Fake GAA Medals

The new GAA logo, without the Sovereign Seal

In 1910 the GAA brought the completion of the inter-county championships up to date, by giving the Tipperary hurling team of 1887, their winners medals 23 years after defeating Galway. Their medals bore the Sovereign Seal with the word Éire. The same style medal has been given to winners of the inter county championships every year until 2008. That year, Kilkenny were due to play Waterford in the All Ireland Hurling Final, 'the cats' going for their third in a row. But the actions of the GAA have called into question what it is to win the All Ireland.

The Sovereign Seal is what people mistakenly refer to as the harp. Indeed, it is an image of a harp, facing right to left with soundbox to the back. Think Guinness Harp but facing the other way. Since the beginning of the organisation, the image has been the centrepiece of the GAA logo, it has been represented on Medals and Trophies and featured in the crests of clubs and counties. But just as the story of Sam McGuire has been allowed to diminish into myth and to folklore, no significance seems to remain in the hearts of the GAA toward the Sovereign Seal.

In September 2008, in a secret move, without consultation from county boards or representatives, the GAA removed the sovereign seal from their medals and logos. It was replaced with a stylised scribble of the letters 'GAA'. The hierarchy has remained silent as to its decision to remove the Sovereign Seal and silent in their reasoning for doing so. The founders of the organisation would be ashamed by the stewardship of the contemporary corporate board. In times of recession for ordinary people, the GAA has given senior citizens a miserly 25% cut on provincial and intercounty championship. The club game, the bedrock of the organisations communities, is disposed to the the lucrative intercounty game at every opportunity. The distance between the hierarchy of the GAA and the committed community voluntarism of its grassroot members has never been as wide as it is today.

A member of the Tipperary County Board, somewhat of a lone voice on this subject, explained to me the history of the inter county championships. The Sovereign Seal, he claims, was placed on the medals and trophies as a sign of authenticity of achievement. The winning captain became the bearer of the Sovereign Seal for his county for that year. The pride came in carrying the Sovereign Seal first, and winning the match second. Not a lot of history remains of Sam McGuire. One photo has prevailed, that of the Cork man in a team photo for London Hibernians. On his breast is the Sovereign Seal. On Sam today remains the Sovereign Seal but how many people know what it is or even aknowledge its presence? As the Tipperary man lamented, all the championship has become is a game of football.

Sam McGuire (centre holding ball) with London Hibernians proudly wearing the Sovereign Seal on his jersey