Gaelic Games

Donegal fans give senior and minor teams boisterous welcome home

Thousands of people throng Donegal town for homecoming, despite teams losing out on All-Ireland victory

Disappointed Donegal after the final whistle and victory to Kerry in the All-Ireland senior football final in Croke Park on Sunday. Despite the team’s disappointment, they received a rapturous welcome home last night. Photograph: Alan Betson
Disappointed Donegal after the final whistle and victory to Kerry in the All-Ireland senior football final in Croke Park on Sunday. Despite the team’s disappointment, they received a rapturous welcome home last night. Photograph: Alan Betson
Stephen Maguire
Tue Sept 23 2014 - 01:14

One very important passenger may have been missing from their entourage as Donegal GAA manager Jim McGuinness and his team returned home last night.

But even without the Sam Maguire Cup, thousands of people thronged the Diamond in Donegal town to welcome home the county's senior and minor teams.

Despite a double defeat to Kerry in their respective All-Ireland finals, Donegal fans gave them a boisterous welcome home from their weekend adventure in Croke Park.

Fans began gathering around the streets from 5pm in anticipation of the teams’ arrival.

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Biggest prize

It was this same location which the Donegal teams left on Saturday afternoon last in search of Ireland’s biggest prize in GAA football.

Declan Bonner’s minor team arrived first at about 8pm after stopping off in Ballyshannon to see the crowds there.

The senior team initially arrived in Pettigo on the Donegal border at 6.45pm and stopped for a brief while to chat with fans.

It was a much more sombre scene than in 2012 when the team were swamped by fans in the village as captain Michael Murphy and manager Jim McGuinness walked across the border holding the Sam Maguire aloft.

But despite failing to win their county’s third senior All-Ireland title, the Donegal team were met by a huge roar when they finally arrived in the Diamond. Even the weather showed some sympathy to the beaten heroes as a warm September evening welcomed the team back on home soil.

New posters

Many fans had made up posters with new logos welcoming the team home. One simply read, “Donegal – you will always be our winners”. Another read, “Jim Is Still The Redeemer”.

Donegal GAA public relations officer Ed Byrne said that despite the defeats, fans recognised the effort, commitment and work both teams had put into getting into the All-Ireland finals.

“What these guys have done for Donegal as a county and for the next generation of players has to be recognised,” he said.

“They are an inspiration to us all for their work rate, commitment and modesty. We may not have won an All-Ireland but these guys are all winners in our eyes.”

Jim McGuinness, who is finishing his fourth year as team manager, said he would now take time to reflect on his position away from the emotion of the All-Ireland final.