PRESIDENTIAL SUPPORT A poster of Michael D Higgins in Ballindine proudly displays the black and red of Davitts GAA Club.
Ballindine proud of Coyne connection
Michael Commins
DAVITTS football team had one-up on every other team in the country last weekend. President-elect Michael D Higgins was in their camp.
The spectacle of Michael D holding two Davitts flags brought smiles to many travelling along the N17 just on the Claremorris side of Ballindine. Some enthusiastic Davitts supporters came up with the idea and went to work on carrying out the necessary alterations, placing the flags firmly in the grip of Michael D's hands in one of his election posters.
And no one was more amused than Michael D himself when his tour bus stopped at the poster on Wednesday evening on the eve of the election. There to greet him was Pat Coyne and Michael Conroy from the Davitts team who got their photos taken with him along with the Sweeney Cup.
Pat Coyne is a nephew of Michael D’s wife Sabina who hails from Cloonraine, Ballindine. Her brother, Colm and the family moved to Brookhill, Claremorris about five years ago. (Sabina and Colm are first cousins of Henry Cleary in Claremorris).
Michael D was beaming when he saw the poster, complete with the Davitts flags. “We knew we were onto a winner,” said a team member. “The omens were looking good. Michael D delivered and we delivered in Carrick. We hope to do likewise in Kiltoom this weekend!”
