Sam Maguire Cup - History

History

The Cup is named after Sam Maguire, an influential figure in the London GAA and a former footballer, a group of his friends formed a committee in Dublin under the chairmanship of Dr Pat McCartan from Carrickmore, County Tyrone, to raise funds for a permanent commemoration of his name. They decided on a cup to be presented to the GAA. The Association were proud to accept the Cup. At the time it cost £300. In today's terms that sum is equivalent to €25,392. The cup is modelled on the Ardagh Chalice and the commission to make it was given to Hopkins and Hopkins, a jewellers and watchmakers of O'Connell Bridge, Dublin.

Although Hopkins and Hopkins were commissioned to make the original Sam Maguire Cup, this company did not have the facilities for such a big job. Instead, they in turn contracted the work to the silversmith Matthew J. Staunton, who had his business in D’Olier Street, Dublin. Having outsourced the manufacturing of the cup to Matthew J. Staunton, Hopkins and Hopkins had their own initials 'H&H' stamped on it. This was a common practice. Staunton's maker's mark was 'MS'.

At the time, everyone in the Irish silver trade was aware that Staunton had made the Cup. Among these was John Doyle, a silver polisher and plater, who served his time under Staunton from 1948 to 1955 and continued to work with Staunton until 1966 when Staunton’s business closed. Doyle and a fellow worker, Eamon Aspil, then formed their own company, Doyle and Aspil Silversmiths. Doyle and Aspil continued to repair and polish the cup periodically for as long as it remained in use by the GAA.

Maitiú Standun, Staunton’s son, confirmed in a letter printed in the Alive! newspaper in October 2003 that his father had indeed made the original Sam Magiure Cup back in 1928.

Matthew J. Staunton (1888–1966) came from a long line of silversmiths going back to the Huguenots, who brought their skills to Ireland in the 1600s. Matt, as he was known to his friends, served his time under the renowned Dublin silversmith, Edmond Johnson, who made the Liam McCarthy Hurling Cup in 1921. The 1928 Sam Maguire Cup is a faithful copy of the Ardagh Chalice. The bowl was not spun on a spinning lathe but hand-beaten from a single flat piece of silver. Even though it is highly polished, multiple hammer marks are still visible today, indicating the manufacturing process.

Kildare was the first county to win the "Sam Maguire Cup" in 1928 after defeating Cavan 2-6 to 2-5. The original trophy was retired in 1988 as it had received some damage over the years. The GAA commissioned a replica from Kilkenny-based silversmith Desmond A. Byrne and the replica is the trophy that has been used ever since. The original Sam Maguire Cup is permanently on display in the GAA's museum at Croke Park. In 2010 the GAA asked the same silversmith to produce another replica of the trophy (the third Sam Maguire Cup) although this was to be used only for marketing purposes. Meath's Joe Cassells was the first recipient of "Sam Óg". Meath have the distinction of being the last team to lift the old Sam Maguire and the first team to lift the new one following their back-to-back victories in 1987 & 1988.

Only eight men have had the honour of being presented with the trophy twice as captain. They are; Joe Barrett (Kerry), Jimmy Murray (Roscommon), J. J. O'Reilly (Cavan), Seán Flanagan (Mayo), Enda Colleran (Galway), Tony Hanahoe (Dublin) Declan O'Sullivan (Kerry) and Brian Dooher (Tyrone). Since the cup was first played for in the All Ireland final of 1928 Kerry have won it 29 times (7 All Ireland wins before 1928), far more than anyone else. Dublin are next with 9 (14 All Ireland wins before 1928). Galway have won it 8 times (1 All Ireland win before 1928), Meath 7 and Cork 5 (2 All Ireland wins before 1928).