GAA- ALL-IRELAND SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

BY MATTHEW WILSON

Like many other passionate Donegal GAA supporters in the county, Tracy Peoples and her family are looking forward to one last trip to Croke Park this weekend to cheer on Jim McGuinness and his squad as they aim to collect the Sam Maguire Cup.

Milford woman Tracy Peoples travels the country every year alongside her husband Peter and son Ryan to show their support for the Donegal senior football side.

As well as her dedication to backing the county team, Tracy is also heavily involved with her local club and is the current secretary of Milford GAA.

They have really enjoyed following the team this season and have missed just three matches.

“We’ve barely missed a game,”she said. “We didn’t get to the opener because we’d got our son a trip to see Manchester United. We didn’t get to the league game in Galway and also missed the Ulster Final because we just had so many things going on – it killed me but something had to give.”

It’s been a special year following Donegal in 2025. The group has brought so much joy and excitement to the entire county over the last couple of months and it’s not over yet.

The signs, flags and bunting in every town and village across the county displays the pride that the people of Donegal have in this team.

Peoples shared the view that it’s been an incredible season supporting this side but discussed how no matter the circumstances, it’s always special following the Donegal team.

She mentioned how their trip across the water to watch Manchester United play earlier in the year brought to light how much of a credit the Donegal players are to their county, taking the time constantly to meet and greet young supporters that see them as heroes.

“It’s been an amazing year but it’s a special time following those lads anyway. At that United game, we stood out before the match and not one of those players, on all of that money, looked at the kids. Two weeks later, we were at a Donegal game and those players on the field spent an hour on the pitch signing for kids and that just really summed it up for me, they’re just a great group of lads,” said Peoples.

She continued: “Win or lose on Sunday, those players have brought such a buzz to the whole county. The amount of young people that will start playing GAA, everyone is buying into it. Those lads are heroes to all of the kids.”

Many families plan their trips to the capital in advance of Donegal games with some choosing to travel the night before to beat the traffic while others decide to go up the morning of the match, enjoying the buzz as they meet fellow supporters on the roads and in the service stations en route to Dublin.

The Milford woman is no different and they have a nice routine, visiting family located in Dublin before heading to Croker and going back to rewatch and dissect the match with everyone over a family meal afterwards.

“I’ve the luxury, my sister-in-law lives in Dublin so for every game so far we’ve travelled down early in the morning, we get breakfast at her house and get the bus to Fairgreen and cruise up to Croke Park.”

“We’re going to go down the evening before this time. We all then go back to the house and have a barbeque, watch the game back and relive it all.”

Looking ahead to this Sunday’s All-Ireland decider, Tracy is optimistic that McGuinness and his side will get the better of the Kingdom and bring Sam back to the hills.

“I think the stars are aligning, I think we’ll do it. There’s big talk about one player in Kerry, one player doesn’t make a team. I think it’s our year, I really do. I believe everything is aligning for it.”