GAA President, Aogán Ó Fearghail mixed with football and hurling stars past and present as he launched a new season of the popular Laochra Gael series for TG4 in Nemeton TV, in Ring, Co. Waterford this afternoon. He was also on hand to announce TG4’s comprehensive GAA coverage in spring starting with the stations coverage of the Allianz Football League on Sunday 31st January.
The new Laochra Gael series, the fourteenth to date, celebrates some of the greatest names in Gaelic games of the past forty years. Each of the 10programmes blends archive footage, personal reminiscence from the player and family members with assessments from team-mates, opponents, journalists, commentators and GAA historians. It will be broadcast on TG4 each Sunday evening at 5.55pm with a repeat showing on Monday nights at 8pm.
The new season’s batch of GAA legends includes one of the all-time great Kilkenny defenders JJ Delaney; Waterford hurling hero and star of the game Ken McGrath; Piarsaigh na Dromoda and Kerry stalwart Declan O’Sullivan who became Kerry captain at the tender age of 21; A warrior from Limerick’s last All Ireland title campaign who went on to manage the county Richie Bennis; Early century Armagh hero and International Rules star Steven McDonnell;Tipperary’s top scorer and with a haul of 6 All Star medals, Eoin Kelly; Cork’s dual star John Allen, who went on to manage both his home county and neighbours Limerick; 90’s 3 time footballer of the year and Meath footballing great Trevor Giles; With a truly marathon career in ladies football, from 1997 to 2015 Galway’s Annette Clarke was their midfield star from start to finish: And finally, four brothers from the small east Galway village Caltra who have had a huge influence on that county’s status and of their club too, the Meehan’s, brothers Declan, Tomás, Noel and Michael. (A full list of programme titles, profiles and transmission dates is enclosed).
Speaking at the launch GAA President Aogán Ó Fearghail said “Laochra Gael has become an integral part of the GAA broadcasting landscape and has successfully brought the exploits of so many former greats to audiences young and old. It is a unique series and one that truly captures the essence of the best of those who were not only lucky enough to don a county jersey, but to excel while doing so. The is just one part of the wider TG4 GAA stable and it’s a relationship that has served us in Cumann Lúthchleas Gael well across the board at every level of the Association. We wish all involved well and look forward to many more excellent productions in the years ahead.”
TG4 Ardstiúrthóir, Pól Ó Gallchóir said “This series of profiles of the stars of recent years has become a key component of our Gaelic games coverage for well over decade now. They are very popular with our viewers, at home and abroad. This year’s crop includes some of the most stylish and determined players to have graced the playing fields during their careers. We are proud to be giving them their due.”
The new Laochra Gael season will air on TG4 at 5:55pm on Sundays from February 21st with a repeat showing on Monday evenings at 8:00pm. The series is produced by Nemeton, the independent production company from Ring in the Waterford Gaeltacht which has produced much of TG4’s acclaimed sports coverage.
Executive Producer and Nemeton CEO, Irial Mac Murchú added: “We are very proud of the achievments of the Laochra Gael production team that has created a stunning 141 episodes of this epic series. Laochra Gael is not just a documentary series, but is a television histroy of the GAA told through its best known stars.”