All-Ireland: ‘Star Wars’ force may be with the Kerry footballers

Whisper it – Dublin don't only have Kerry's finest to contend with in Sunday's All-Ireland football final – they may also have to take on the power of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, after the Star Wars hero indicated he will be backing the Kingdom.

In a galaxy far far away from Croke Park – ie at the tip of the Iveragh Peninsula in south Kerry – Skywalker, aka actor Mark Hamill, took time out from filming the latest instalment in the Disney franchise on Skellig Michael to brush up on the, er, subtleties of Kerry vs the Dubs.

Hamill and fellow cast and crew members from Star Wars have been putting in each evening, after filming, in Portmagee's The Moorings where proprietor Ger Kennedy showed Hamill how to pour a pint and instructed him on who to cheer for in Sunday's decider.

"It's been a bit hectic here the last few days with Star Wars – we're only now beginning to turn our attention to Sunday today but Mark Hamill was here last night and we showed him how to pour a Guinness and told him about the match and he's going to tweet for Kerry," said Ger.

Not that Ger Kennedy is the only Kerry fan who has been busy of late – back up the Ring of Kerry, Killorglin man James Flynn has hardly a minute to call his own in between painting an old banger green and gold, decorating silage bales with green and gold minions and penning a hit anthem.

James, a cousin of Kerry All-Ireland winner Mike Frank Russell, took time out last week to pen what has become an online hit with more than 40,000 views. Sung to the air of the old favourite Golden Jubilee, Headin' to Croker predicts a 38th All-Ireland title for Kerry and shows a neat turn of phrase.

“They call him the Gooch Cooper, his dummies are no jokes/Ask anyone who’s played against the Kingdom or the Crokes,” sings James who, along with his equally if not more fanatical Kerry supporting mother Kitty, is still waiting on tickets for Sunday’s decider.

Greatest fan

There’s no such anxiety for Cahersiveen woman Kathleen O’Sullivan who, two years ago, penned an account of following the Kingdom with

The Height of Madness

but has just won the title of Kerry’s Greatest Fan (for the second time) in a competition in the

Kerryman

with a prize of two tickets.

“Football is like a religion to me – last year is no good to us now, the only important one is the one on Sunday and people are talking about the Dublin half-forward line but I think our half-forward line could cause Dublin problems – I always say we’ll flush the Jacks and we’ll do it again on Sunday.”

Elsewhere in Cahersiveen, St Mary’s GAA club president Junior Murphy has been following Kerry teams since long before Luke Skywalker was even a twinkle in George Lucas’s eyes. He remembers as a schoolboy going to his first All-Ireland in 1955 when Kerry beat a highly fancied Dublin team.

“Kevin Heffernan was the star player for Dublin at the time but Ned Roche from Knocknagoshel, an Army man, held him well and Jerome O’Shea and Ger O’Sullivan from Cahersiveen both played that day – it was one of the classics and Kerry won by three points,” said Junior.

“Dublin have a very strong half-forward line on Sunday but Eamon Fitzmaurice is a shrewd coach and I reckon he will come up with something. I fancy Kerry to win and winning an All-Ireland, especially against the Dubs, is always great – it gives a great buzz and it shortens the winter down here no end.”