SIDELINE CUT:DONEGAL, MAYO IN THEIR OWN WORDS
"I have staged the play among the mountains of my native Donegal relating my characters to the rock and bog in that grim, beautiful land." – Peadar O'Donnell, Adrigoole.
“A man with a Mayo accent is a stag at bay
Upon a bog with rabbits round its hooves.”
– Paul Durcan, The Mayo Accent.
DONEGAL VERSIONS OF HELLO
Form, sir.
Crack, hey.
Right, sham.
Well, buck.
Yes, sir.
LINES FROM A BALLINA SCHOOLYARD
“I’ll open you up like a bag of Tayto.”
“I’ll punch ya so hard ya’ll beg me to start kicking ya.”
“I’ll make more chips outa yer teeth than they see in a week down in Caffola’s.”
DONEGAL WAYS OF SAYING GOODBYE
I’m bailin’.
I’m headin’.
Better head.
I’m-away-ta-f**k
I’m-away-on-hey.
EDITORIAL IN THE ‘WESTERN PEOPLE’ BEFORE ALL-IRELAND FINAL 1989
“On behalf of our readers throughout the world and on our own behalf, we wish the players, the team management and the backroom personnel and the officials fortitude and success. You enjoy the wholehearted support of all as you set out to bridge a gap of 38 years.
“And we extend heartfelt wishes to our colleague, Jimmy Browne, who leads the team on this great occasion.
“Go n eirí an bothar leat agus le do chairde. Mayo forever! Mayo abú!”
‘THE FOLLOWER’ (CORMAC McGILL RIP) IN THE ‘DONEGAL DEMOCRAT’
“They Shall Be Spoken Of Among Their People.” – Before the Ulster championship 1988.
"Within five minutes of the decision by Coisde Chonndae Dún na nGall to permit the foreign games into Croke Park, the news reached me here in Leitrim. I was shocked. Dún na nGall. My Dún na nGall, the last bastion of our native language." – On Rule 42.
"I never was a showband aficionado, my Terpsichorean energies being mostly céilí. If you 'squared' a wee lass, then it was a great céilí. If you got 'shot down' it was a useless céilí or dance. Maybe things are different nowadays." – On The Days Before Disco.
"As Marie Antoinette, Banríon na Fraince, said: Après Moi, Le Deluge." – After Donegal v Dublin quarter final draw 2002.
THE BUTT OF THE JOKE
What did Nelson Mandela say when he came out of jail? – Have Mayo won the cup yet?
What do you call a Donegal man at an All-Ireland final? – A neutral spectator.
If Lee Harvey Oswald was from Mayo, JFK’d be alive and kicking.” – Overheard Castlebar.
Leave the dog on and take the forward off. – Overheard Ballybofey.
NIGHTCLUBS PAST AND PRESENT
The Limelight (Glenties), Julians of Midfield, The Astoria (Bundoran), Midas (Ballyhaunis), The Golden Grill (Letterkenny), Scamps (Louisburgh), The Millstone (Ballyshannon), Panama Jacks (Castlebar), The Abbey (Donegal Town), The Beaten Path (Breaffy), Pepies (Bundoran), Club Cosmos (Castlebar).
LEGENDS
“I just want to play a game of ball the way it’s supposed to be played.” – Ciarán McDonald, Crossmolina and Mayo, Sunday Tribune, 2003.
"I was so devastated that I took a taxi down to Belgrove Square and I sat on a seat all night. Pondering what we had to do win." – Brian McEniff on the 1983 All-Ireland semi-final loss to Dublin.
"To be honest, I felt like I was being sent in to look for survivors." – David Brady on coming on as a substitute in the 2006 All-Ireland final between Kerry and Mayo.
"Our song, Moonlight in Mayo, was taking on a new meaning. And it was not long until we knew we were in Mayo. Along the line were cocks of hay that were saturated in paraffin. As the train sped by, the hay was set ablaze and proud farmers and supporters held their beacons aloft as the train sped on into the night. At Ballyhaunis, fog signals exploded and as the train came to a halt eager and frenzied supporters ran down the platform with blazing torches and hoisted the cup aloft." – John Healy, The March Triumphal, the Western People. September, 1950.
"John Says Keep The Faith." – Banner raised behind John O'Mahony, Mayo manager, minutes after 1989 All-Ireland final. Photographed by Henry Wills.
"To me, that was living. People are very rarely 'alive', you know. And for those 20 minutes in extra time what was going through my mind was: 'this is unbelievable. Because those boys are in the thick of this now. Every moment counts and they are living on the edge. And it would be brilliant if they can come through this and win but even if they don't, this is going to be a great life experience.' Because in that moment, they were living in the fullest sense. The atmosphere that evening was as raw as I have ever felt. And the lights coming on made it too. It was all kind of magical." – Jim McGuinness, Donegal manager on Donegal v Kildare, Croke Park, 2011 (The Irish Times).
"They are playing good football. So are we. It will be interesting. They have beaten all before them. As have we." – James Horan, Mayo manager, after Mayo/Dublin semi-final, 2012.
DONEGAL INSULTS
Ya clem.
Ya buff.
Ya fence post.
Ya gooner.
BALLADS
“As I made my way up Jones’s Road that bright September day
Like wild-fire through the surging throng came news that caused dismay
And as the story it was told, sad silent tears were shed
The star full-forward from Mayo, Tom Langan was dead.
They laid poor Tom to his last rest ’neath cold Ballycastle clay
How odd that God should call his own on All-Ireland Final day
And memories came of glorious days in ’50 and ’51
When Langan, clad in green and red, showed how the game was won.”
– The Ballad of Tom Langan, sung to The Homes of Donegal melody.
In the City of Chicago
As the evening shadows fall
There are people dreaming Of the Hills of Donegal. - City of Chicago, Barry Moore.
DONEGAL TRANSLATIONS
“It was a wile handlin.” (Things might have got out of control).
“Fierce cowl.” (It’s cold this evening).
“I’m foundered.” (Yes. I’m freezing).
“Aw it was serious, hey.” (It was excellent).
“Sure we’ll take a wee dander down.” (Let’s go out).
“That doll is fierce thrane.” (That particular lady is somewhat stubborn).
“Snobby weather.” (Are you ignoring me?)
“I had a brave lock.” (I possibly drank more than was wise).
ALL-IRELAND DAYS
"The one thing warmer than a Foxford blanket is a Foxford welcome." – Seán Flanagan, Mayo captain, All-Ireland homecoming 1951.
"Sam's for the Hills" – Anthony Molloy, Donegal captain, Croke Park, September 20th 1992.
