McElwain returns for a second season of Scéalta na gCorn

ULSTER born presenter Gráinne McElwain has been back on the road again putting together a second season of Scéalta na gCorn which returns to TG4 this week.

McElwain, a present for GAA Go during this season’s championship, travels across Ireland visiting clubs and county grounds, learning the lesser-known stories behind our nation’s Gaelic games trophies.

She will find out how some cups are named after Irish revolutionary patriots such as Thomas Ashe and Joe McGarrity, how other trophies are named after sporting heroes such as Nickey Rackard and Dermot Earley and how even more are named after grassroots members, their memory perpetuated through the trophies and cups in their honour.

The series starts with Gráinne McElwain visiting the home of hurling – Semple Stadium, Tipperary where she hears about silverware named after two of the nation’s patriots – Dan Breen and Seán Treacy.

She also visits the hidden gem that is Lár an Páirce Museum to see some of its treasures, as well as learn about an unusually shaped trophy resembling one of the county’s most famous landmarks – The Cross of Cashel Trophy. Gráinne also learns about the tragic loss of a young Tipperary hurler whose name lives on in the form of the Dillon Quirke Cup.

Episode two of Scéalta na gCorn takes Gráinne further south to Kerry, a county that has its fair share of silverware. She hears about the cup that every footballer in the county wants to get their hands on – The Bishop Moynihan Cup and learns of a much-loved camogie cup named after Veronica Stack. She pays a visit to the county’s home-ground to hear about footballing hero Con Brosnan before travelling to Ventry and the Páidí Ó Sé tournament to discover a cup named after a Roscommon man, Dermot Earley.

Gráinne is back on the road again as she travels to Wexford, where she hears about a cup in memory of hurling giant Nickey Rackard, as well as the Hanrahan Cup and its ties to a Laois hurler. It’s not all about hurling, however, as she pays a visit to a local Garda station to hear about the new prize for the Senior Football Championship – the Seamus Keevans Cup. Gráinne also finds out about the silverware honouring women in the county, like the Marie Lynch camogie cup and an LGFA cup named after young Sandra Keane.

Gráinne heads north to the first of three stops in Ulster – County Down. Her first visit is to the county’s home ground Páirc Esler, where she finds out about a much-loved priest who has a Cumann na mBunscol competition cup named in his honour. Gráinne also learns about the All-Ireland Minor Camogie cup named after a former president of the Association. She hears the fascinating story of hurling silverware celebrating the bold Betsy Gray and takes time to meet Kevin Mussen, the first man to carry the Sam Maguire cup across the border.

Episode 5 sees Gráinne McElwain in the O’Neill county, Tyrone. She hears about the football cup named after the Earl of Tyrone, Hugh the Great O’Neill and the cup every university footballer wants to get their hands on, the Sigerson Cup. Gráinne visits the parish of Eglish where she learns more about the prize presented for the International Rules Series – The Cormac McAnallen Cup, and a local tournament played in honour of one of the county’s most decorated camogie players, Anne Jordan.

The Scéalta na gCorn series finishes in the Breffni county, Cavan, as Gráinne finds out about the multitude of cups the county has to offer. She hears how the most sought-after football trophy in the province – the Anglo-Celt Cup – got its name and finds out about a tournament played in memory of footballing hero John Joe O’Reilly. Gráinne also discovers the county’s newest cup for the Senior Hurling Championship – The Tom Walsh Cup and learns of the silverware named after younger players such as the Michelle Keating Cup and the Amy Sheridan Cup.

Gráinne McElwain continues to follow her dreams