Gaelic football fans along the shoreline are in for a special treat this weekend at the Irish American Community Center.
The center, which sits at the end of Venice Drive in East Haven, will be showing the Gaelic Athletic Association's "All-Ireland Football Final" live this Sunday morning.
The club is open to everyone interested in viewing the senior and minor championship games. There is a charge of $20 at the door, which includes a free buffet after the senior game.
The minor final will start at 8:30 a.m., and the senior final will be at 10:30 a.m.
GAA History
This year the GAA (Gaelic Atlethic Association) is celebrating it's 125th anniversary of the All Ireland Final. The first final was played in 1887. It has been held in Croke Park, Dublin since 1914.
"The first final in Croke Park had an attendance of about 12,000 people," IACC President John Cullinan told East Haven Patch. "This year the final will be played in front of between 80,000 and 85,000 fans."
Senior & Minor Finals
The Minor (Under-18) Final will be Dublin vs Kerry, which will begin live at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday morning.
And this year's Senior Final will be Mayo vs. Donegal. The game has a start time of 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Cullinan said this is the first All Ireland Senior Football Championship Final contested by teams representing both the provinces of Connacht and Ulster since 1948.
"This is Donegal's first appearance since they won their last title in 1992. Mayo was beaten in the final in 2006 and has not won an All Ireland Senior Football Championship title since 1951," he said. "This is sure to be a great game on Sunday."
The prize for the winner is a medal and the Sam McGuire Cup.
"All of the players are amateurs and play for the love of the game," Cullinan said.
Senior Hurling Replay
Next week, the Senior Hurling All Ireland Final replay between Kilkenny and Galway will be shown at the center on Sunday, Sept. 30. The game will begin at 10:30 a.m.
There is a charge of $20 at the door, which will include a free Irish Breakfast.
"The first game is said to be one of the greatest games of hurling ever played in Croke Park," Cullian said. "The replay is sure to be another tough game."
"The skill is nothing like you have ever seen, and it is played by amateurs," he said.
The only prize for the players is a medal, and the Liam McCarthy Cup.
"They play all year for the love of the game," Cullian said.
More Information
For more information about watching the games at the center, visit the Irish American Community Center website at iacc-ct.com.
[Editor's Note: The article originally reported that the Sept. 23 games were being played on Saturday. The date, of course, is a Sunday. EHP regrets the error. It has now been corrected.]
