Golden Jubilee: Kevin Heffernan’s Metropolitans had won All-Irelands before, yet none had the almost subversive energy and colour of 1974
Galway defend their goalmouth as Dublin’s Tony Hanahoe, Brian Mullins and Anton O’Toole attack the high ball during the 1974 All-Ireland SFC final at Croke Park. Photo: Connolly Collection/Sportsfile
Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s hit ‘You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet’ became the soundtrack to Dublin’s All-Ireland win in 1974 on RTÉ’s Reeling in the Years. You’ll have seen the footage, probably numerous times. Fifty years ago today Dublin defeated Galway and the earthquake of noise and celebration heralded a sporting and social revolution.
Something had changed that went beyond Gaelic football and how it came to be seen. Something had changed in Dublin in terms of the value of the GAA to the people living there. Dublin had won All-Irelands before yet none had the almost subversive energy and colour of the win of 1974, when Paddy Cullen saved the penalty from Liam Sammon. With an outstretched left hand, deflecting the shot around the upright for a ‘50’, he became the forefather to the legend that Stephen Cluxton is today.
