Lár na Páirce Museum
Museum in Thurles, birthplace of the GAA, on the history of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie and handball, with a tourist office in the same building.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Lár na Páirce is a museum and interpretive centre on Slievenamon Road in Thurles, the town where the Gaelic Athletic Association was founded at Hayes’ Hotel in 1884. It was officially opened by President Mary Robinson in November 1994 to mark the 110th anniversary of the association, and it was the first centre in Ireland devoted to telling the story of the Gaelic games in an interactive way. It is housed in an elegant nineteenth-century building.
The exhibitions follow hurling, Gaelic football, handball and camogie from legendary times to the present day. They include displays on the hero Cú Chulainn, on the landlords of the nineteenth century, on hurley making and on sports broadcasting, a hall of fame and the Sam Melbourne Collection of GAA memorabilia and artefacts. The museum holds the Silvermines Cup, the oldest hurling trophy, which was played for in the first inter-county hurling game organised by Michael Cusack between South Galway and North Tipperary in the Phoenix Park in 1886, and the Miguez Cup for Argentine hurling.
The Thurles tourist office is in the same building and provides ticketing for the museum. Discover Ireland suggests planning up to an hour for a visit.
Highlights
- First museum dedicated to the Gaelic games, opened in 1994
- Exhibitions on hurling, Gaelic football, handball, camogie and hurley making
- The Silvermines Cup, the oldest hurling trophy
- Sam Melbourne Collection of GAA memorabilia
- Tourist office in the same building
Permanent exhibition
- The story of the Gaelic games – Exhibitions on hurling, Gaelic football, handball and camogie, hurley making, sports broadcasting and the Sam Melbourne Collection of GAA memorabilia.
- Founded
- 1994
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 60 min |
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Getting there & parking
The museum is on Slievenamon Road, about 100 metres from Liberty Square in the middle of Thurles.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The Thurles tourist office is in the building.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | Discover Ireland suggests allowing up to one hour. |
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