Croke Park
Croke Park ( ga, Páirc an Chrócaigh, ) is a Gaelic games stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Named after Archbishop Thomas Croke, it is referred to as Croker by GAA fans and locals. It serves as both the principal national stadium of Ireland and he ...
". Croke Park is both the principal national stadium of Ireland and the headquarters of the
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional ...
(GAA). As well as to spectators, Grogan's voice is familiar to television viewers during the broadcasting of games.
Alongside his status as stadium announcer, Grogan is heavily involved in Cumman na mBunscol and for many years has overseen the mini-games that occur on matchdays. As of 1998, he was Cumman na mBunscol's national development officer, involved in the Leinster Council and with Dublin's ''Hill 16'' magazine and GAA Yearbook. It was former GAA president Seán Kelly who got Grogan involved in "jazzing up" matchday presentation. As soon as Kelly was elected president, in 2003, he invited Grogan, who was then a long-term Cumann na mBunscol activist, to oversee a Presentation Task Force. Grogan sits to the right of the Hogan Stand tunnel during games. He announces the deaths of GAA figures and others, describing the announcement of
Seamus Heaney
Seamus Justin Heaney (; 13 April 1939 – 30 August 2013) was an Irish poet, playwright and translator. He received the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature.
's death as a particular honour. Other than raising his voice to announce the arrival of the players as they emerge from the tunnel, his style does not contain much
bombast
Padding is thin cushioned material sometimes added to clothes. Padding may also be referred to as batting when used as a layer in lining quilts or as a packaging or stuffing material. When padding is used in clothes, it is often done in an attempt ...
. Grogan was involved in the development of
Alan Brogan
Alan Brogan (born 11 January 1982) is a Gaelic footballer from the St Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh club who played for the Dublin county team from 2002 until his retirement in 2015. He can play in the full forward line but usually played cen ...
Dean Rock
Dean Rock (born 26 February 1990) is an Irish Gaelic footballer who has been a senior member of the Dublin county team since 2013.
He has represented Dublin at all grades, Minor, Junior, U21 and Senior. He is a noted free taker and scored the ...
and
Ciarán Whelan
Ciarán Whelan (born 28 February 1976 in Raheny, County Dublin) is a Gaelic footballer who plays for the Raheny club and, formerly, for the Dublin county team. He is right-footed but can kick with both feet and usually plays in midfield. He wa ...
. A Hall of Fame winner, it is also Grogan's responsibility to bring both
Gaelic football
Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by kic ...
's and
hurling
Hurling ( ga, iománaíocht, ') is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic Irish origin, played by men. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, the number of p ...
RTÉ
(RTÉ) (; Irish language, Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the Public broadcaster, national broadcaster of Republic of Ireland, Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on RTÉ Television, telev ...
for the broadcaster's annual ''
Up for the Match
''Up for the Match'' is an Irish Gaelic games-themed variety show currently hosted by Des Cahill and Jacqui Hurley. The show is broadcast live in two editions each year on RTÉ One on the eve of the respective All-Ireland hurling and football ...
'' television programmes on the night before the two All-Ireland Senior Championship finals, as well as to mind the trophy on the day of the game.
Grogan was born in Cahersiveen,
County Kerry
County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...
and lives in Dublin. He left Kerry for Dublin in the 1970s. He was principal of Holy Trinity in Donaghmede until he retired in 2015. He refers to himself as a "Kerry Blue", a reference to the county colours of the
Dublin GAA
The Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) ( ga, Cumann Luthchleas Gael Coiste Contae Átha Cliath) or Dublin GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in the Dublin Regi ...
teams. Through his father's side of the family, his cousin Seán Grogan
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
ed
Offaly
County Offaly (; ga, Contae Uíbh Fhailí) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was formerly known as King's County, in hono ...
Ferbane
Ferbane (; ) is a town on the north bank of the River Brosna in County Offaly, Ireland, between Birr and Athlone at the junction of the N62 National secondary road and the R436 regional road. The name of the town is said to come from the w ...
and Offaly, and Leo was a selector when Offaly won the
1982 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The 1982 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the 96th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament. The championship began on 9 May 1982 and en ...