Dublin
Football: Dublin have been the dominant force in modern Gaelic football, winning 31 All-Ireland titles. Under Jim Gavin (2012–2019) they won six Sam Maguire Cups in eight years, including five in a row from 2015 to 2019. Key players include Stephen Cluxton, James McCarthy, Con O'Callaghan, and Brian Fenton. Their deep panel and professional approach set the standard.
Hurling: Dublin hurling has improved significantly, reaching Leinster finals and competing at the top level, though they trail the traditional powers.
Kerry
Football: Kerry are the most successful county in football history with 38 All-Ireland titles. Known as "The Kingdom," they have produced legends like Mick O'Connell, Pat Spillane, Maurice Fitzgerald, and in the modern era, David Clifford — arguably the best player in the game today. Jack O'Connor led them to the 2022 title.
Hurling: Kerry hurling has been growing, competing successfully in the Joe McDonagh Cup and producing talented dual players.
Cork
Football: Cork have won 7 All-Ireland football titles, with their last coming in 2010. A traditional power, they remain competitive in Munster.
Hurling: Cork are the second most successful hurling county with 30 All-Ireland titles. The great Cork teams of the 1940s, 1970s, and 2000s produced legendary players like Christy Ring, Jimmy Barry-Murphy, and Patrick Horgan.
Tyrone
Football: Tyrone emerged as a major force in the 2000s under Mickey Harte, winning All-Irelands in 2003, 2005, and 2008, and again in 2021. Known for their defensive discipline and counter-attacking style, they are the dominant force in Ulster football alongside Donegal.
Hurling: Tyrone compete in the lower tiers of hurling but have a passionate hurling community in areas like Carrickmore.
Galway
Football: Galway have won 9 All-Ireland football titles, their most recent in 2001. They remain a strong force in Connacht, with a recent resurgence under Padraic Joyce, reaching the 2022 final. Key players include Shane Walsh and Damien Comer.
Hurling: Galway are the leading hurling county in Connacht, winning the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 2017. They consistently compete in Leinster championships and All-Ireland semi-finals.
Other Notable Counties
Mayo: Famous for their near-misses (last All-Ireland in 1951), Mayo have reached multiple finals since 2012 without tasting victory. Their passionate support is legendary.
Donegal: All-Ireland champions in 2012 and 1992, known for their defensive system under Jim McGuinness.
Limerick: The dominant force in modern hurling with four All-Irelands in a row (2020–2023). Players like Cian Lynch, Gearóid Hegarty, and Aaron Gillane have made them a dynasty.
Kilkenny: The "Cats" have 36 All-Ireland hurling titles. Brian Cody managed them for 24 seasons, creating one of the greatest sporting dynasties in history.
Tipperary: 28 All-Ireland hurling titles, with legendary players like Nicky English, Eoin Kelly, and Séamus Callanan.
Clare: Modern hurling contenders, breaking through to win the All-Ireland in 2013 and 2024, led by players like Tony Kelly.
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Who's on Top in 2026
The 2026 season reshuffled the honours board. Mayo's All-Ireland football win on 26 July was their fourth title overall (1936, 1950, 1951, 2026) and their first in 75 years, while Kerry remain the most decorated county in football history with 39 Sam Maguire Cups. In hurling, Limerick's 2026 win made it six titles in the modern era (2018, 2020–2023, 2026), closing in on the great Kilkenny and Cork dynasties of the past.
The recent era's other heavyweights are well established: Dublin dominated football with six titles in a row from 2015 to 2020 and added a seventh in 2023, while Tyrone (2021) and Armagh (2024) have broken through in the north. In hurling, Tipperary's 2025 shock win over Cork showed how quickly the hierarchy can change.
The Great Rivalries
GAA rivalries are rooted in history and geography. Kerry v Dublin is the biggest fixture in football — the two most successful counties, meeting in eight All-Ireland finals, with 1955 and 2011 among the most famous. Cork v Kerry is the great Munster derby, played in front of passionate home crowds at Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Fitzgerald Stadium. In hurling, Cork v Tipperary is the classic Munster duel, while Kilkenny v anyone carries the weight of the Cats' 36 All-Ireland titles.
Modern finals have added new chapters: Mayo v Kerry in 2026 (a first final meeting since 2006) and the Dublin v Mayo rivalry of the 2010s, which produced five finals in nine years. These rivalries drive the biggest crowds in European sport outside soccer — and they make GAA betting markets among the most passionate, and most volatile, anywhere.
How to Follow Your County
Every county has a full fixture list from January to July: National League games in spring, then the provincial championship and All-Ireland series through summer. The GAA's official channels — gaa.ie, the GAA Now app and the GAA's social media — publish fixtures, results and ticket links, while RTÉ and TG4 broadcast the big games live and the GAAGO streaming service carries the rest internationally.
County jerseys, available from the GAA store and county shops, are the standard way to show allegiance, and away days to provincial grounds are a cherished tradition for travelling supporters. If you support a county, the golden rule is simple: the league matters for form, the championship matters for everything else.