Our tourism story - Lár na Páirce - it’s worth more than a visit

Where will you find an Argentinian hurling trophy in Ireland? Or one of the hurling caps worn by the famous Tubberadora team that won three All-Irelands in four years at the end of the 19th century? Or one of the long, ankle-length, skirts worn by ladies in the early days of camogie?

Or the first cup played for in an inter-county hurling game? Or the famous football boots worn by Mikey Sheehy and Paddy Cullen in the 1978 All-Ireland senior football final, when Sheedy scored the goal and Cullen ended up in the goal net?

Of course it has to be Lár na Páirce, the Museum of Gaelic Games on Slievenamon Road, Thurles. Officially opened by President Mary Robinson in 1994, the intention was that this collection of such an important part of our G.A.A. sporting heritage would become a successful visitor centre, attracting people to the Thurles area.

No better place could have been chosen for such a museum since the town’s association with Gaelic Games is as old as the Gaelic Athletic Association itself, which was founded in Hayes’s Hotel on November 1, 1884. On that famous day a small group of men, inspired by Michael Cusack, decided to rescue Irish games from extinction and form an organisation that spread like a prairie fire.

The immediate impetus towards opening Lár na Páirce was the purchase by the Tipperary County Board in 1988 of the Sam Melbourne Collection of G.A.A. material, which the Horse and Jockey native had been putting together since 1935. Sam was one of the first in the field of collecting G.A.A. memorabilia, which included close to 400 hurleys, signed by their star owners, photographs, jerseys, whistles, footballs and sliotars, newspaper cuttings and trophies, all relating to the history and deeds of great hurlers and footballers.

Sam used to take part of his collection to display on G.A.A. club weekends for a number of years, but in the end it became too much for him and he sold it to the Tipperary County Board. We owe a lot to Sam, who died in his 91st year on August 7, 2013, for his collection and preserving so much that would have been lost but for his endeavours. This unique collection became the basis of Lár na Páirce Museum of Gaelic Games.

When one visits Lár na Páirce the experience goes beyond the curiosity and excitement of seeing G.A.A. memorabilia from the past and the personal items of great and familiar hurlers and footballers. The Gaelic Athletic Association was founded ‘for the Preservation and Cultivation of National Pastimes.’

From the beginning it was more than a mere sporting association but set out to be a preserver and promoter of Irish language and culture as well. It has always been identified with the National Cause and this aspect finds expression in the story of Bloody Sunday, which features in the museum.

Lár na Páirce is an important museum of Gaelic Games, a storehouse of the culture and traditions of our most popular national pastimes. It is part of what we are, a valuable and treasured expression of our national heritage. We should be proud of it, delighted to be part of it and cherish it more carefully by ensuring that it is protected and transmitted to our posterity in places like Lár na Páirce.

For more information check out the website: http://larnapairce.ie/