National Geographic: All-Ireland experience of a lifetime

National Geographic has dubbed the spectacle of an All-Ireland final as the experience of a lifetime.

The hurling clash between Kilkenny and Tipperary last Sunday caused a sensation, with British twitterati exclaiming their amazement at the game.

Now the magazine, which has 26m visitors to its website every month, has urged visitors to catch a breathtaking All-Ireland.

“Attending an All-Ireland is the experience of a lifetime,” wrote National Geographic.

“Gaelic football and hurling are some of the top spectator sports in Ireland and Northern Ireland, culminating in the All-Ireland Senior Championship Finals played in Dublin’s Croke Park in September.”

But it warned travellers to “plan ahead as all 82,300 tickets usually sell out”.

It also told visitors to take a trip to the GAA Museum in Croke Park.

GAA sports were also flagged recently by Lonely Planet. It described hurling as “hockey on steroids”.

Lonely Planet urges ‘hockey on steroids’ (hurling) as Dublin hangover cure | Irish Examiner http://t.co/HQnZudGBes (KOB)

— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) August 20, 2014

Sunday’s final attracted the second highest ever viewership for an All-Ireland hurling final, peaking at 1.1m on RTÉ.

National Geographic also urged a trip to Glasnevin cemetery to find the graves of slain revolutionary leader Michael Collins and writer Brendan Behan under its list of the top 10 things to do in autumnal Ireland.

The Gravediggers Pub is listed as a “must” after the cemetery tour.

Traditional music is also identified as a quintessential Irish pastime in the list.

“Nothing can compare with the foot-tapping brilliance of a traditional Irish music session, which might include fiddle, flute, uileann pipes, button accordion, banjo, guitar, bodhrán, concertina, harp, drums, and tin whistle,” it said.