An extremely scarce medal from Cork’s first Football All-Ireland in 1894 comes up at Fonsie Mealy’s rare books and collectibles sale in Dublin on December 6 and 7. The seventh All-Ireland final was mired in controversy. The first game was a draw, there was a re-match where, with seven minutes remaining and Cork leading Dublin by 1-02 to 0-5, several Dublin players were attacked by Cork supporters. Dublin refused to play on and was awarded the championship by the GAA Central Council. Cork County Board never accepted this finding.
Four months later a ceremony was held to award gold medals to the victorious Cork players from Nil Desperandum FC which had been founded mostly as a rugby club and where members started playing Gaelic Football in 1888. The 9 carat gold medal bears the Cork Coat of Arms and the Provincial Coats of Arms and is inscribed: GAA All-Ireland Football Championship, won by Nils, 1894″. It is estimated at €7,000-€9,000. The medal is by direct family descent from Jack O’Sullivan of Nil Desperandum. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD