Episode 1

This episode explores the rough and tumble origins of Gaelic football and how, through rebellion and civil war, it explodes like a prairie fire to become the most popular sport in Ireland. It reveals how one cricket and rugby fan was so critical in the game’s early take-off and how a simple decision to play on Sundays brought Gaelic football to a whole new world of Irish people.

Modern masters explore its appeal, with Brian Fenton fighting back tears as he pours out his passion for a game that conquered his home city of Dublin, but was born in the fields and bogs of rural Ireland. Pride of place and tribalism help fuel the sport, and Tyrone’s Seán Cavanagh reveals the depth of emotions stirred when he won the All-Ireland and brought home the Sam Maguire cup for the first time.

Exploring how the game has become so synonymous with Irish culture and identity, the episode features a controversial overseas adventure to commemorate the Great Famine, where the All-Ireland final is brought to New York in 1947. Here, Cavan and Kerry - the power from the north and the power from the south - battle it out for All-Ireland honours and confound the critics with a nail-biting final that proves a profound inspiration for the Irish diaspora.

But it’s not all history and culture! Kerry’s David Clifford’s legendary legs are featured in super-slow motion, while Galway’s Shane Walsh kicks the paint off the gable wall at his family home as he reveals some of the keys to his success.