The REAL New GAA Jersey rankings - 2016
There was an article posted recently on a popular website listing its latest ranking for GAA jerseys. It made me mad. Very mad. I may not be the Tommy Hilfiger of Irish Design or even the Paul Lukas of Irish Sports, but I know a good jersey when I see one. I can also tell you why I like it, in sentences that go beyond ‘mouthwatering purple, mouthwatering gold’. Jesus.
The following is a list in descending order of all the new jerseys that have been released so far late last year or early in this one for this season and beyond. A GAA jersey launch in March is the equivalent of a movie launch in January. Just as any film halfway decent gets released post summer to get some Oscar buzz, any county worth its Koolite will launch the shirt before Christmas to get a few sales. If they release it after, they think its a bit rubbish or worse again, don’t see it as important.
And that would be tragic. Jerseys are important things, perhaps the most important of things. We take them everywhere, beaches in the Algarve, the Superbowl, the Arctic even. Its an extension and regional delineation of, our national pride, the ultimate conversation starter in foreign climes, and something you can lord it over your mates with at training. ‘Where did you get that from?’
The Kevin Bell fund has a great jersey initiative, look at @KBRT2013, to see how people use their jersey to promote the cause of the trust around the world.
So here we go, some real rankings. And editors and contributors to click-baiting, headline porn emblazoning websites beware: treat these jerseys with respect.
1. Port Lairge - Azzuri
The Waterford Jersey comes in at number one for me because with Azzuri they have managed to push the boundaries of GAA jerseys, but in a way that the ultra conservative GAA peoples can handle. You don’t see the supporters of Passage spilling their Barrys gold blend over their new shirts, not with all that white. The 2014 jersey was one of the best in recent years, and the cut of this shirt is really good, a big improvement on the standard O’Neills sleeve which is merely just tighter. Its classy with an interesting raised collar which ‘lifts’ the shirt a bit. I really like the grey dapple in the corner, its an interesting design feature which mixes up the atmosphere, and adds a breath of fresh polyester into a wardrobe with too few tailors for too long.
2. An Clár
This jersey design has divided opinion so far, which gives it instant credibility in my mind. If a GAA jersey provokes some sort of debate, it has some sort or feature that is a bit out of the norm. The little white corners on the blue centre band are a quirky, brave design feature that look a bit like when you try to crop a jpeg a bit too much, but I like it. I think the spikes at the bottom are really cool and sure with characters like Davy Fitz and @DonalOgC , on the sideline I think the spikey features are very fitting.
3. Dún na nGall
Donegal’s previous jersey was an all-timer. Michael Murphy nearly lifted another All-Ireland with it, so it will be on many a poster on many a wall in the Glenties and elsewhere for years to come. To be fair to O’Neill’s, while the basic template of plain collar, with a clear separation between chest and sleeve is everywhere this year, they do make an effort to differentiate between the shirts. The Donegal one has a nice little pockmarked effect on the green band on the chest.
The shades of the colours are great, and the sponsors while big, don’t clash too much.
Unusually and I think maybe uniquely, Donegal’s crest is woven and attached as a single unit, as opposed to others which are either printed or stitched on. A lovely touch which shows nice attention to detail.
4. Sligeach
Sligo could be another Kildare when it comes to jersey design. They could mail it in with another monochrome effort, but instead you get the type of out-of-the-bosca thinking that the West is full of. Its brave to strike away from the traditional powers in GAA kit. The powers that have been are very clever at offering loyalty rewards, a kickback on the products sold every year, and these rewards make it difficult for counties to strike new ground. Sligo have done it, and are reaping the rewards with a unique look. The super thin collar is distinctive and the grey border on the white band stops the jersey from looking too standard.
5. An Dún
Professional objectivity allows me to view all jerseys equally, although having said that, Red and Black is the best combination in county liveries by a stretch. Down GAA have given much to the gaelic fashion cause, the first county to stray from the white shorts only rule, a third jersey in the 1994 semi-final that caught everyone by surprise, as well as the latest golden offering of the same type. This is back to the simplicity of the two versions before, strong black sleeves against a rich red. With some chevrons up the middle.
6. Uíbh Fhailí
Perhaps because they have basically the Tricolour’s colours, I always think that Offaly have a lot of responsibility to bring out a decent jersey, to not soil or tarnish the image of a nation. The green is a bit off, a bit tealy, but I’m sure this will look much better in the sunshine at Tullamore later in the summer. It’s a bright cheery combination with thick white lines which I think make the colours pop quite nicely. Good upgrade.
7. Doire
The Oak leaf county have not exactly pushed the boundaries of fashion over the years with their jerseys. The off-red that to their credit they have stuck with solidly for their home jerseys is pretty passive, and this jersey has a nice rounded edge to the sleeve stripes, it has no other feature worthy of much acclaim. There is a dappled grid effect to the bottom which is pretty much lost and will tucked into shorts or tracksuit bottoms anyway.
8. An Mhí
Sometimes a sponsor, sometimes it doesn’t. As St Mary’s London know all too well.
Having Tayto sponsor you must make the team that wee bit happier, seeing Mr tayto and his cheeky wee smile peering over the Tayto park logo must make even the most mundane of pre-season training that bit more bearable. I can only presume a few boscas of cheese and onion are in the boot of every player ? That’s all that’s good about this shirt though, as Meath continue to bounce between shades of green like Mickey bounces off the hanging bar, having done another 30 wide grip pull-ups.
9. Ard Mhacha
There are things you can’t do. You should never be ashamed about maintaining some GAA traditions, and making sure Armagh never get too much credit is one any Down man should always uphold. That said, I have to admit I thought this shirt was a disgrace. Armagh are on a shocking run though. Ever since they pioneered the player fit sleeve, so everyone would shit themselves when they saw Geezer flyin’ at them bursting out of his geansaí, Armagh have really struggled to find a decent shirt. That silly little triangle and circle logo which is probably some Joe Kernan mind trick was there until this version. I generally don’t care what logo a County sports, but this one is a travesty. It makes a mockery of the shirt and a bit like a knock-off specsavers image. Right, I’m stopping now before I lose all my friends in Armagh.
10. Corcaigh
The rebel spirit is waning low, if this is the best the brain trust at Páirc Uí Chaoimh can come up with. yes, I know they have more to worry about, building a new stadium, (a centre of mediocrity according to Donal Og) and trying to restore one or both teams to competitive relevancy, but this does not help. We need a return to the Esat Digifone era to inject a bit of vitality into the shirt, and maybe the teams. And of all the years, you would think 2016 would be the year Cork rises up !
10. Gaillimh
I can’t prove beyond all doubt that teams play better with a shirt they like, but the thesis is coming. I went to watch Galway play in Parnell Park last weekend and the performance was shocking. Limp, lifeless, no style, and that was just the shirt. Galway have a unique colourway and they tend to squander it in my opinion. This is close to being a classic but the faint lines in the centre are so timid, they may as well not be there. Let’s see if Peyton Manning gets one in the post from Papa John (Daidí Sean).
11. Cill Dara
For too long the Kildare County Board has been putting out a napkin masquerading as a jersey, and its high time someone called them on their BS. A plain simple lovely Kildare top? I remember meeting Andy Comerford one bleak March, we were playing Kildare in a pre-league challenge. He was lamenting the softness of his players and how he couldn’t get them to harden up, that they were running to the sideline every time they got a slap on the fingers. They might start with a jersey that has a bit of balls. The designers must leave this one to Friday for sure …
“ Right, that’s the 23rd draft sent off to Castlebar now. Who’s left to do lads ?”
“Kildare”.
“ Happy days ! I’ll copy and paste it on the way to the pub ! Yeeeooo up the Lilies !”
12. An Lú
Im so disappointed with this one. The last Louth white jersey was an absolute classic, I loved it and its really cool sleeves pioneered this new fashion of torc like sleeves. But, they gave it all up and the result is just so bland, featureless, you wonder why anyone would fork out £43 or €70 for this piece of tripe. I’ve always had a fondness for Louth. There was a newsagent called Conyards just past the pitch in Dundalk where we normally stopped for an Ice-Cream on the way home from Dublin. If Dad was in a really good mood you might even get dinner in the Lisdoo. A new shirt is supposed to be exciting dynamic, this one takes the wind out of the sails. Their logo is one of the most clever modern redesigns there is, and this shirt really lets it down. And Bríd wept …
