The All-Ireland Poc Fada Hurling & Camogie Championships is an annual tournament testing the skills of Ireland's best hurlers and camogie players. Poc Fada is Irish for "long puck". The championships are sponsored by Martin Donnelly (who has been a sponsor since 1996).
The All Ireland Poc Fada Finals have taken place on the Saturday of the Irish August Public Holiday each year since 2005. In 2018 the All Ireland Hurling Championship was restructured, with the 2019 Finals taking place on Saturday 3 August. The finals now take place on the August Bank Holiday Monday.
The Senior Men's Hurling Poc Fada Final starts at An Fhána Mór, Annaverna, County Louth. Competitors must puck (hit) a sliotar with a hurley to the top of Annaverna Mountain (An Céide), and onwards to Carn an Mhadaidh. After a short break they continue down to An Gabhlán, before finishing back at the start of the course. The whole course measures .
Organisation Structure
The National Poc Fada Committee The National Poc Fada Committee is a body appointed by the GAA and Camogie President's to oversee the planning and staging of the prestigious All-Ireland Poc Fada Championship. This committee works alongside the local organizing committees in Louth (who handle logistics on Annaverna Mountain) to ensure the competition runs smoothly.
The 2025 National Poc Fada Committee is Chairperson Tom Ryan, Secretary Cieran Kearney, P.R.O. Dave Murray, Administrator Darragh Cox, Ulster Rep Kieran Farmer, Munster Rep Joe Carton, Connacht Rep Anthony Flaherty, Camogie Rep Lauren Solon, Local Louth & Armagh Committee Rep's Paul Comiskey and Pat McGinn
Louth/Armagh Poc Fada Committee 2025
Honorary President's Pat Harnett & Damien Callan. Chairperson Paul Cumiskey, Secretary Aidan Quinn, Event Safety Officer Pat Hamilton, Event Controller Graham Lowndes. Committee Members Josie Maguire, David Morrissey, Charlie Geoghegan, Margaret Dignam, Shay Larkin, Paul Callan, Pat McGinn, Fra Kieran, Cormac O’Donoghue, Mark McAllister.
Competitions
Senior Men's Final: Corn Setanta (The Setanta Cup)
The 12 competitors competing in this category qualify are the four provincial champions, the four provincial runners-up, the current champion, 2 invitationals places and the local Louth GAA representative. In the past competitors have come from USA, Europe and South Africa.
"Corn Setanta ("the sliotar cup)" is awarded to the player who takes the lowest number of pucks to complete the course. Ties are broken by the distance by which the player's last puck crosses the finish line.
Senior Hurling Final: The First Poc (The Paul Ward Cup)
The distance of the first poc taken by each of the senior men is recorded. The player who has the longest first poc is awarded the Paul Ward Cup. The Paul Ward Cup is to honour the memory of committee member Mr Paul Ward, who died in 2021.
Comórtas Beirte (Pairs) – Corn Cuailgne (The Cooley Cup) and Corn Na Craoibhe Rua (The Red Branch Cup)
Shared between the pairing drawn prior to the competition as the pair returning the fewest combined pucks for the course. Record holders still to be clarified! This competition has now been discontinued.
Senior Camogie Final – (The Camogie Poc Fada Cup)
There are six competitors in the Senior Camogie Final. The current champion, the 4 current provincial champions and an invitational nominee from An Cumann Camógaíochta.
The U16 Boys Final – Corn Sheáin Óg Mhic Sheáin (The Young John McShane Cup)
There are currently only 4 participants in this event, 1 from each of the 4 provincial qualifiers. If the situation occurs where the winner of the All Ireland final is eligible to compete at the same age group the following year he will be asked to return and defend his All Ireland title. To date this has happened twice when the 2011 Under 16 champion (Cillian Kiely of Offaly) successfully retained the All Ireland title in 2012. This feat was repeated by his brother Cathal, the 2016 champion, who also retained his title in 2017.
History The tournament was founded in 1960 by Fr. Pól Mac Sheáin and the Naomh Moninne club based in Fatima, Dundalk, Louth, with the first All Ireland event taking place in 1961, Limerick man Vincent Godfrey was the first winner, out of 16 hurlers invited. The competition went off the calendar after 1969 before returning in 1981 with 12 competitors.
The concept of the competition originates in the Irish legend of "Táin Bó Cuailgne" when Cúchulainn, who as the boy Setanta set out from his home at Dún Dealgan to the King's court at Emain Macha hitting his sliotar before him and running ahead to catch it as he travelled over the Cooley Mountains.
In 2001 the Poc Fada was held at Dundalk Stadium (Dundalk Racecourse) due to foot-and-mouth disease on the Cooley Peninsula, doing two laps of the circuit (2 miles 880 yards / 4,023 metres). The 2005 tournament was won by Albert Shanahan of Limerick, with international soccer player Niall Quinn (who played for Dublin in the 1983 All-Ireland Minor final) also competing.
Almost all of the winners have been from traditional hurling counties, but Dinny Donnelly (Meath), Gerry Goodwin (Tyrone), Colin Byrne (Wicklow), Paul Dunne (Louth), Mary Henry (Westmeath), 2009 champion Gerry Fallon (Roscommon) and 2010 champion Graham Clarke (Down) have been exceptions. The record currently stands at 48 pucks (an average of 104 metres per puck), achieved by Brendan Cummins (Tipperary) in 2004. The current record for the Camogie course is held by Patricia Jackman of Waterford when in 2013 she completed the course in 27 pocs and 7 metres (over the end line). Traditionally the most successful competitors have generally been goalkeepers, owing to the need for goalkeepers to puck the ball far up the field in a game of hurling but increasingly there are more "outfield" Hurlers and Camogs out qualifying their goalkeeping contemporaries at county and provincial final level.
Poc Fada Most Titles
Name County Number of Wins Years Brendan Cummins Tipperary 9 2004, 2006–08, 2011–15 Ger Cunningham Cork 7 1984–90 Patricia Jackman Waterford 7 2009–15 Cillian Kiely Offaly 2 Snr and 2 U16 Under 16 2011-12. Senior 2018-19 Molly Lynch Cork 6 Snr and 1 U16 Under 16 2017. Senior 2021-26
Roll of Honour
Year Winner County Number of pucks 1961 Vincent Godfrey Limerick 52 1962 Ollie Walsh Kilkenny 67 1963 Ollie WalshTom GearyDinny Donnelly KilkennyWaterfordMeath 70 1964 Oliver Gough Kilkenny 1965 Denis Murphy Cork 1966 Finbar O'Neill Cork 1967 Finbar O'Neill Cork 1968 Finbar O'Neill Cork 1969Liam Tobin Waterford 1970–80 Eleven-year hiatus 1981 Pat Hartigan Limerick 1982 Gerry Goodwin Tyrone 1983 Pat Hartigan Limerick 1984 Ger Cunningham Cork 1985 Ger Cunningham Cork 1986 Ger Cunningham Cork 1987 Ger Cunningham Cork 1988 Ger Cunningham Cork 1989 Ger Cunningham Cork 1990 Ger Cunningham Cork 1991 Tommy Quaid Limerick 1992 Albert Kelly Offaly 1993 Albert Kelly Offaly 1994 Michael Shaughnessy Galway 1995 Michael Shaughnessy Galway 1996 Michael Shaughnessy Galway 1997 Colin Byrne Wicklow 1998 Albert Kelly Offaly 1999 Davy Fitzgerald Clare 2000 Colin Byrne Wicklow 50 2001 Albert Shanahan Limerick 49 § 2002 Davy Fitzgerald Clare 52 2003 Paul Dunne Louth 54 2004 Brendan Cummins Tipperary 48 2005 Albert Shanahan Limerick 58 2006 Brendan Cummins Tipperary 52 2007 Brendan Cummins Tipperary 49 2008 Brendan Cummins Tipperary 49 2009 Gerry Fallon Roscommon 60 (strong wind) 2010 Graham Clarke Down 51 2011 Brendan Cummins Tipperary 50 2012 Brendan Cummins Tipperary 39 § 2013 Brendan Cummins Tipperary 51 2014 Brendan Cummins Tipperary 54 2015 Brendan Cummins Tipperary 57 2016 James McInerney Clare 50 2017 Tadhg Haran Galway 51 2018 Cillian Kiely Offaly48 2019 Cillian Kiely Offaly 49 2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Colin Ryan Limerick 21 § 2022 Killian Phelan Kilkenny 49 2023 Fionan Mackessy Kerry 48 2024 Fionan Mackessy Kerry/Kilkenny 40 Pucks + 73.4m § 2025 Colin Ryan Limerick 25 Pucks + 60.7 m § 2026 Colin Ryan Limerick 51 Pucks + 54 m §
§ short course 2001 – took place at the Dundalk Racecourse (two and a half-mile) due to foot-and-mouth disease. § Less mountainous course 2012 – The Senior Men's competition was played over the "Lower" course due to the prevailing weather conditions on Finals' Day. They started at the course start line pucking to "An Gábhlan" and back to the start line where they turned and repeated the course for a second time. The course distance was . § short course 2021 – the shorter Camogie/Juvenile course was used due to heavy fog on the mountains. § Section 2 was not used due to high winds. § short course 2025 - the second and third sections were removed due to adverse weather (High Winds)
Camogie Poc Fada since 2004
Uses a shorter course of just 2 stages from "An Fhana Mór" to "An Gabhlan" and back, a distance of 2.14 km (1.33 miles). The current record for the Camogie course is held by Patricia Jackman of Waterford when in 2013 she completed the course in 27 pocs and 7 metres (over the end line). Catriona Daly (Galway) finishing 2nd to Patricia in 2013 with 28 pocs and 17.5m is in third place. Mary Henry of Westmeath in fourth place with 28 pocs and 4 metres (over the end line) in 2006.
Year Winner County Number of pucks 2004 Stephanie Gannon Galway 32 2005 Denise Lynch Clare 30 2006 Mary Henry Westmeath 28 + 4m 2007 Lyndsey Condell Carlow 30 2008 Lyndsey Condell Carlow 2009 Patricia Jackman Waterford 29 2010 Patricia Jackman Waterford 28 2011 Patricia Jackman Waterford 28 2012 Patricia Jackman Waterford 29 2013 Patricia Jackman Waterford 27 2014 Patricia Jackman Waterford 29 2015 Patricia Jackman Waterford 27 2016 Aoife Murray Cork 27 2017 Susan Earner Galway 26 pocs 10 m 2018 Susan Earner Galway 24 2019 Catriona Daly Galway 24 2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Molly Lynch Cork 28 2022 Molly Lynch Cork 25 2023 Molly Lynch Cork 24 2024 Molly Lynch Cork 25 Pucks + 39.8m 2025 Molly Lynch Cork 27 Pucks + 37m 2026 Molly Lynch Cork 26 Pucks + 62.3m
Boys (Under 16)
Uses the same course as the Camogie finalists.
Year Winner County Number of pucks 2007 Aaron Murphy Limerick 24 2008 Eamon Murphy Waterford 26 2009 Noel Fallon Roscommon 25 2010 Owen Treacy Galway 25 2011 Cillian Kiely Offaly 24 2012 Cillian Kiely Offaly 22 2013 Jack Coyne Galway 25 2014 Donal McKernan Antrim 26 2015 Shaun Murray Waterford 252016 Cathal Kiely Offaly 222017 Cathal Kiely Offaly 222018 Kyle Shelly Tipperary 222019 Patrick Burke Galway 24 2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2021 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2022 Darragh Smith Westmeath 242023 Sean Kelly Galway 242024 Matthew O’Sullivan Kerry 24 Pucks + 55.8 m2025 Conor Raleigh Westmeath 25 Pucks + 34 m2026 Conor Raleigh Westmeath 22 Pucks
Girls U16 Camogie Poc Fada since 2015
Uses the same course as the Camogie finalists.
Year Winner County Number of pucks 2015 Sarah Healy Galway 32 2016 Sarah Healy Galway 28 2017 Molly Lynch Cork 31 2018 Maeve Muldoon Galway 27 2019 Katie Gilchrist Galway 27 2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2022 Lucy Lynch Cork 28 2023 Tiarná Kelly Derry 29 2024 Ona Kennedy Kilkenny 31 Pucks + 12.8m 2025 Siofra Ginty Offaly 33 Pucks + 22.5 m 2026 Eloise McConn Kildare 32 Pucks + 59.3 m
References
An Poc Fada.net – The Poc Fada portal for News, History, Pictures and Results The Poc Fada on gaa.ie GAA Poc Fada
External links The Poc Fada on gaa.ie GAA Poc Fada on Facebook GAA Poc Fada on Twitter MD My Club Shop GAA Poc Fada Official Sponsor An Poc Fada.net – The Poc Fada portal for News, History, Pictures and Results