Westmeath and Roscommon captains meet on Athlone bridge to mark historic provincial double

by David Flynn

Athlone recently witnessed a unique piece of GAA history, with the captains of the reigning Leinster and Connacht senior cootball champions met on the town's Mary O’Rourke Bridge - which connects the Leinster and Connacht sides of the town.

Ronan Wallace, captain of the Westmeath senior football team, and Diarmuid Murtagh, captain of Roscommon, met on the new Athlone bridge to mark the first occasion that both Leinster and Connacht men’s senior football titles reside on the respective sides of the Shannon.

Earlier this year, both men led their respective counties to provincial glory, with Ronan lifting the Delaney Cup after Westmeath defeated Dublin in the Leinster final, while Diarmuid captained Roscommon to a thrilling Connacht final victory over Galway to win the Nestor cup.

The meeting of the captains was arranged by Athlone councillor Aengus O’Rourke, who said he felt the unique achievement deserved to be marked in a particularly appropriate location.

“It's never happened before where Roscommon won the Connacht Cup and Westmeath in the same season have won the Leinster Cup,” Cllr O’Rourke told the Westmeath Independent on the day.

"For Athlone, this year’s provincial successes represent something particularly special. Athlone is a town that proudly straddles two provinces, with the River Shannon and the bridge marking the historic divide between Leinster and Connacht.

"Both sides of the town have strong GAA traditions, and people throughout Athlone have long supported and celebrated Gaelic Games on both sides of the Shannon."

"The image of the two captains standing side-by-side, with the Delaney Cup representing Leinster and the Nestor Cup representing Connacht, is a wonderful visual representation of Athlone’s unique position at the heart of both provinces."

The significance of the occasion was not lost, either, on the captains.

Ronan Wallace, who plays with Multyfarnham GAA, said it was a fitting way to recognise what has been an extraordinary few months for Westmeath.

“Aengus just asked us down (to Athlone) to commemorate ourselves winning both the provincials and to mark the special spot in the middle of the bridge, which obviously is the (historic) divide between the two counties,” he said.

Ronan and his Westmeath teammates created a remarkable sense of excitement as a result of their winning of the Leinster championship, which was only the second time in history that the county had claimed the provincial crown.

“It’s been a great feeling around Westmeath in the past couple of months since we won, and it's a great buzz for the underage and the kids around the county,” said the Westmeath captain.

The man who captained Roscommon to victory over Galway to win the Nestor Cup at Dr Hyde Park also found the Athlone meeting significant.

Diarmuid Murtagh said the two counties’ achievements were worth celebrating at the intersection of the provinces, and on both sides of the Shannon.

“It’s just nice to be here, and (the win was) nice for the clubs around Athlone as well,” said Diarmuid, who plays with St Faithleach’s in Lanesboro.

The Roscommon captain highlighted clubs including Clann na nGael, St Brigid's, Padraig Pearses and St Dominic's in the South Roscommon area, as well as Athlone GAA and Garrycastle in Westmeath, all of whom share a geographical and sporting connection with the town.

The two captains believe the importance of their provincial successes goes beyond the trophies themselves. They hope that their achievements will inspire the next generation of young players watching from the sidelines and picking up a football for the first time.

“That’s what it’s all about, isn't it?” said Diarmuid Murtagh. “To try and inspire the next generation coming through, whether that's with your county team or with your club team. That's definitely the aim.”

Cllr O’Rourke believes the success of both counties has given supporters on both sides of the Shannon something to celebrate, while also providing a rare opportunity to recognise the two captains together.

“Will it ever happen again? Maybe it won't. Maybe it will,” said the Athlone councillor, jovially.

“We wish them all the best. They've given us so much pleasure, so much entertainment and so much joy to both provinces. We're very grateful for them, and on top of everything, they're great lads. So, we wish them well and thank them for participating in this.”

The Athlone pedestrian and cycle bridge, which was formally named after the late Athlone Minister Mary O’Rourke, mother of Aengus, on May 1, was the point of contact for the two captains teams, counties and provinces, and the historic meeting is a huge reminder that Gaelic Games is a bridge bringing communities together.