GAA results database finally on the way

DATABASE: The GAA is close to developing a centralised match results and player records archive as part of its soon-to-be-updated official website. File pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

The GAA is close to developing a centralised match results and player records archive as part of its soon-to-be-updated official website.

An initiative, which will be roundly welcomed across the organisation, is to be based largely on the work done by results curator and statistician Pádraig Ferguson, who has provided years of data on his website GAA Lore, which is in the process of being transferred to gaa.ie.

The Sligo native has long provided archive material to newspapers and websites such as the popular mayogaablog to which he supplied a treasure trove of material on Mayo’s past fixtures. Ferguson has been compiling results since the 1980s.

"The GAA is planning a new archive project with match records and player details for more than 50,000 players who have played from 1887 - 2022, thanks to the assistance of the Padraig Ferguson archive,” University of Limerick’s public library posted on Twitter on Tuesday.

To the joy of many Gaelic games followers, Croke Park signalled their intention to create a database earlier this year when they revealed they had been working with Ferguson since late 2021. Acknowledging the need to provide an updated results and statistics archive, they noted the work done by others in collecting results down through the years.

“In its absence at national level, the Association acknowledges the work of numerous individuals who have preserved records on our behalf throughout our history. Sadly, many of these pioneers like Raymond Smith, Mick Dunne, Tom Ryall and Owen McCann to name only a few are no longer with us.

“Thankfully, their work has endured and inspired many others to whom the GAA remains enormously grateful for their diligence and care of records at local and national level.” 

Ferguson’s devotion has been called on by the GAA on a number of occasions and in July he wrote a piece on Patrick Horgan as the Cork forward was about to break the record for the all-time leading scorer in senior championship hurling history.

Leo McGough’s exemplary work in compiling hurling records is widely regarded and Brian Carthy’s annual Championship books are among the great resources in the GAA. While Terrace Talk’s impressive collection of previous Kerry football results and players’ appearances and scores across all levels is a fine example of how a county’s proud history has been enshrined.

Recently, Nenagh-based data analyst Brian McDonnell produced an incredible record of every player to have played championship hurling for Tipperary from minor to senior level. Featuring 2,600 men, every Premier County hurling game from 1887 to this year is recorded.