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GAA Trip

On the 27th of November the Transition Year students went on a history trip to Croke Park.
We left the school at 9 o’clock and we were ready for our tour at 11 o’clock.
First we were taken to a conference room where we watched a short video on some of the
facts and figures about Croke Park and on a match day. We learnt that Croke Park has been
at the heart of the Irish people for over 100 years.

Afterwards we went outside where we were shown the colossal pitch measuring 144.5m
by 88m. We saw the changing rooms and the warm up room. It was interesting hearing
about some of the counties rituals before a match, like yoga and music.
Bloody Sunday: During the Irish War of Independence on the 21st November 1920, Croke
Park was the scene of a massacre by the Royal Irish Constabulary. The Police, supported by
the British Auxiliary Division entered the ground during a Dublin - Tipperary match. They
opened fire on the civilians, 14 were wounded and 13 were killed including 3 children.
One of the dead was a football player named Michael Hogan who the Hogan Stand was
named after. This was reprisal for the killing of 15 British Intelligence officers by Michael
Collins’ assassins known as “The Squad”.
We finished the trip with a visit to see the Croke Park Museum, which was filled with some
amazing pieces.

We were accompanied on this trip by our history teachers Mrs Trenier and Mrs Forde.

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