[caption id="attachment_69558" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="GAA Director General Pauric Duffy chats to First Minister Peter Robinson during the game. Also pictured are from left to right are Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, Ulster GAA President, Aogán Ó Fearghail, and Cardinal Sean Brady."]
There have been several historic moves in Northern Ireland in recent years,but none of the 5,000 spectators who made their way to the McKenna Cup final on Saturday night could have anticipated that they were to witness another.
After the national anthem was played First Minister Peter Robinson took his seat in the Morgan Athletic Grounds in Armagh beside deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
The DUP leader was a guest of the Ulster Council of the GAA for the game between Tyrone and Derry, which was beamed live into homes across the country by TG4.
Astonished viewers watched as Robinson sat chatting in the stand. He later said he enjoyed the game which was eventually won by Tyrone.
"Peter got a very warm reception from everyone he met at the game," said Martin McGuinness. "It was wonderful to have him there."
The move comes after Queen Elizabeth paid a visit to Croke Park in Dublin - the home of the GAA - during her historic visit to Ireland last year.
Peter Robinson's party colleague, East Derry MP Gregory Campbell said Mr. Robinson's attendance was "more about gestures."
"This is about symbolism and a gesture," he said.
"I think if it is offered in that context and received in that context then I would not quibble about it.
"The GAA has been traveling in the right direction for some time now.
"There are issues that are still outstanding, there are still grounds, there are still clubs named after IRA terrorists that obviously have to be changed," he added.
Meanwhile, Martin McGuinness has said that the North should hold a border poll as early as 2016. It comes after more details were released
about the proposed Scottish independence referendum in 2014.
"It just seems to me to be a sensible timing. It would be on the question of whether or not the people of the Six Counties wish to retain the link with what is described as the United Kingdom, or be part of a united Ireland," he said.
"It could take place anytime between 2016 or 2020-21," he said. He saw no reason whatsoever why such a move should not be considered.
"I think, in all probability, the people who have got the power to put that in place won't even contemplate it this side of the next Assembly elections, which conceivably could be 2015 or 2016," he said.
