How the Sam Maguire Cup made its way to a Mayo island now and in 2009
Sam Maguire is truly reaching every corner of the county. There were emotional scenes, when the famous cup was carried off the ferry, connecting Clare Island to Louisburgh.
Carl O'Grady, originally from Clare Island, now living out Louisburgh, couldn't miss the occasion.
“I went down, like everybody else, the whole community went down to the harbour to welcome Sam in,” O'Grady explained, speaking to The Mayo News.
“They held the trophy on the boat until everybody got off and then Padraig O'Malley, our local shopkeeper, went onto the boat, lifted Sam and carried it up the steps to a great arousing cheer and the horn of the ferry blowing and everybody was waving their flags and wearing their jerseys and it was all very emotional for some people, including myself, and it really was very special, it was a special moment.”
The local GAA committee sent out a message Sinead O'Malley and the committee sent out a message the night before to say that they hoped that Sam would be coming in on the morning boat and that it would be there for the beginning of Cúl Camp and it was brought in by two members of the county board.
“I had a great conversation with a man at the bar on Wednesday night,” O'Grady said, “he was on holidays here on Clare Island, said he couldn't believe it, he said he couldn't believe it, he said to me, he has been in the presence of Sam a number of times since he was young but he swore he'd never put his hand on it until it was Mayo that brought it, and on Wednesday, he put his hands on Sam up at the clubhouse and he got his photograph taken with it.”
O'Grady has his own family story to tell. Finally, he got to take a photo of himself and his 93-year-old dad with the Sam Maguire Cup.
“He was at the 1951 match and met Joe Staunton who he knew from Louisburgh. Staunton played for Mayo that day in the final, and that was the first time I suppose my dad has seen it since.”
Interestingly, the Sam Maguire Cup itself had made its way to Clare Island in 2009. Thanks to a Tyrone man.
“John Tiernan, who would be my wife's father, he knew half the country, he used to run the milk truck and he knew every farmer from the north to the south, and he would have been well connected with a guy up in Tyrone called Kurt Pat Donnelly, and hims and his friend brought Sam down into Clare Island, and he brought it around Louisburgh, which was a lovely thing to do and a lot of folk have got to see it, but it was very different this time.”
Naturally, as back then, Sam belonged to Tyrone. Whereas now, Sam Maguire is home in Mayo and will make its way to countless places, homes, as a surprise guest at events. Mayo people are absolutely loving it.