Replica Cups

PaddyCar

To settle a bet can someone tell me how many Sam Maguire cups there are? Mate reckons there are 2 of them on the go the whole time but surely there is only one cup. (He also says there are something like 22 Heineken cups and also 2 Liam McCarthys). Anyone shed any light on this?

djemba djemba

Fairly sure there is a new Heineken cup presented each year.

As regards the Sam and liam, think there is one of each in croke park all the time and then one of each is taken away by the winning counties. There might be another one of each going around too

Clareman

I don't know about a new Heineken Cup being presented every year, I think the winners are given a replica to keep, same as with the Champions League to World Cup.

Both Sam and Liam were replaced with exact replicas recently (past 20 years), the originals were just starting to show their age, the originals are kept in the Croke Park Museum and are used for photo ops and stuff I think, that might be what your friend is talking about.

Realt Dearg Sec

Clareman wrote: »

I don't know about a new Heineken Cup being presented every year, I think the winners are given a replica to keep, same as with the Champions League to World Cup.

Both Sam and Liam were replaced with exact replicas recently (past 20 years), the originals were just starting to show their age, the originals are kept in the Croke Park Museum and are used for photo ops and stuff I think, that might be what your friend is talking about.

You're right about the replacements but I've been told that there are more than one of Sam and Liam aside from that, simply to accommodate all the demand for the trophies at various events. The winning captain's club will want it for this, the county sponsors want it for that, fundraisers here there and everywhere, every club in the county wants to have it at their club house at some stage. They definitely have more than one doing the rounds. I believe it was done first when Tyrone or somebody won for the first time, anywhere that goes a long time without it the demand goes absolutely sky high.

Sadly no proof or source for this, but for the OP, if proof comes along one way or the other you are probably going to lose the bet. Sorry.

Clareman

Like most equipment there'll be a schedule for where and when it has to be, the County Secretary will probably be left in charge of it.

OAOB

I remember a local pub advertising that the Sam Maguire was going to be down there on a Fri night, picture in the paper that morning of the Sam Maguire being brought over to New York for the weekend. The cup appeared in the pub that night

Justin10

There is two.
Sure there was plenty of nights that had sam in two places at once.

There the exact same though.

Realt Dearg Sec

Rochey18 wrote: »

There is two.
Sure there was plenty of nights that had sam in two places at once.

There the exact same though.

yeah, it's not like one is "the real one", at least as far as I know. Either one might be the one they use at the presentation in a given year. It does take from the mystique of it a bit I suppose, but we are stupid monkeys who like shiny things when it comes down to it, might as well let the baby have his bottle.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

There's defintely 2 anyway, anyone who's been in the GAA museum can testify to that. I very much doubt the original leaves the case in the museum, as there are tours all year round and it would obviously be one of the centre-pieces. Same with Liam.

In my personal opinion I'd say there's only 2, with the replica being on tour pretty much the whole time. I don't think the GAA would make a 3rd trophy purely for advertising reasons, could be completely wrong however, but I do think it would be a step too far for them.

rpurfield

i think it was either brian mceniff or anthony molloy were interviewed during the summer and they said in 92 the donegal county board needed to request the second sam off croke park as there was such a demand on it for events in donegal after they won it that year.

Justin10

No there is a "real" one, which as far as I know cannot leave the country for events in US or UK for example.

There is a Sam, but there is also an identical one.

GAAman

Rochey18 wrote: »

No there is a "real" one, which as far as I know cannot leave the country for events in US or UK for example.

There is a Sam, but there is also an identical one.

Yep that is the case. As far as I know the "Sam lite" as we call it (The one that travels to the US) is slightly smaller than the other one