All-Star Gazing- 50 Years of the GAA All-Stars

This year’s PwC All-Stars marked the 50th Anniversary of the GAA Awards. 

Ciarán Kilkenny represented Dublin this year, as he picked up his fifth All-Star Award at the event on Friday evening.

And to mark 50 years of the GAA All-Star Awards, a new book- All-Star Gazing- has been published.

Its two authors are Moira and Eileen Dunne- daughters of Mick Dunne who, along with fellow journalists Paddy Downey, John D Hickey, and Pádraig Puirséal, got the All-Stars scheme up and running in 1971.

Using their father’s meticulous records of the first 25 years of the All-Stars as a starting point, Moira and Eileen travelled the country to meet over 100 All-Star winners who have graced the games over many years.

“Winning an All-Ireland is amazing but to win an All-Star at the end of the year is unreal. It is the perfect year”.

Brian Fenton, Dublin Footballer, 5-time All-Star

There are 19 Dubs on the list of legendary players featured- including the Brogans- Bernard Senior, Alan and Bernard Junior, the Rocks- Barney and Dean and Dublin's first All-Star Mick Birmingham, who was on the inaugural All-Star hurling team.

Also featured are Brian Fenton, Paul Flynn, Shane Ryan, Ciaran Whelan, Kieran Duff, Keith Barr, Charlie Redmond, Tommy Carr, Robbie Kelleher, Tony Hanahoe, Gay O'Driscoll, Jimmy Keaveney and Paddy Cullen.

They discuss what their All-Star awards mean to them, their memories of All-Star banquets & trips and more. 

All-Star Gazing is available at www.allstargazing.com and in all good bookshops.