Rural youth organisation, Macra na Feirme, is holding a fundraising Gaelic football match in Croke Park on Tuesday, June 13.

Tickets for the event are free and are available to ‘book’ through a link on Macra’s Facebook page for anyone interested in attending what is promised to be a very “entertaining affair for all”.

Macra, with the support of the GAA, has arranged for 60 GAA-mad Macra members and also non-members – both male and female – from around the country to take part in a 35-minute football match in Croke Park for the ‘ultimate Gaelic football experience’. There will be four full teams in total taking part in two separate matches on the day.

Each of the members and players taking to the field has raised €1,000 in funding for Macra. The money raised will be used by Macra to continue to provide key facilities for the youth of rural Ireland today.

Macra has announced that there is still a limited number of playing places available for anyone who wishes to experience the full thrill of taking to the field in Croke Park. Anyone interested is asked to get in touch with Macra as soon as possible (contact information is available on its website).

In 2016, Macra spent its budget on six main areas: agriculture; sport; travel; public-speaking; performing-arts; and community involvement. Macra will be using the money raised to continue to “maintain the services we provide to Ireland’s rural youth”.

For the players taking to the field, there is a host of benefits that come with the experience. These include getting to meet the legendary Micheal O Muircheartaigh, getting a player profile in the match-day programme, receiving a one-off GAA kit of a jersey, shorts and socks, entry to the post-match reception and the “full Croke Park experience” with full use of the Croke Park facilities.

The teams will be managed on the day by GAA “heroes” Pat Spillane and John O’Mahony.

Tickets are also available for the Croke Park post-match reception, which will be held on the evening of June 13 at 8:00pm in the Cusack Mezzanine at Croke Park, where the special guests will be Micheal O Muircheartaigh, Pat Spillane and John O’Mahony. Tickets cost €45. 

Tickets to attend both the match and the reception are available on the Macra website.