On this day in 1974, the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) was founded in Hayes’ Hotel in Thurles.
Ninety years after the GAA had been founded in the very same hotel, a meeting was called at Hayes’ Hotel on 18 July 1974 by those involved in ladies football with a view to setting up a national association to govern the game.
Personnel from four counties were represented- Tipperary, Galway, Offaly and Kerry. At the meeting, Killenaule’s Jim Kennedy was elected as President of the new body. Mary Nevin of Offaly was elected as secretary, Margaret Flanagan of Mayo became treasurer and Marie Holland, also from Mayo, became Vice-President.
It was decided to hold a senior inter-county championship with each county paying a £10 fee to cover medals. Eight counties expressed interest in taking part in the inaugural championship- the four founding members of the association along with Roscommon, Laois, Cork and Waterford. On 13 October 1974, Tipperary won the first ever ladies football All-Ireland by beating Offaly by one point (2-3 to 2-2) in Durrow, County Laois.
