COLUMN: Has Tipperary GAA begun to turn the corner in fortunes on and off the pitch?

There was a particular kind of buzz at the Horse and Jockey last Saturday evening week - equal parts excitement, curiosity, and maybe even a touch of nerves.

In the end, the prize went ot a Tipperary man and it was a resounding success for all involved in Tipperary GAA. It is fair to say that it was a slow burn throughout the process that started back in late 2024 but in the end, a goal of over 10,000 tickets was sold, and a nice sum of money will be stashed away for facilities for the betterment of Tipp GAA.

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On the night, Brendan Maher was on hosting duties and did a solid job keeping things on track, and he was joined by Conor Stakelum, who’s made a name for himself both on the field and, more recently, behind the scenes with his company, Retake.

They were responsible for a lot of the fundraiser’s promotion, and judging by the final numbers - over €1 million raised - they did something right.

You could spot plenty of GAA figures dotted around the room - Jimmy Minogue, Michael Tierney, Eleanor Lahart, John Delaney, Murtagh Brennan, and Jonathan Cullen, along with many of the people who worked behind the scenes to pull this whole thing together. It had the feel of a well-organised effort with plenty of hands involved.

Some brilliant social media initiatives in the early months of the new year were really impressive and interesting, with players of past and present giving their backing, while the help from Tipperary folks of every profile towards the efforts was a real highlight and just shows the importance of GAA amongst Tipperary folk from all walks of life.

When it came to the actual draw, it was Fr Vincent Stapleton who took to the stage, watched closely by Ronan Spain.
The room quieted down fast - funny how people suddenly start holding their breath when real money’s involved.

Then came the big moment: the winning ticket was pulled, verified, and the name announced - Stephen Dalton from Ardfinnan. He’d only bought his ticket that day. You couldn’t script it.

The rest of the prizes went to Aisling O’Keeffe, Catherine Ryan, Mary Winston Connolly, and Sarah Sugrue - not bad for a night out.

In the end, what stood out most wasn’t just the money raised or the lucky winners - it was the scale of the support.
People backed this draw from every corner of the country, and the GAA network played a huge part. That kind of reach isn’t easy to come by, and it is very encouraging for onlookers.

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As everyone filtered out, some still chatting, some still processing how close (or far) they’d come, it struck me that nights like this are about more than just prizes; it was the will to get behind the young players that have brightened up supporters’ summers in the last few years. It is a backing for the future.

With the performance of the senior hurlers on Sunday in FBD Semple Stadium and the quality of the raw materials on the underage conveyor belt, this venture and its success could be the point at which we look back on the start of a new period of prosperity in Tipperary. Here’s hoping!