WHEN Sétanta was crowned Cú Chulainn, surely even he himself didn’t know what he had let himself in for. His trusty camán and sliotar, enough to defeat the mighty hound of Culann. Let the magic begin, the self-proclaimed greatest game on Earth, and all the rest of it. Lovely hurling. They say he was born […]
A STEADY flow of people forever trickle down Shop Street in Galway town. From the inside looking out, it is perhaps one of the finest viewing points in the country for a wannabe people watcher. Most people wander in without any prior intention, walking at the most nonchalant pace, in a state of semi-focus. The […]
THE year is 1993, and Derry are All-Ireland champions. At the victory banquet, there is a shot of Joe Brolly and Marty Morrissey, each smiling ear to ear. Like Down two years previously, the seismic proportions of victory are beyond the comprehension of delirious men, women, and children alike. A cup of shimmering silver is […]
“He’s the most driven man and footballer in Monaghan.” THE above sentence jotted down by Brendan Crossan in May 2018 was quite the compliment from Séamus McEnaney. It’s the kind of thing that Vinny Corey probably appreciates deep down, not that he’d tell you that. You don’t become the most driven man in Monaghan if […]
MINOR championship, the perfect antidote for the Leaving Cert. A stress reliever, an outlet, and a shot at a level of glory you have likely never experienced in your short lifetime. Serious to an extent, but not the be all and the end all. A minor club championship match should not have the capability to ‘cast […]
ULSTER Junior Ladies’ champions Castleblayney Faughs, led by joint-manager Paddy McNally, take on Belgium GAA this Sunday in the All-Ireland quarter-final in the Netherlands. Paddy McNally is a man whose life essentially revolves around the big ball. Coaching, managing, playing, developing – it’s all in a day’s work. And yet for all this planning, there […]
IS Shane Walsh’s move to Dublin giants Kilmacud Crokes just a small indicator of a more widespread evolution? Every journey has a beginning and an end. In the sporting world, a journey could take you from Carraroe to Qatar. A successful career is one that navigates the road from starlet to superstar. The winding, pothole-laden […]
