GAA programme and memorabilia fair to be held in Connacht
General view of matchday programme in Croke Park Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/James Lawlor
GAA supporters from throughout the country will descend on Roscommon town on Easter Monday, April 6th, for the first GAA Programme and Memorabilia Fair to be held in the county.
The event, which is being organised by a number of collectors from Leitrim and Roscommon, is the first to be held in the province for almost a decade and will be held at the CBS Roscommon Town (Eircode F42 V273) from 11 am to 3 pm. It is a great opportunity for anyone with an interest in Gaelic Games to meet up, and buy, sell and swap all sorts of GAA memorabilia, from books to programmes and everything in between.
For some people, a GAA Programme is just a list of team names and a few advertisements for local businesses that’s thrown in the back of the car on the way home from a game. To the many collectors dotted throughout the country, it’s a time machine to memories of great players, exciting moment and days out with family and friends. Their match programmes, newspaper cuttings, books and more are treasured possessions neatly stored and sometimes only see the light of day during conversations with fellow collectors or when the local club calls to see if there’s a photo of “our fella” playing for the county.
On Easter Monday, April 6th, the next chapter of these stories will be written in Roscommon. Whether you are looking for that elusive programme to fill a gap in your collection, or you have a box in the attic that deserves a new home, the GAA Programme Fair is where the history of the game changes hands.
Similar Fairs are held annually in Graignamanagh, Co. Kilkenny, Maynooth, and Thurles, and have become social events; more than the "buy and sell" - it’s about the "stay and chat” with half the fun coming from GAA enthusiasts (collectors and not) debating “the best All-Ireland Final” over a cup of tea, or the thrill of completing a collection or finding a piece of their own county’s or families history on a table and telling the seller about their connection.
Admission to the event is free, and everyone is welcome to attend. Those wishing to sell items can book a table for €10 by emailing gaaprogrammefair@gmail.com or contacting 086 380 6084. General queries are also welcome.
