'Golden opportunity for Tipperary lost' - birthplace of GAA not properly celebrated says local Councillor

Tipperary is the birthplace of the Gaelic Athletic Association and more needs to be done to celebrate the history of the organisation and create a visitor experience.

Thurles in particular needs to better celebrate the story of the organisation's founding, Independent Councillor, Jim Ryan, told the monthly meeting of the Municipal Council for the Thurles, Roscrea and Templemore areas on Monday morning (Feb 16).

The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) was founded on November 1, 1884, in the billiards room of Hayes' Hotel in Thurles. Key figures included Michael Cusack and Maurice Davin, who aimed to establish an organisation to preserve and cultivate Irish national pastimes, specifically hurling and Gaelic football.

"There's no signage, no GAA trail and no heritage centre in Thurles," Cllr Ryan told the meeting and added the GAA agree the Tipperary link could be better capitalised on from a tourist perspective.

"There is huge interest across the world in the GAA and we are at the birthplace of it - it is a golden opportunity lost for Tipperary," Cllr Ryan said, also suggesting Tipperary's LEADER group could become involved in creating a visitor experience.

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"It will put Thurles and Tipperary on the map and I guarantee if the GAA was founded in Cork or Kerry there would be a visitor centre and it wouldn't be a case of a loud local councillor asking 'why isn't there even a sign up?'" Cllr Ryan said. 

"We have a golden opportunity here to take it to the next level," he said.