Mayo people in Athlone share their joy at All Ireland triumph

by Ronan Fagan and Kevin O'Neill

Seventy-five years of hurt for the people of Mayo come to an end this week as the newly crowned All-Ireland champions brought the Sam Maguire Cup over the River Shannon in Athlone for the first time since 1951.

On Monday afternoon, the train carrying the winning squad to their homecoming made a brief stop in Athlone where more than 100 Mayo fans gathered at the train station to catch a fleeting glimpse of their heroes.

One of the most memorable results in Irish sporting history was particularly special for Mayo natives living locally, many of whom would have been forgiven for wondering if this day would ever come.

"Has this happened?" was the question asked on Monday by the co-owner of the Savoury Fare restaurants in Athlone, Des Hennelly, a native of Hollymount in Mayo.

Des, his wife Eileen and their two daughters, Jane and Mai, watched on from the Cusack Stand as captain Jack Coyne lifted 'Sam' to emotional scenes.

Des's son Liam, who works with the GAA+ streaming service, was also in attendance to witness the joyous celebrations of all supporters clad in the green and red.

Speaking to the Westmeath Independent, Des said he was "so stunned" at the final whistle that he "didn't know how to react".

"It was the most emotional occasion I have ever attended. It still feels so surreal even 24 hours after the final whistle," Des explained.

Having attended each of Mayo's All-Ireland final defeats since 1989, Des was relishing this special moment.

"You start to think of all those family members that have gone before you and were not here to celebrate this win. My late mother and father and my brother would all be so proud of this day," Des said.

Des was in attendance in Castlebar in April when Roscommon abruptly ended Mayo's Connacht championship campaign. Little did he think then that within three months they would be All-Ireland champions.

"I definitely didn't see this outcome after the Roscommon game. To be honest, I think the entire county is still in shock," Des added.

For Kay Munnelly, a native of Ballina and long-time Athlone resident, last Sunday's win was a family affair that will forever stay in her memories.

Well-known locally as the sacristan at St Mary's Church in Athlone, where she has served for 27 years, Kay travelled to Croke Park with her children, Karen and Patrick.

Admitting she had "little hope" of a Mayo win before throw-in, she said the opening quarter did little to raise her spirits, as Mayo trailed by seven points.

"I grew up in Ballina, on the same street as Tom Acton, who was part of the All-Ireland winning panel in 1951," Kay said. "So, we always knew about the All-Ireland win and there's been so much hype around the team over the decades.

"When it comes to football and Mayo, I always go by the saying 'Blessed is he who expects nothing for he will never be disappointed'. The disappointments of the past were so great that I didn't want to expect.

"After 15 minutes, I thought 'here we go again'. Kerry were flying and Mayo struggling. But they kept at it, and came back so well."

The second half proved to be the stuff of green and red dreams. "I couldn't believe it, to be honest. They were absolutely outstanding," said Kay.

"To play so well with two teenagers out there, on the biggest stage, against a brilliant Kerry team, was quite something.

"I still didn't allow myself to believe we could win until the dying minutes. We knew Kerry would come back strong, they are known for it, and they made a right good fist of doing so, getting back to within a point.

"Yes, the nerves were going at that stage, but we got there in the end. It was truly special and I will never forget the day."

Despite having to sit in different parts of Croke Park for the match, Kay was thrilled to meet-up with her children afterwards.

"It was a special moment. Even in the stadium, everyone was hugging everyone, including total strangers. It was like one big Mayo family."

Fellow Mayo supporter and Athlone resident Alan Shaw watched the final play out in The Bounty with his wife, Claire, and two children, Grace and Mark.

The Castlebar native described the moment the end-of-match hooter sounded as "incredible" and one that saw "a weight lifted off the shoulders" of all Mayo supporters.

"Gaelic football is instilled in the people of Mayo from generation to generation, and for such a strong GAA county to eventually win the All-Ireland, after years of hurt, will live with me forever," he said.

Alan, who works as chief financial officer with Castlebar-based company Shaw Commercials, is looking forward to soaking up the atmosphere in the Mayo county town as celebrations continue this week and beyond.

"This is just phenomenal for the county. Andy (Moran) has instilled a will and a belief into the young players," he said.

Alan's brother, Declan, played for Mayo during John Maughan's tenure as manager in the 1990s and also managed his local club team Castlebar Mitchels. Alan's love of Mayo GAA runs deep even though he has been based in Athlone for over three decades.

"When the hooter sounded on Sunday, it felt like an out-of-body experience, a moment I have waited to see for so long," he added.