng, for whom the ‘90s provided the inspiration for his own stellar inter-county career with Wexford, is an authentic and affectionate Narrator.

This is an epic retelling of an extraordinary time, from Offaly’s astonishing comeback, Biddy Early being banished in the Banner, the Boys of Wexford marching across the border, and the outrageous trilogy of 98, all played out in a rapidly evolving social and cultural landscape.

Réabhlóid GAA is the story of how, in one decade a sport, and a country, changed forever.