An Fhuil agus Bindealán - the story of the Cork GAA jersey
December 14, 2016
"It is not those who inflict the most but those who suffer the most who prevail." Terence MacSwiney.
Donal O'Grady is on a journey through history to uncover the origins of the Cork GAA jersey.
What he reveals will surprise many people especially his own... the people of Cork. They've always associated red with Cork but this wasn't always the case. The story is closely linked to the War of Independence.
O'Grady stated: "It's an honour for me to tell this story, the link between the jersey and the battle for freedom is an incredible tale."
The year is 1919, Cork is a leading GAA county but the county hurling team had not seen All-Ireland success since 1903. A gap of 16 years is a long time for Cork GAA supporters but 1919 brought a new hope. At this time Ireland was in chaos, the War of Independence was in full swing. Cork was an epicentre of the struggle. The British were losing the war in Cork and coming under enormous pressure.
From 1913 to 1919 the Cork GAA team actually wore a blue jersey with a saffron 'C' emblazoned on the chest.
O'Grady mentioned: "Can you imagine a Cork team in blue? We're just so associated with the red, would our history have been the same in a blue jersey?"
A modern version of this jersey was worn by Cork in their National Hurling League game against Kilkenny in March.
In the weeks leading up to the Cork's first game in the Munster championship in 1919, some charming men representing the British forces raided the county board offices on Cook St. There they found the blue jerseys and stole them.
Cork GAA at the time was heavily connected to the IRA in the city so the British forces felt that this would send a strong warning. Undaunted, the county board went on a frantic search for jerseys and luckily came across a set of red jerseys from the Father O'Leary Temperance Association Team which was recently defunct.
The jerseys seemed to inspire the players and the team went on a great run culminating in captain Jimmy 'Major' Kennedy scoring four goals as they triumphed over Dublin in the All-Ireland final on a scoreline of 6-4 to 2-4 thus ending the sixteen-year barren spell.
As a result of this win Cork decided to wear the 'lucky' red jersey's in all future games.
The role that Cork played in the War of Independence cemented Cork's identity as the Rebel county, the war became etched in their collective psyche and born out of this struggle the new blood red jerseys recalled the sacrifice of Cork men and women who gave their lives and that is why the jersey is so important, these heroes live on through the jersey.
Even today, Cork still feels that connection and the jerseys are a symbolic representation of the fight for freedom.
Director Pat Comer commented: "As a proud Galway man who has worn the county colours, I know the passion jerseys evoke but there's certainly something extra special between Cork people and the red jersey."
Donal meets current and recent players we discuss how much the red jersey still means to the players, it's no ordinary jersey to them. It's a certainly a special jersey that stirs the emotions of its people.
Directed by Pat Comer and produced by Éamonn Ó Cualáín and Samuel Kingston from Fócas Films, the documentary airs on TG4 on St. Stephen's Day at 7.45pm, straight after the Munster v Leinster rugby game.
