*Tony Griffin lifts the Sam Maguire Cup.
A Laochra Gael episode on Ballyea’s Tony Griffin will be broadcasted on TG4 on February 15th at 9:30pm.
This spring, TG4 will host the 22nd season of the renowned GAA series. Eight players with true star qualities are included in the series, which offers more in-depth, unique and occasionally unexpected glimpses into the lives among these idols.
On the fourth episode of the series, stars the 2006 All-Star corner-forward, Tony Griffin. The episode will air at 9:30pm on Thursday 15th February, and will also feature notable GAA idols Anthony Daly, Paul Flanagan, Dónal O’Grady Tony Kelly, along with relatives Maria Griffin, Seán Griffin, Frankie Griffin, and wife Keira-Eva Mooney.
Tony Griffin joined the Clare hurling team in 2002, and at the top of his powers, after earning an All-Star, made the decision to drop hurling and journey across Canada and raise money for cancer care and to also remember his father, Jerome. For cancer charities, Tony was able to raise more than €1 million. Later on, he established his own organisation, Soar, which provides resources and supports Irish youth in fulfilling their aspirations.
Griffin played a significant role in Kerry’s backroom personnel in 2022, helping the Kingdom clinch the All-Ireland. The author is a regular of the Kerry winning manager Jack O’Connor, where the pair worked together with the Kildare footballers prior to Kerry.
Despite his notable heroic performances in the Banner jersey, the Ballyea man is recognised for auctioning off his All-Star award, with the profits going towards humanitarian supplies for Ukraine in their continuing conflict with Russia. An international donor placed a huge bid of €15,000 for the All-Star, ensuring that the prize would travel abroad.
The Laochra Gael episode will air on the tv screens just over two years on from an article published by The Clare Echo, where Griffin referenced the series in the article on 13th February 2022.
The scenario questioned when pressed on whether it bugs him that his service to Clare hurling may be overlooked at times, in which he replied stating it doesn’t bother as much anymore. “Not anymore, I’ve gone on and done other things but I’m not in Laochra Gael, I’ll put it that way”.
Griffin stated that Laochra Gael was mentioned at a wedding he attended where “one of the lads at a wedding said, ‘I’ve written to them. I’ve written to TG4 and asked, why haven’t you covered Tony Griffin? He’s done so much more than just hurling, you’ve got to”. In which the 2006 All-Star replied, ‘you didn’t just waste your time writing to them'”.
Richie Power, Tony Scullion, Lindsay Peat, Alan Kerins, Pat Critchley, Ciara Gaynor, and Kevin Hughes will all also have featured episodes within the 22nd season of the Laochra Gael series.
