A trip to Croke Park simply wouldn’t be complete without experiencing the treasured GAA Museum. Get ready to immerse yourself in the spine-tingling and completely unique story of Gaelic games from ancient times to the present day. This museum is like no other sporting museum you’ll ever visit. It not only celebrates Ireland’s national games, it also vividly brings to life how the GAA has contributed to our cultural, social and sporting heritage. Featured exhibitions include the original Sam Maguire and Liam MacCarthy Cups, the rousing Hall of Fame, and a whole floor dedicated to the games as they are today. When you’re done exploring, get a taste of the action in the popular Interactive Games Zone, where you can test your hurling and Gaelic football skills! For more information, including opening times, prices and directions to the GAA Museum, see crokepark.ie/gaa-museum-tours/gaa-museum Exhibitions The GAA Museum’s exhibition galleries vividly illustrate the story of Gaelic games from ancient times to the present day. The museum’s exhibits document the influence and contribution of the GAA to Irish sporting, cultural and social life since its foundation in 1884. Imreoir to Bainisteoir The GAA Museum’s new exhibition celebrates players who have won All-Ireland's as both players and managers Few GAA players win All-Ireland medals and even fewer go on to repeat the feat as a team manager. A new exhibition at the GAA Museum celebrates this unique club of players. Imreoir to Bainisteoir features memorabilia, film footage and imagery from the 30 players who have achieved All-Ireland success both on the field and from the sidelines. There are 13 hurlers, 11 footballers and six camogie players who have claimed All-Ireland medals as a player and manager. The group includes legends such as Mick O’Dwyer, Kevin Heffernan, Brian Cody and Ann Downey. Imreoir to Bainisteoir recognises the amazing achievements of these players and gives fans the opportunity to remember some of the most exciting players and teams in the history of Gaelic Games. Blackthorn Café The Blackthorn Café serves a wide range of hot and cold dishes throughout the year. Sit and relax in the comfortable, stylish surroundings and enjoy a coffee and scone, or choose from our range of delicious home-made salads, hot dishes and gourmet sandwiches made to order. Breakfast is served daily until 11.
Santa Experience at the GAA Museum this Christmas
Have you ever wondered what it takes to become one of Santa’s trusty elves? If so, you can’t miss the magical new ‘Elves in Training’ Santa Experience at the GAA Museum in Croke Park this Christmas from 24th November!
Santa has transformed GAA HQ into his secret elf camp, where only the fittest, strongest and healthiest of all elves are trained! In fact, every pointy-eared helper that is chosen for the GAA Museum training programme is a member of the North Pole Hurling, Football and Camogie Club, which is the most Northerly and charmed GAA club in the world and managed by Santa himself!
In exciting news, Santa is opening the doors of his training facility to a select number of children, and anyone lucky enough to get a ticket and make it on his ‘list’ will learn the secrets of becoming an elite Elf.
At the Santa Experience at Croke Park, your family will wander through a behind-the-scenes candy cane trail, catching glimpses along the way of how the Elves get fit and ready for the season ahead and their big day, which isn’t the All-Ireland for once!
You’ll wander in awe through the mesmerising snow tunnel and the North Pole team’s changing room. While you’re there make sure you listen for banter in the shower room to see who’s made it the naughty or nice list! You might also need to hold your nose as you leave the dressing room, as the trainee Elves’ don’t usually listen to Mrs Claus when she tells them to pick up their dirty gear!
One of the highlights of the magical trail is a visit to Santa’s Bainisteoir’s office, the heart of all the action, where Santa reviews tactics and selects his dream team for the big journey on Christmas Eve.
After this meet and greet with Santa, where every child will receive a gift and get their professional photo taken, your family can run out pitch-side, like their GAA heroes, and take their own Croke Park ‘Elfies’, making even more magical memories.
You will then get complimentary admission to the GAA Museum, where you can discover two floors of interactive exhibits which chart the journey of Gaelic games from ancient times to the present day. Marvel at the original Sam Maguire and Liam MacCarthy cups and test your hurling and football skills in the museum’s Interactive Games Zone! After working up a hunger, finish off the perfect day with light refreshments and a festive snack in the museum’s Blackthorn Café. And before you leave, you can even pick up a stocking filler reminder of your big day in the GAA Museum Gift Shop!
The festivities get underway from Saturday, November 24th, and will run on select dates until Saturday, December 23rd. Dates sell quickly and pre-booking online is essential to avoid disappointment. The experience lasts approximately one hour and tickets, priced at €10 for adults, €16 for children 2 years and over, and €8 for children aged 1–2, are now available via the website www.crokepark.ie/santa. Children under 1 go free. The event is both wheelchair and buggy accessible, and there is free parking adjacent to the GAA Museum which is located in the Cusack Stand of the stadium.
For dates, tour times and booking, see www.crokepark.ie/santa
https://www.crokepark.ie/santa
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Fame for Croke Park Visitor Attractions
The visitor attractions at Croke Park – the GAA Museum, Croke Park Stadium Tour and the Ericsson Skyline Tour - have achieved the much coveted TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence ‘Hall of Fame’ Award.
This impressive accolade is only given to attractions that consistently achieve great traveller reviews and earn a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for an incredible five years in a row. It is the icing on the cake for an incredible year at the GAA Museum, which also celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with a special programme of events.
https://crokepark.ie/trip-advisor
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Summer Solstice Spectacular!
GAA Museum at Croke Park to host unique family friendly evening
of drama, music and pageantry on 22 June to celebrate Midsummer
The GAA Museum at Croke Park is celebrating the ancient tradition of Summer Solstice with a truly enchanting family-friendly evening and Celtic-themed live performance on June 22.
The exciting and interactive family event will include plenty of dance, drama, storytelling, traditional games and audience participation in a mind-blowing hour-long spectacle with the famous 'Armagh Rhymers', one of Ireland’s most celebrated traditional music and theatre ensembles.
The performers will wear colourful costumes drawing on historic and traditional inspirations like the Wren boys and perform with a unique style known as the rhyming tradition, emulating what they call ‘theatre of the people’, as would have been enjoyed in olden days of dancing at the crossroads and house visiting entertainers.
The Armagh Rhymers will do two performances at the GAA Museum on the 22nd of June, one at 6pm and one at 8pm. In addition to the performance your ticket will also include Croke Park pitch viewings with GAA Museum tour guides, access to the GAA Museum and Interactive Games Zone, as well as Celtic activities in Cú Chulainn’s Den – the museum’s dedicated children’s arts and crafts studio. Advance online booking is required and all children must be accompanied by an adult.
Tickets are priced as follows: Family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children): €50, Adult: €16, Student / senior (with ID): €14, Child (U16): €12, Under 3s: Free
See www.crokepark.ie/midsummer for booking and more information.
www.crokepark.ie/midsummer
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