The Magic of An All Ireland Hurling Final & Croke Park – Part 1

Our Stephanie recently had the thrill of a memorable visit to Croke Park in Dublin – Hallowed GAA ground for the Irish. In addition, the excitement of seeing our home county of Limerick win the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship! In fact, so much fun was had, we have not one, but two posts on it! Enjoy the first and keep an eye out for the climatic second part!

There is nothing quite like All-Ireland Hurling Final week when you’re a Limerick supporter. The excitement is everywhere. The county comes alive with anticipation, nerves begin to build, and everyone is hoping to get their hands on the most sought-after ticket in Ireland – an All-Ireland Hurling Final ticket. They’re often described as “gold dust” because they are so difficult to secure.

If you’ve never experienced hurling before, you’re in for something special. Hurling is one of Ireland’s national sports and is widely regarded as the fastest field game in the world. Dating back over 3,000 years, it is deeply woven into Irish culture and heritage.

The game is played using a hurley (or camán in Irish), a handcrafted stick traditionally made from Irish ash wood, and a sliotar, a small leather ball. Players use incredible skill to strike, catch, carry and pass the sliotar at remarkable speed, making hurling one of the most exciting sporting spectacles you’ll ever witness.

Ireland’s other national game is Gaelic football, another fast-paced sport that combines elements of soccer, basketball and rugby. Played by teams of 15 on a large grass pitch, players score by kicking or punching the ball either over the crossbar for one point or into the goal for three points.

Sunday July 19th 2026, Limerick took on Galway in the 2026 All-Ireland Hurling Final, and as a proud Limerick woman, the excitement was impossible to describe.

Across County Limerick, homes are transformed into seas of green and white. Flags fly proudly from windows, bunting hangs across front gardens, teddy bears are dressed in county jerseys, and every possible corner is decorated in support of the team. The sense of community is incredible and something every visitor to Ireland should experience.

It’s the Monday before the final, and my family and I have travelled to Dublin for one very special experience – a behind-the-scenes tour of the iconic Croke Park Stadium. The sun is shining, we’re proudly wearing our Limerick colours. Croke Park is only around a 15-minute walk from the heart of Dublin City Centre, and as you get closer, the sheer size of the stadium is breathtaking.

With a capacity of 82,300 spectators, Croke Park is the third-largest stadium in Europe and the spiritual home of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It hosts Ireland’s biggest sporting occasions, including the All-Ireland Hurling and Gaelic Football Finals.

The stadium features three seated stands – the Hogan Stand, Cusack Stand and Davin Stand – alongside the famous Hill 16 and the Nally Terrace, which have become legendary among GAA supporters. Croke Park isn’t just about sport. Over the years, it has welcomed some of the world’s biggest music stars, including Garth Brooks and Bon Jovi, making it one of Ireland’s premier entertainment venues.

More recently, on 28 September 2025, the stadium welcomed the NFL to Ireland for the very first time, hosting an unforgettable game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Minnesota Vikings. It marked another historic chapter in the stadium’s remarkable story.

Our tour began at the Cusack Stand entrance before making our way to the GAA Museum, where we met our guide. Ironically, he was from Galway – the very county Limerick would face in the All-Ireland Final just a few days later! Naturally, there was plenty of friendly banter throughout the tour.

Our first stop was the auditorium, where we watched an excellent presentation showing everything that happens before, during and after an All-Ireland Hurling and Football Final. The video followed the 2015 finals, featuring Kilkenny and Galway in the hurling decider and Kerry against Dublin in the football final.

Watching the film gave us a real appreciation of the enormous amount of work that goes on behind the scenes before over 80,000 supporters arrive through the gates. One fact that really surprised me was that Croke Park has more than 2,000 doors spread throughout the stadium.

After the presentation, we headed beneath the stands into areas that most visitors never get to see. We walked through the service roads where the team buses arrive on match day and explored the different dressing room complexes located beneath both the Hogan and Cusack Stands.

One of the first things that caught my attention was an enormous decorative hurley and football mounted on the wall. These impressive pieces were originally created for the 2015 St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The giant hurley is painted in the colours of Galway (maroon and white) and Kilkenny (black and amber), representing the two counties that contested the 2015 All-Ireland Hurling Final. Standing beneath them was a wonderful reminder of the rich history and traditions that make Gaelic Games such an important part of Irish culture.

As we continued our tour, we noticed the colourful county crests displayed along the dressing room corridors. Each crest represents one of Ireland’s 32 counties and celebrates the rich heritage of Gaelic Games across the country. Interestingly, these crests were only installed before the historic NFL game held at Croke Park in 2025, adding another modern touch to this iconic stadium.

Our guide then brought us into one of the team dressing rooms. Lined neatly along the walls were the jerseys of all 32 counties, creating an impressive display of the colours and traditions that make Gaelic Games so unique. Standing there, you could almost imagine the excitement, nerves and anticipation that players experience before stepping onto the pitch for one of the biggest games of their lives.

From the dressing room, we moved into the Players’ Lounge – a space that comes alive after every major match. Both teams gather here once the game has finished, and each player is allowed to bring one guest to join them. A buffet meal is served, giving players from both sides the opportunity to relax together after an intense battle on the field.

What many international visitors may not realise is that rival players often know each other well. Many attend the same universities or colleges and play together in third-level competitions throughout the year. Once the final whistle blows, fierce competition gives way to friendship and mutual respect.

The centrepiece of the Players’ Lounge is a spectacular Waterford Crystal chandelier. It’s unlike any chandelier you’ve probably seen before. The larger crystal spheres represent Gaelic footballs, while the smaller ones symbolise sliotars. To make it even more special, the lighting changes colour to reflect the county colours of the winning team after an All-Ireland Final.

Next, we visited one of the indoor warm-up areas located beneath the stands close to the dressing rooms. These facilities allow players to complete their final warm-ups, stretching routines and goalkeeping drills before making their way through the players’ tunnel onto the pitch.

Our guide pointed out several practical design features that tell their own story. Protective covers have been fitted over the electrical sockets after years of accidental damage from pre-match drills, while the windows are made from durable polycarbonate panels that can withstand powerful strikes from hurleys and footballs.

Then came one of the highlights of the entire experience – walking through the famous players’ tunnel.

Our guide explained that nothing can prepare players for the moment the tunnel doors open. The deafening roar of more than 80,000 supporters suddenly fills the stadium, creating an atmosphere that sends shivers down your spine. Even without a crowd, simply walking the same route as Ireland’s greatest hurlers and footballers was an unforgettable experience.

Stepping out pitch-side was another incredible moment. Visitors aren’t permitted onto the playing surface itself, helping preserve one of the finest sporting pitches in Europe, but standing beside it offers a wonderful appreciation of its scale and immaculate condition.

One fascinating fact we learned is that the pitch isn’t completely flat. It has a gentle crown in the centre to help with drainage, although from the upper tiers of the stadium it appears perfectly level.
(Insert photo overlooking the pitch and stands)

The playing field measures an impressive 145 metres long by 88 metres wide, covering almost 15,000 square metres. That makes it nearly twice the size of a standard soccer pitch, giving players plenty of space to showcase their incredible speed and skill.

No visit to Croke Park would be complete without seeing the famous Hogan Stand steps.

These iconic steps are where dreams come true every All-Ireland Final day. It’s here that the victorious captain climbs to lift one of Ireland’s most treasured sporting prizes – the Liam MacCarthy Cup for hurling champions or the Sam Maguire Cup for Gaelic football champions. For every young player growing up in Ireland, it’s a moment they dream of throughout their childhood.

Directly behind the presentation area is the VIP seating section, where the President of Ireland joins distinguished guests and sporting dignitaries to watch the finals. Above this sits the media and broadcast commentary boxes, where television and radio commentators bring the drama of All-Ireland Final day to millions of viewers and listeners around the world.

Our tour finished at the GAA Museum, a fascinating place that tells the story of Ireland’s national games and the communities that have kept them alive for generations. The museum is filled with historic jerseys, medals, trophies, interactive exhibits and memorable moments that celebrate the remarkable history of hurling and Gaelic football.

Whether you’re a lifelong GAA supporter or discovering these sports for the very first time, a visit to Croke Park offers a unique insight into Ireland’s sporting culture and is an experience I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Dublin.”

If you’d like to incorporate an experience like this into your own customised tour of Ireland, we can create an itinerary tailored around your interests, with experiences like this and so much more. There’s always something unique to discover and we’d love to help you experience Ireland in a way that’s truly your own.

Tune in next week for Part 2 of this blog, where we’ll take you behind the scenes of All-Ireland Hurling Final Day – what it’s all about, the atmosphere, the traditions, and why it’s such a special part of Irish culture.