The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) (Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael) will mark the 95th anniversary of the events of ‘Bloody Sunday’ (November 21st 1920), at a special ceremony in Croke Park tonight, prior to the start of the EirGrid International Rules test between Ireland and Australia.
The aforementioned date will be forever etched into the history of Dublin’s Croke Park Stadium as a result of the tragic events in which 14 adults and children were killed and 60 others wounded, after British soldiers fired on spectators and players attending a Tipperary V Dublin football challenge match.
Those who lost their lives on that fateful day were footballer and Tipperary team member, 24 year old Michael Hogan, whose name today lives on through its attachment to the famous ‘Hogan Stand’ at Croke Park. Thirteen others; namely Jerome O’Leary (10); William Robinson (11); John William Scott (14); Tom Hogan (19); Joe Traynor (21); Jane Boyle (26) (only woman and due to get married five days later); James Teehan (26); Tom Ryan (27); Daniel Carroll (30); Michael Feery (40); James Burke (44); James Matthews (48) and Patrick O’Dowd (57) will also be honoured.
Tonight, as is proper, the lights of Croke Park will be dimmed and 14 flames will be lit on ‘Hill 16’, to represent each of the lives lost on that day and their names will be read out, as part of this special memorial ceremony. For this reason there will be no spectator access to area ‘Hill 16’ for this game and the lit flames will remain burning for the remainder of this evening events.
Flag bearers will lead Uachtarán CLG Aogán Ó Fearghail and Árd Stiúrthóir Páraic Duffy out onto the pitch and to the particular spot where Tipperary’s Michael Hogan was shot. A laurel wreath will then be laid opposite Gate 41 in his and the other deceased spectators memory, followed by a minute of silence.
Tonight’s match programme will contain a specially commissioned piece on these events of 95 years ago, written by journalist Michael Foley, who has written an award winning book on ‘Bloody Sunday’ entitled ‘The Bloodied Field’.
Lovers of history will note that there is currently a display in the Croke Park GAA museum where visitors can view Michael Hogan’s bullet holed Tipperary jersey, as well as the match ball used during play on that fateful day. You can read a brief account of the events which happened on Bloody Sunday by clicking HERE.
Go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a anam dílis.
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