Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
For Carthage Buckley, a lifetime of GAA memorabilia and memories were squeezed into one room of his home in Clara, Co Offaly.
It was only when he began the process of transporting those contents to Gallen Community School that the enormity of his treasure trove hit home.
The Irish Independent travelled there this week and was equally gobsmacked at the scale of Buckley’s epic archive: so many match programmes, so many books and scrapbooks and other collectibles, some from soccer and rugby too, and with a handful of coveted signed jerseys.
The voracious collector within Buckley may be sad to see it go, but he is “over the moon” at the interest already generated and the fact that all proceeds are destined for the Dóchas Offaly Cancer Support Group in Tullamore.
This is a cause close to his heart. In December of 2019, he and Margaret (fondly known as Mag) lost their son John to cancer. He was just 42. His father speaks movingly about the support Dóchas offered through that difficult journey. He wants to give something back.
GAA referees tend to be remembered more for the controversial sideshows than for their selfless commitment to a job most of us would run a mile from.
Carthage Buckley is no different. He took charge of countless matches for over three-and-a-half decades before he hung up his whistle in 2011; yet fans of a certain vintage probably hear his name and think four words: The Battle of Aughrim.
For more, visit https://www.independent.ie/.
#GAA #GaelicFootball #Hurling #Ireland
For Carthage Buckley, a lifetime of GAA memorabilia and memories were squeezed into one room of his home in Clara, Co Offaly.
It was only when he began the process of transporting those contents to Gallen Community School that the enormity of his treasure trove hit home.
The Irish Independent travelled there this week and was equally gobsmacked at the scale of Buckley’s epic archive: so many match programmes, so many books and scrapbooks and other collectibles, some from soccer and rugby too, and with a handful of coveted signed jerseys.
The voracious collector within Buckley may be sad to see it go, but he is “over the moon” at the interest already generated and the fact that all proceeds are destined for the Dóchas Offaly Cancer Support Group in Tullamore.
This is a cause close to his heart. In December of 2019, he and Margaret (fondly known as Mag) lost their son John to cancer. He was just 42. His father speaks movingly about the support Dóchas offered through that difficult journey. He wants to give something back.
GAA referees tend to be remembered more for the controversial sideshows than for their selfless commitment to a job most of us would run a mile from.
Carthage Buckley is no different. He took charge of countless matches for over three-and-a-half decades before he hung up his whistle in 2011; yet fans of a certain vintage probably hear his name and think four words: The Battle of Aughrim.
For more, visit https://www.independent.ie/.
#GAA #GaelicFootball #Hurling #Ireland
