The primary reason for heading back to Dublin for an extra night was to see the GAA football match between Dublin and Meath.  There were actually two matches that day, both semifinals with the winner of each playing for the GAA Championship.  The match was at Croke Park which is an 82,000 seat stadium in Dublin.  Getting to the stadium was kind of an adventure as it sits in the middle of a neighborhood where you have blockades setup only allowing people with tickets into the area.  Once inside the stadium you’re kind of limited to the side of the stadium your tickets pertain to.  You can’t get to the upper deck or walk around the whole concourse.  Also, alcohol is not allowed in the seating area.

The game itself was entertaining.  I’d say Gaelic Football is a combination of Soccer, Rugby, Basketball and Volleyball.  There’s no tackling but pretty much everything else is allowed.  You must dribble the ball (basketball or soccer style) every so many paces.  There’s a goal and uprights, each are worth different points, the object being kicking the ball into them.  Unlike soccer there is was no diving.  I think there was one guy who left the field on a stretcher and we later learned he blew out his knee.  There was ‘stoppage time’ but only about a minute for the whole match.  Meath pulled away from Dublin in the second half. Being that is was the a double header there were fans from all four teams and many didn’t show until the second half of the first game.  Basically it was the Final Four of Gaelic Football.

Side Notes:

* Croke Park was the site of the Croke Park Massacre on Bloody Sunday in 1920.
** The rest of my photographs from the match are here.