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It’s hard to overstate the sheer joy and delight of what seems like the entire county of Mayo when the “team of heroes” representing the county – which had striven again and again for the All-Ireland crown only to be denied for 75 years – finally triumphed yesterday.
Mayo were the underdogs going into the match. Two weeks out, when manager, Andy Moran asked the media who thought they had a chance of winning the final, no-one answered in the affirmative. “I find it very actually dismissive, if I’m being honest,” he said. “Our county has been starved the last four or five years. If they [the fans] go a bit nuts, let them.”
It must be the cherry on the cake of absolute delight to prove so many wrong – and it’ll be “sheer madness” in Castlebar tonight, this lady said. That’ll be some party. Maigh Eo abú.
But before they headed for home, the Mayo team dropped in with the precious Sam Maguire to see the kids in Temple Street Children’s Hospital.
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Midwest Radio commentators Stephan Grealis and Martin Carney have garnered thousands of new fans as their emotional, rapturous commentary perfectly caught the mood of Mayo fans everywhere. “Delerium, delerium” is right – and who’d blame them.
“The famine is over, the famine is over! The curse be damned! Mayo have won the All-Ireland. Sam Maguire is coming home.” Stephan Grealis said as Croke Park erupted.
Jack Coyne’s speech spoke about the drive to ‘never stop dreaming’ and ‘Sam is home’.
That tremendous pride for parish and county, and for the players that give their all for the love of the game alone was writ large everywhere yesterday, in a way that is almost unique to Ireland and the GAA, a sport played by the most skilled and highly trained amateurs. “You will categorically never hear sports commentary anywhere in the world quite like this. The passion. The pride. The people,” Mayo North Tourism said. They’re right.
The whole country – even the Kerry fans – seemed delighted for Mayo. “You are watching one of the most significant moments in the history of the GAA” as the Sunday Game said.
This Mayo’s man’s reaction has gone totally viral.
He was emotional too before the match – but with divine intervention being sought beforehand as Cruach Phádraig was climbed, how could Mayo have lost. As Jarleth Burns said ‘Our Lady of Knock’ answered the fans’ prayers.
For all those who remembered the long drought, this is just beautiful from Eddie Durkan: “A bitter sweet weekend. I said goodbye to my Dad last night. Mayo won the year he was born in 1950 and then again today.”
And this from Midwest radio: “This is my late Mam and Dad, ‘Stitch’ and Kitty Birrane on O’Connell St., going to the last Mayo All-Ireland final win. Look at the little paper hat, the little suitcase of sandwiches, and their Sunday best clothes. It took them seven hours to get there, always great supporters.”
Let the celebrations continue. Hup Maigh Eo!
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