Dolan and Jobber McGrath among all-time GAA greats
Dessie Dolan Jnr and John ‘Jobber’ McGrath have been rated among the all-time greats in selections marking the 140th anniversary of the GAA’s founding in 1884.
Dessie is ranked tenth at right full-forward on the football selection while ‘Jobber’ comes in at 19th on the hurling midfielder list in a new book PULSE OF THE NATION – which, in a wide scope of GAA history, ranks the 150 greatest footballers and hurlers.
Co-written by award-winning and vastly experienced GAA journalists, Martin Breheny and Donal Keenan, it takes readers on a fascinating journey down through the decades. The first stop-off is to consider who were the top ten players in each position in the GAA’s 140-year history.
Drawing on their long experience of covering Gaelic Games – which stretches back almost half a century – and merging it with assessments gleaned from the work of journalists, commentators and others prior to that – they have compiled a one-to-ten rankings in fourteen positions (one-to-twenty midfielders) in football and hurling.
Obviously, opinions will vary sharply on their conclusions but as an exercise in acknowledging past glories, it offers an opportunity for lively debate among the GAA fraternity as they reflect on the big stars who shone so brightly over the years.
Dessie Dolan earned a deserved reputation as one of the best forwards of his generation, having played a major part in Westmeath’s All-Ireland U-21 success in 1999 and the historic Leinster senior title triumph in 2004. ‘Jobber’ McGrath was the epitome of versatility during a career that embraced three decades – 1940s-50s-60s.
PULSE OF THE NATION also chooses – and re-visits – the greatest day in every county’s history in football and hurling. In Westmeath football’s case, it settles on the 2004 Leinster final replay win over Laois while the All-Ireland final B win over London in 1975 is the hurling choice.
In addition to player rankings, the book focuses on the role, impact, and demise of the dual player and deals with many of the big issues from GAA history, including controversies, how it coped with major threats and challenges, the evolution of competitions, the emergence of a new management culture and the changing sporting and social trends, as revealed through debates at annual congress.
Camogie and Ladies football are also catered for in the 400-page book, described by GAA President, Jarlath Burns, as ‘an invaluable reference point for followers of our games.’
He also writes in the foreword that PULSE OF THE NATION is a ‘catch-all, whistle-stop tour down through the decades, connecting young and old alike through the prism of our games.’