The events of the 21st November 1920 are engraved into not only GAA but national history. Following unrest between republican and British forces earlier in the day, with 14 British agents killed under the leadership of Michael Collins, the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) stormed Croke Park where Tipperary were playing Dublin in a Gaelic football challenge match.
The RIC opened fire, injuring 80 civilians and killing 14, including Tipperary defender Michael Hogan.
The influence of Bloody Sunday on Tipperary GAA is massive. The Hogan Stand in Croke Park is named after Michael Hogan. Tipperary wore his club Grangemockler's colours on Bloody Sunday (the tradition was to wear the colours of the county champions but they were unable to get Fethard - blue and white - shirts for the match) and will wear a special commemorative jersey on Sunday. An image of Hogan will be on the sleeve, in honour of the great man. Dublin will also wear a special jersey in the Leinster final with '14' on the sleeve and the names of the victims inside.
Clubs who had players on the pitch a hundred years ago feel an even greater connection to the events. Along with Grangemockler is Loughmore-Castleiney who had two players, Jim and Bill Ryan (Laha), on the field. The club's grounds Pairc O Riain is named after the duo. Bill spoke to RTE in 1986 about the events.
The 100-year anniversary of Bloody Sunday was a big driving force behind Loughmore's run to both senior county finals, agonisingly losing both in the final minutes. Conor Ryan, the great grand nephew of Jim Ryan, is on the Tipperary football panel. Unfortunately, Ryan is not part of the 26 on Sunday. The memory of the tragedy is never far away in Loughmore.
Not only is it one hundred years since Bloody Sunday but is also the same length of time since Tipperary's last football All-Ireland triumph (albeit the final was actually played in 1922). Now they find themselves in a Munster final against Cork and potentially a first provincial title since 1935.
Football is the second sport in Tipperary so when the call of intercounty hurling comes, the allure is hard to turn down. Seamus Kennedy switched in 2016 and has won two All-Irelands. John Meagher did the same before this championship but has only made a substitute appearance in the Limerick loss. Both would start in the backs which is why Sydney Swans' approval for Colin O'Riordan to play is massive news for manager David Power.
O'Riordan was an exciting 20 year-old, on the intercounty panel at 19, when he went down under to play Aussie Rules. It was a huge blow for Tipperary football but due to the pandemic, he has been back in Ireland for a prolonged length of time and has been training with the team.
Sydney initially refused to give permission for the former JK Brackens man to play but, after seeing Collingwood defender Mark Keane's goal heroics for Cork, O'Riordan called two senior Swans players who convinced head coach John Longmire to make him available for his county.
Having O'Riordan come off the bench will be a big motivator for when he does enter as a substitute.
Destiny can be a strange factor in motivating a side. Power wants to play the same "fast, attractive football" the 1920 Tipp side did but must find the right "balance" in channeling the emotion Bloody Sunday brings to the people of Tipperary.
Power also hopes a Munster final win could be a springboard for football within the county. 2016 was the last time the footballers created national headlines, beating Cork for the first time since 1944 and reaching the All-Ireland semi-finals.
Tipperary haven't beaten Cork in the provincial final since their last win 85 years ago. Since then, there has been seven losses to the Rebels and Kerry in finals. The league game in February saw Cork prevail by one and Tipperary were disappointed to be on the losing side.
There is genuine belief this time will be different. To do it on the Bloody Sunday anniversary would be a fitting tribute to the fourteen who lost their lives.
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