These days the spirit of Connacht Rugby reaches deep into traditional Gaelic football heartlands.
The historic village of Geesala sits in the middle of the barony of Erris and is known for producing boxers like Henry Coyle, and a stream of footballers for Kiltane GAA. 

Local cousins Clara and Fiachna Barrett are making strides in the world of rugby, representing their province Connacht and wearing the green of Ireland. Both are hugely looking forward to the historic occasion when Connacht take on Munster in MacHale Park on Saturday.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW: Connacht play Munster in MacHale Park

“It's unreal,” Clara told The Mayo News. “Growing up, football was my main sport. I just played rugby to keep going during winter before the football season in summer. I used to go to all the matches in MacHale Park with my dad to support Mayo. I enjoyed it so much I wanted to go to every match possible.”

Clara plays for Connacht now, commuting between college in Limerick or her home in Geesala to training sessions in Galway. 

“It is a big commitment but I like to represent my province, and also coming from the West, we have a different sense of pride as well.”

Clara started playing with the boys

It hasn't been a simple journey for Clara. When she started out, there were barely any girls playing rugby in Erris, let alone a full team. 

“Rugby wouldn't really be a big thing back then. Football and boxing are the main sports. But we would always watch rugby matches at home. My cousin Fiachna started rugby first, and then one of my friend's brothers did as well.”

Then, Clara started going to training session where girls and boys played together. One of the coaches then suggested bringing her to Ballina where she could play with the girls team and actually get matches.

Since then, the Geesala woman has thrived. The 21-year-old is already a senior Irish international and part of the Connacht Senior Women's team. She was also famously part of the U-18 Ireland team for the inuagural U-18 Women's Six Nations.

Remembering childhood days

Her cousin Fiachna, from down the road in Geesala, is also making progress having committed to Connacht after propping for Ireland in the 2023 U-20 World Cup final in South Africa. The 22-year-old now features regularly for the Connacht A team, just recently scoring a try against Ulster A. 

Fiachna fondly remembers the childhood days in Geesala, playing rugby in the garden with cousin Clara. “There would be a bit of craic out the back. I was a bit bigger than everyone else, so I would take it easy,” Fiachna explained.

The big man has always been an exceptional sporting talent, as a successful boxer, soccer player and rower, but rugby was his thing.

“I just fell in love with it straight away. You meet friends for life. For example, I still play with Harry West. He was there when I had my first rugby session in Ballina as a boy, and we’re together here in the Connacht Academy now.”

Dave Heffernan always helps out the young lads

Fiachna is in a good position to make his mark for Connacht, just like Ballina man Dave Heffernan. The hooker has earned more than 200 caps for his province and has had an outstanding career, basically starting every game he's fit to play.

“He couldn't be sounder to me. Dave is always helping out the young lads from the Academy. In general, he'd be quiet enough but I do know, he's a very proud Mayo man.” 

When the historic fixture in MacHale Park was confirmed earlier this year, Heffernan himself said in an interview: “It’s going to be pretty special.

Gaelic football was a huge part of my life growing up. It was always a dream of mine to play for Mayo in MacHale Park. I never got to do that and thought the door was closed for me there. I’ll get the chance hopefully to get selected to play in that game now.”

Fiachna Barrett has actually played in MacHale Park. Fond memories, as he says, aged six or seven when he won a Cumann na mBunscol national school title there as well as roaring on Mayo teams on many occasions.

Ideally, the Geesala man hopes to make it into the matchday squad for Saturday's cracker in the cathedral of Mayo GAA. However, if this occasion comes a little too early in his career, it'll be a day to remember.

His cousin Clara hopes that maybe the Connacht women's team will get their chance to play on the sacred ground as well at some stage.

For Dave Heffernan it will be a dream finally come true, late on in his career. History will be made when the football or sliotar is swapped for the oval for the very first time in MacHale Park.

It promises to be memorable.

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