skip to main content

THANK GAA IT’S FRIDAY

Thank GAA It's Friday Des Cahill Image Name: Thank GAA It's Friday Des Cahill

Episode 2

Thank GAA It’s Friday returns to your screens for another summer packed with GAA goodness.
Episode 2 airs on Friday, July 1st at 8:30pm on RTÉ ONE, covering the best stories our native
games have to offer.

The show brings you the complete weekly GAA package; containing characters, games, fascinating stories and communities both at home and abroad.

Last time out, the Tipperary footballers defeated Cork for the first time since 1944 to set up a
fairytale Munster final with Kerry. The mastermind behind the Premier County’s victory, Liam
Kearns, joins us to explain why that wasn’t the only significant event to happen that day. On
arriving at Semple Stadium, he found out he was a grandfather for the first time. Can he guide his
charges to an unlikely victory over the land of his own birth come Munster final day?

It’s also a big weekend in the Leinster hurling championship with Kilkenny facing Galway. After
calling time on an illustrious career after another All-Ireland win last September, Cats legend
Richie Power will not be part of the panel for this Leinster final. The five-time provincial champion
counts the cost of his service to his county as knee troubles curtail his twilight years with
Carrickshock.

We also catch up with some of the famous sons involved with Cuala GAA club in Dalkey. We
spoke to RTÉ’s Des Cahill and Dublin hurlers David Treacy and Cian O’Callaghan to see what
makes the recently crowned Best Sports Club in Ireland so special. They will be hoping the
Cuala success story rubs off on the hurling qualifier clash between Dublin and Cork on
Saturday.

We’re also looking back in time this week. In 1949, the Meath footballers finally lifted the Sam
Maguire. In March 2016, Brian Smyth and Paddy ‘Hands’ O’Brien, two members of this ground breaking side, passed away. The last surviving member of that famous Royals team, Frank Byrne, joined us to tell us about the day they ended their wait for All-Ireland glory. The 92-year-old former wing forward talks us through Meath’s victory over Cavan and a day that lives long in the memory.