It’s that time of year again; the rush for All Ireland Final Tickets.
No matter what teams are competing in the Finals the same questions are always asked.
For some it’s a once in a lifetime occasion, for others it’s an annual pilgrimage (regardless of who is playing). As usual, the fact that All Ireland Final Tickets are the “hottest ticket in town” and a place to be seen, it seems like it attracts people who have little interest in games played during the eight months previous. This means that a lot of “genuine” supporters miss out.
Regardless of your reason for going the following is an attempt to answer some questions that arise regarding All Ireland Final Tickets and maybe save some googling, awkward phone calls and disappointment.
When are All Ireland Final Tickets on sale / When are All Ireland Final Tickets released?
Tickets are not “released” as such and there is no specific sale date so the earlier you apply to buy, the better. In competing counties the process would be slightly different as the County Boards would have to see what allocation they receive from “Croke Park” in order to determine Club Allocations.
How are All Ireland Final Tickets allocated?
Tickets are mainly allocated based on the number of Clubs and the Membership in each county.
Season Ticket Holders in the counties of the Senior Finalists are guaranteed an All Ireland Final Ticket if they have attended 60% of the teams games in the lead up to the Final.
How much are All Ireland Final Tickets?
€80 for Seated Tickets, regardless of where the Seat is. €40 for the Terraces.
What about All Ireland Final Replay Tickets?
All Ireland Final Replay Tickets are usually less expensive. Tickets for the last All Ireland Hurling Final Replay were €50 for Seated Tickets and €25 for the Terraces. Children’s Tickets were made available for €10. This was confined to the competing counties only.
Can you buy All Ireland Final Tickets in SuperValu? Are Centra selling All Ireland Tickets / Can you buy All Ireland Tickets online ?
No.
Where can I get All Ireland Final Tickets?
You can apply to buy All Ireland Final Tickets from your County Board or your Club. In addition, Tickets are made available for sale to Provincial and National Committees and other bodies. More details on that below.
Where do the All Ireland Final Tickets go to?
This is an estimated breakdown of where the 82,300 (the Capacity of Croke Park) Tickets go. The figures are based on various published and verbal reports.
County allocations: 57,000.
Notes:
– Tickets are allocated based on the number of Clubs and the Membership in each county.
– The Counties competing in the Senior Final may receive in the region of 13,000 Tickets each.
– Above Figure includes 6,700 Season Ticket Holders
– Meanwhile, the Minor Counties receive in the region of 2,000.
Overseas Clubs and Bodies: 1,000.
Provinces Councils: 330.
Central Council, former Presidents, Public Representatives: 1,000.
– The Taoiseach, members of the Government, TDs from both competing counties while representatives of the local authorities in the counties involved all get access to purchase tickets.
GAA staff and sub-committees: 750.
Camogie: 120.
Ladies’ Football: 150.
Rounders and handball: 150.
Irish Sports Council and health bodies: 60.
Sponsors: 1,000.
Media: 340.
Schools and educational bodies: 2,400.
Croke Park Residents: 250.
Match officials and National Referees’ Panel: 100.
Match day use (a vague description!) / Vertigo*: 80.
– Ticket holders in the Upper Tiers of the Stands can request to change seat of they’re experiencing dizziness or Vertigo.
Player’s Tickets:
– (Competing Counties): Senior Teams 540 while 70 are made available to the Minor Players.
– Inter-County Panels: 1,920.
Jubilee teams: 70.
INTO Mini-sevens: 240.
10 Year (Term) Tickets: 4,200.
– The current tranche of 10 Year Ticket Packages cost €2,500 however it is alleged that the price is set to rise to €3,500.
Premium Level and Corporate Boxes Seating: 10,528.
– Premium seats are sold to individuals on a fixed basis of between three and ten years. Prices range from €5,000 to €12,500 and you can buy one here. Premium Tickets are not available for resale but can be exchanged with other Premium Ticket Holders.
Is it easier to get All Ireland Final Replay Tickets?
Yes, as there’s usually no Minor game in advance. However, a price reduction may also lead to higher demand.
Caution
The GAA have the ability to cancel any Ticket if it’s found to have been purchased on the black market. Every August and September there are official announcements advising supporters to avoid going down that route and on match day some are left disappointed when their Ticket is declined at the Turnstile.
And finally
The ticket pictured at the top of the post is not an All Ireland Final Ticket however it is a lot rarer than one.
It is a ticket to the infamous game on “Bloody Sunday” which took place in 1920, during the War of Independence. Members of the Auxiliary Division of the British Army and the RIC opened fire on the crowd at a challenge match between Dublin and Tipperary. Fourteen civilians were killed and at least sixty were wounded. Among the dead was Tipperary Football Michael Hogan. The Hogan Stand in Croke Park, built in 1924, was named after him.
The attack was carried out in response coordinated attacks by IRA Hit Squads aimed at destroying the British Intelligence in Dublin. These attacked resulted in the deaths of 14 British Officers.