This non-football piece was written for the ‘What’s Best for the West’ series that is currently running in the Mayo News. It appeared originally in this week’s edition of the paper and is available here. This autumn, forty years will have passed since I left home having finished in Secondary school. I’ve never lived west of the Shannon since then […]
Billy Joe Padden’s interviewing skills have been a major feature here on the Mayo News football podcast in recent months and in this episode he’s back with another special guest. This time, Billy Joe sits down for an in-depth discussion with Mayo GAA and Connacht Rugby star Gavin Duffy. The Ballina native enjoyed a varied sporting career, mainly in rugby […]
From today there’s a new landmark on the East Mayo horizon, just a few miles down the road from Knock where the basilica has long been a dominant feature in the skyline. The new feature, set in the countryside just off the road between Knock and Ballyhaunis, comes in the form of the giant air dome that Connacht GAA have […]
The club versus county rumpus that has arisen across the country in recent weeks was as predictable as it was depressing. So much for the still-ongoing Covid-19 crisis being used by the GAA as an opportunity to do things better. Instead it was just more of the same old story. It’s good, then, to read Mike Finnerty’s interview with Mayo […]
Unlike their male counterparts in recent times, the Mayo LGFA footballers have reached the top of the mountain. They were the last All-Ireland winners of the 20th Century and the first winners of the 21st Century. They followed that brace of titles with another pair in 2002 and 2003. They boast some all-time greats in their ranks, but who are […]
The country awoke this morning to the awful news of the tragic death last night of Detective Garda Colm Horkan, who lost his life in the line of duty in Castlerea. Colm Horkan was a proud GAA man who was an active member of Charlestown Sarsfields for most of his life and he was also an avid supporter of the […]
Over the last 20 years, we have watched on anxiously at the possibility of bearing witness to a (possibly mythical) curse being broken. We have come so close to seeing it happen that you would have to believe in the strength of said curse. Own goals are quite possibly the rarest of sights on a Gaelic football field, and in […]
With no new action to focus on in these strange times, the viewfinder for sport is instead trained on the past. A popular diversion at the moment is to come up with different player selections, both at county and club level. The other evening I found myself on one such selection committee. Billy Joe Padden, Colin Sheridan and I were […]
The death was announced yesterday of former Mayo footballer JJ Cribbin. A native of Ballyhaunis, Fr Cribbin was Parish Priest of Milltown in Galway. He died yesterday at Mayo University Hospital following an illness. JJ Cribbin was a talented forward who tasted national success with the Green and Red at both underage and senior level. Ordained as a priest in […]
The Mayo Day concept began in 2015 and it has gone from strength to strength in the years since then, my own favourite without question being the 2016 one. This is the sixth year Mayo Day has been celebrated and, like so much of life nowadays, it’s set to be a much-changed day this year. I mentioned yesterday the raft […]