Centra will reveal what’s Behind the Helmet of some of the GAA All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship’s best-known hurlers and support teams.

Centra will reveal what’s Behind the Helmet of some of the GAA All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship’s best-known hurlers and support teams.

The GAA All Ireland Hurling Championship occupies a unique place in Irish Sport and the first two weeks of the Championship have reminded us why anticipation is building in communities right around Ireland on what lies in store for their county team. Centra has teamed up with Clare’s Podge Collins, Galway’s Niall Burke, Cork manager John Meyler and Dublin’s Cliodhna O’Connor, to reveal their passions on and off the pitch. 

Centra, Ireland’s leading convenience retail group with more than 460 stores nationwide, understands the unique pride and passion reserved for our national sport, hurling. Located at the heart of communities nationwide, Centra celebrates its association with the GAA All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship through its #WeAreHurling campaign. The campaign seeks to recognise and celebrate the individuals within those communities be it players, supporters, coaches, parents and in many cases its own Centra local retailers that help make hurling great.

Over the course of the GAA All Ireland Hurling Championship, Centra will seek to get behind the helmet of their GAA ambassadors who are some of Ireland’s best-known hurlers and their support teams to unearth what it is that not only drives their passion for the sport, but also their passions off the pitch.  Centra will share the stories of what it means to the ambassadors to represent their communities on hurling’s biggest stage.  In doing so, Centra will explore the emotion generated by the GAA All Ireland Hurling Championships beyond just the players and the teams, but into communities right around Ireland - and the unique connection felt by many to the GAA no matter the extent or type of their involvement.

Ray Kelly, Marketing Director with Centra, emphasised the importance of Centra’s partnership with the GAA. “Centra is very proud to be entering our tenth year as sponsors of the GAA All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Our partnership with the GAA is a natural fit given the role we play in over 460 communities across the country, communities in which the GAA plays a hugely significant role with many of Centra’s retailers playing a pivotal role in providing support to their local GAA clubs. We both believe in the power of community and the important role we play in improving the everyday lives of people within those communities right across Ireland. We are excited that our campaign this summer will further explore our #WeAreHurling platform and we will help sports fans to get a deeper understanding of the players and support teams by revealing what is behind the helmet and sharing their stories.”

Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael, John Horan said: "The GAA partnership with Centra is a natural fit. Particularly, our shared presence at the heart of communities right around Ireland. Centra’s #WeAreHurling is a celebration of the power of community and the potential of what can be achieved when people come together.

“The Centra campaign brings to life the nature of the GAA as an organisation, in particular the reliance on the goodwill and volunteerism of people right around Ireland at all levels of the game. Ultimately, this prepares and supports players and coaches to represent their local communities at the pinnacle of the sport, the GAA All Ireland Hurling Championship. We have no doubt that a great summer of hurling lies in store and we are delighted to be working in partnership with Centra to highlight the positive impact of the Championship on communities right around Ireland.”

As in previous years, tickets for GAA All Ireland Senior Championship activity are available to buy in selected Centra stores located in communities right around the country.  

For exclusive content and to see how Centra will champion the hurling community across Ireland, follow #WeAreHurling, @CentraIRL on Twitter, @centra_irl on Instagram and www.facebook.com/CentraIreland