Croke Park GAA tickets for July 2017 - where/how to buy?

Posted by sgromer.ga (Atlanta, GA) on 01/01/17 06:03 PM

My family and I will be vacationing in Ireland for two weeks in late July and would love to be able to attend the GAA Football Round 4 Qualifiers listed on the Croke Park (Dublin) website for July 29, 2017. There doesn't seem to be a way to purchase tickets on the site yet.

When will these tickets be made available to purchase by the public? Will they be difficult to obtain? Any ideas as to cost?

My 15-year-old son is especially excited to see a game while we're in Ireland, so I am really hoping I can get us tickets.

Thanks for the information.

Posted by Jim

Bern, Switzerland

01/06/17 04:13 PM

981 posts

The first thing to understand about the GAA is that it is amateur and just about every place of any size has a club and that just about every family in that place will have at least one or two family members in the club. This is important because the vast majority of the tickets for county matches are distributed via clubs. First call goes to the two counties playing in the match, the the biggest counties by population and so on. It will only be as the championship proceeds that even Corke Park will be in a position to know were the tickets will be going... so don't expect to see anything on this until well into this year.

If I were in your shoes I'd start by contacting the nearest GAA club to where you are located in the US. They may be able to get you the tickets you need or put you in contact with someone who can get their hands on a couple of tickets for you. For instance I would not be surprised if the NY GAA would be able to request tickets for Croke Park for you.

If all else fails, you could try and find a country final match in Dublin/Wickow/Louth/Meath. There will still be a big crowd and a great atmosphere .

Posted by sgromer.ga OP

Atlanta, GA

01/14/17 08:38 PM

82 posts

Thanks, Jim, for this great information! I did a search and learned there is a GAA club in Atlanta where we live. I will email them today. Really appreciate the suggestion!

Posted by Eric

Beaverton, Oregon, USA

01/18/17 12:58 AM

740 posts

I went to the national hurling semi-finals in Croke Park a few years ago. I think I got my tickets through the GAA website. I highly recommend the ticket package that includes the GAA Museum located in Croke Park.

Posted by stephenmc

01/22/17 11:37 AM

317 posts

Greetings from Ireland

The good news is don't worry - you will have no problem getting tickets. Round 4 qualifiers are not a huge crowd-puller, in fact the only games sold-out are the 2 actual finals and any games involving Dublin, although I attended all Dublin games last year and most were not sold-out. For the Leinster final against Westmeath, there must've been 20,000 empty seats despite the day having glorious sunshine.

The system of distributing tickets among counties only happens for the big finals, and they aren't util September. I'm a member of the GAA and a lifelong fan.

So just wait until July, you'll be able to buy your tickets online or at the stadium on the day. I guarantee you a Round 4 qualifier will not be sold-out. If the game is in Dublin's Croke Park (which is GAA HQ) then it will likely be half-empty (which is still an impressive 40,000 in attendance!).

The qualifiers are for teams who have already been beaten or knocked out of their provincial championships and this is the 'back-door' last chance for them to get into the quarter finals, so all is at stake, but there'll be plenty of tickets available.

You wont need to contact the club in Atlanta.

Enjoy our national games, try and check out the GAA museum beforehand.

le meas/with respect
Stephen McPhilemy
Rick Steves Ireland tour-guide
Dingle, Derry & Dublin