Millennium Mania
Tipperary G.A.A. Yearbook 2000, pp 95
Did you read about one of the ideas received by the National Millennium Committee for the proper celebration of the Millennium? This looney proposal was to move this year's All-Ireland Hurling final from September to next New Year's Day! Just imagine what all All-Ireland would be like on a normal New Year's Day. And the plight of the players who would have to maintain fitness for months after the semi-finals in August. And the abstemiousness they would have to bear over the Christmas period. Not to mention the state of the pitch on the first of January!
The Tipperary County Board set up its Millennium Committee early in the year and it met on a number of occasions to decide in what fitting ways the Association could celebrate the Millennium in the county. Conscious of the heavy workloads already undertaken by clubs and committees throughout the county, the committee agreed that any celebratory ideas should be practical and memorable.
One of the ideas was that a Tipperary Hurling and Football Team of the half-century should be selected and that the selected players be honoured at a Millennium Banquet. In the case of hurling this idea was taken over very effectively by the Tipperary Star and was a subject of much discussion before the team was announced and introduced to the crowd at the county senior hurling final. Perhaps there is scope for a football team to be picked.
Another idea was to publish a collection of Tipperary G.A.A. ballads, songs and poems. Jimmy Smyth, of Clare and Croke Park, had a wide collection of these already and was willing to help. Liam Ó Donnchu and Seamus King provided him with the back-up from the county. The response to their many pleas for club ballads fell, unfortunately, mostly on deaf ears. In any event the collection has been completed and only awaits publication.
An Coiste Culturtha were requested to organise an event combining the tallents of Scór, Comhaltas Ceolteori Eireann and Gaeilscoileanna. This will take he form of a concert and will be staged sometime during next year.
Local committees were encouraged to celebrate anniversaries of major vents in their parishes. The year 2,000 marks the centenary of a Tipperary All-Ireland Double, Two-Mile-Borris in hurling and Clonmel Shamrocks in footall. Local committees in these areas re encouraged to remember these events in a fitting manner. Where necessary help will come from the county board.
The committee also recommended that the plaque missing from Hayes's Hotel, which acknowledged the foundation of the G.A.A. in the building, be replaced. Croke Park would be involved in this project.
Another Millennium celebration recommended was to honour Tipperary's 'Three-in-a-Row' team of 1949, '50, 51 at a special function during Millennium year.
A further suggestion was that a new championship medal be designed and presented to all championship winners in Millennium year. Also, that Louise Kennedy be requested to design a new Tipperary jersey (blue and gold of course). The county board would hold the franchise and this would be a source of income in the future. In this connection it was also agreed to design a new G.A.A. crest for the county.
The committee looked for suggestions from around the county but virtually none, looney or otherwise, were received. However, it is satisfied that in the above suggestions the Millennium will be remembered in an appropriate manner.
The members of the committee were as follows: chairman, Seamus J. King, secretary, Liam O'Donnchu, Conchuir O'Riain, Denis Floyd, Marie Morrissey, Sean Nugent, Seamus Leahy, Paul O'Neill, Tomas O'Baróid and Tom O'Donnel.