It’s Sunday afternoon and I am all set (even had an early dinner) to really enjoy the football game that everyone said would be one of the games of the summer…the local derby between Galway and Mayo.
I am writing this on Monday evening – and I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at the horrible game that we had to sit through on a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon. I suppose, as a Galway man, I should laugh – because, bad and all as it was to win such a turgid affair, it must be terrible altogether to lose it.
The expression ‘parking the bus’ has managed to work its way into the English language to describe soccer teams who are overly defensive, but on Sunday there were so many buses parked that I doubted if Bus Eireann would have any left to take people back to anywhere. As a result, we had one of the most boring games I have ever had to look at.
In fairness, Galway managed to put one excellent move together, which resulted in Johnny Heaney’s match-deciding goal, and maybe in that one move we saw a glimpse of what the Tribesmen could be capable of. It is my opinion that Sligo in Markievicz Park will be a tough task for Galway, but if they get through that one, unless there is a huge improvement the Rossies will have far too much for them if they meet in the Connacht final.
As I watched both teams slow the game down to walking pace in the second half, and as players passed the ball backways and sideways, I was reminded of a story the great Galway supporter, and local photographer, Gerry O’Loughlin told me when I met him in Roscommon town in the tyre centre owned by one of the greatest Rossie footballing families of all, the Lohans, whose sons Stephen, Eddie and Gerry all wore the primrose and blue with honour and pride.
Anyway, Gerry O’L told me of a well-known Mountbellew goalkeeper, back a little while ago, who, as well as bringing out his gloves and his cap, would also bring ten cigarettes and a box of matches – in his socks. During the game whenever things were quiet and the ball was at the other end of the field, he would light up and have a pull. As I watched the ball go over and back across McHale Park on Sunday, I thought to myself that had this man been in the Galway goals, ten fags would not have been enough. He would have to bring twenty, as the only balls our goalie had to deal with in the 70 minutes were a few backpasses from his own players. I don’t think he ever had a save to make from anyone wearing the Green and Red of Mayo.
Before I leave the Castlebar match, the tendency every year is to write off Mayo, and every year they come back to confound their critics. This year it may be a step too far. If it is, it should not take away from the fact that this Mayo team was one of the best ever from the West and were very unlucky not to have taken home the Sam Maguire.
As for Galway, this jury (that’s me) is very much out, but I suppose on mature reflection, any day we beat Mayo has to be seen as a good day.
A great day in Lovely Leitrim!
It’s Friday afternoon of last week, and myself and Carol (my long-suffering wife) are heading off to the lovely Leitrim town of Mohill, where Mairead Morgan, daughter of my next-door neighbours Tommy and Eileen, is about to tie the knot with Stephen Flatley, a Dubliner with – as I find out later – a large number of Oran roots.
The ceremony takes place in the very impressive parish Church in the middle of the town, and then it’s off to the renowned and internationally acclaimed Lough Rynn Castle for a reception that was every bit as good as you would expect from a venue of such repute.
It was our first time to pay a visit to the Hanly-owned castle, as even though Brian O’Driscoll and his lovely wife Amy Huberman got married there a few years ago, our invitation must have got lost in the post, and we didn’t make their hooley. This time however, I made it in good time, and I have to say everything totally blew me away. As someone who passes some of my time on the sales floor of an antique shop (Lynn Antiques in Athlone), I took a special interest in the surroundings and the fabulous furniture, and I have to say it was so amazing to see such an array of exquisite pieces, but impressive as that end of it was, it was the brilliant service and attention to detail that really set the place apart.
Nowadays, there are very many top class wedding venues all around the west and the midlands, and all of them are thoroughly professional and do an excellent job. The sheer elegance and I suppose opulence of Lough Rynn makes it a very special location, and I was happy to see that it lived up to all my expectations. Needless to say the food was superb, and the music and dancing was top class. We had a great crowd of my neighbours in attendance, and all told it was a great day.
All that’s left is to wish Mairead and Stephen a long, happy life together. As they say ‘May the road rise up to meet you, and may the wind be always at your back’.
And finally…
Finally for this week, as a family we said farewell to our sister-in-law, Theresa, who sadly passed away on Monday week after a long battle with illness.
All I can say about Theresa is that the local parish priest in Clonberne, Fr. Tommy Cummins, summed her up perfectly in his Homily when he said she was a kind, sweet and gentle soul – and that’s exactly what she was.
We will all miss her, but obviously Peadar and their children will miss her the most, and all I can say is may she rest in peace.
