Tony Hanahoe and Catriona Casey Receive GPA Lifetime Achievement Awards at Football Legends Lunch
The GPA has honoured two trailblazers in Gaelic games, with Dublin and Waterford legends receiving the GPA Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual Football Legends Lunch in Croke Park.
The careers of Tony Hanahoe and Catriona Casey span some of the greatest chapters in Gaelic football history and they share a remarkable legacy. Both captained and inspired iconic teams, collected some of the highest honours in Gaelic games and, perhaps most importantly, continued to devote themselves to the development of football long after their playing careers came to an end.
The annual Football Legends Lunch has become one of the standout occasions of All-Ireland Football Final weekend, celebrating the players and anniversary teams whose achievements continue to inspire today’s generation while supporting Make-A-Wish Ireland, the GPA’s official charity partner for 2026.
A leader who changed Dublin football
Tony Hanahoe’s place in Gaelic football history is secure.
A three-time All-Ireland winner with Dublin, he remains the only player ever to lift the Sam Maguire Cup as captain-manager, guiding Dublin to All-Ireland success in 1977 while simultaneously leading the team on and off the field. It is a distinction that still stands almost 50 years later.
His playing career was defined by sustained excellence. Hanahoe won six consecutive Leinster titles, two National Football Leagues, an All Star Award and captained Dublin to back-to-back All-Ireland triumphs in 1976 and 1977. At club level, he became one of St Vincent’s most decorated players, winning honours in both football and hurling while helping establish the Marino club as one of the country’s great sporting institutions.
His influence has extended well beyond the white line. Through a distinguished legal career, leadership within Irish sport and his work with the GPA’s Past Players Advisory Group, Hanahoe has remained a passionate advocate for Gaelic games and those who have played them.
One of ladies football’s true pioneers
Long before ladies football became the elite sport it is today, Catriona Casey was helping redefine what was possible.
As the heartbeat of the dominant Waterford and Ballymacarbry teams of the late 1980s and 1990s, Casey established herself among the finest footballers ever to play the game.
Her extraordinary record includes five All-Ireland Senior titles, ten All-Ireland club championships, four All Star Awards and countless provincial and national honours. Her success with Ballymacarbry helped create one of the greatest dynasties in Ladies Gaelic Football, while her performances for Waterford inspired a generation of players across the country.
Retirement did little to diminish her impact. Casey has remained closely involved in coaching, mentoring and promoting ladies football, continuing to invest in the game that she helped elevate.
Speaking ahead of the event, GPA CEO Tom Parsons said:
“Tony Hanahoe and Catriona Casey represent everything that is great about Gaelic games. They were exceptional competitors whose influence extended far beyond medals and trophies.
“Both have continued to give back to our games with the same passion and commitment that defined their playing careers. It is fitting that the GPA recognises their outstanding contribution with our Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Alongside the Lifetime Achievement Awards, this year’s Football Legends Lunch will welcome back some of Gaelic football’s most celebrated championship-winning teams, including the 2016 Dublin and Cork champions, the 2006 Kerry and Cork teams, the 1996 Meath and Monaghan teams, the 1986 Kerry men’s and ladies teams, the 1976 Dublin and Kerry teams and the 1966 Galway All-Ireland champions, as players reunite to celebrate landmark anniversaries.
Proceeds from the event will support Make-A-Wish Ireland, the GPA’s official charity partner for 2026, helping grant life-changing wishes for children living with critical illnesses.
