There is more to modern sports ireland than scores and standings. The latest shift in irish sports is happening behind the camera, where Tipperary hurler Conor Stakelum is helping reshape how fans experience gaa, hurling and the emotion of the all ireland championship.
Stakelum, an All-Ireland winner with Tipperary, has built a growing creative agency called Retake alongside videographer Ben Walsh. Based in Thurles, the company has emerged as one of the most talked-about names in gaa news, thanks to cinematic match-day content, sharp storytelling and a fresh look at the people behind the game.
Sports Ireland and the new look of GAA coverage
For years, much of gaa ireland coverage focused on the result first and the atmosphere second. Retake’s rise shows how quickly that is changing. Working closely with Munster GAA, the team has helped deliver the kind of behind-the-scenes footage supporters now expect across ireland sports news and ireland gaa news today.
The agency’s big strength is planning. What looks spontaneous on social media is often carefully mapped out in advance. From sideline reactions to post-match emotion, every angle is designed to capture the intensity of elite county gaa.
- Pre-planned camera positions for key moments
- Fast-turnaround clips for social channels
- Stronger player-focused storytelling
- More authentic footage from the heart of the action
That approach has helped make major gaa fixtures feel closer, bigger and more human for supporters following gaa live scores, gaa results and match highlights online.
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Why Conor Stakelum’s Retake stands out in Irish sports
Stakelum’s background in a family business gave him a commercial instinct, but his interest in visual storytelling opened another lane. What began as a local video project soon became a serious business, and Retake now works across multiple sectors while keeping strong roots in gaa clubs and Tipperary sport.
Importantly, the company stayed in Thurles rather than moving to Dublin. That matters. In a landscape where creative industries can feel capital-centric, Retake is proving top-class production can be built in the heartland of gaa ireland. It also adds to the wider conversation around regional opportunity in sports ireland.
What has changed in GAA storytelling?
According to Stakelum, players have not always been shown in a way that reflects the true detail, skill and intensity of intercounty life. Retake’s work aims to close that gap by showing:
- The speed and physicality of championship hurling
- The emotional weight of wins and losses
- The preparation behind elite performance
- The personalities within squads and backroom teams
That was especially clear in the agency’s documentary work around Tipperary’s All-Ireland success, which turned season-long footage into a deeper story and also helped raise funds for Tipp GAA.
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What it means for the future of sports ireland
Retake’s growth reflects a broader change in how fans consume sports ireland content. Supporters now want more than match reports. They want access, atmosphere and emotion. In gaa, that means better visuals, stronger digital storytelling and smarter collaboration between players, media and governing bodies.
For fans of hurling, gaelic football and the wider irish sports scene, this matters because it brings the games to life in a more honest way. And for young creatives in the counties, it is proof that big ideas do not have to leave home to succeed.
The next step is obvious: expect more counties, more competitions and more sports to follow this model. In sports ireland, the story is no longer just what happened. It is how powerfully it can be told.
Article/Image Courtesy: Balls.ie
