Speaking from the county this week as the team returned in triumph, Bishop Boyce told The Irish Catholic: “Twenty years a growing and we have Sam back in the hills and glens of Donegal.”
Praising the “vision, discipline and tenacity” of the team, Bishop Boyce said: “They have shown us how perseverance in working for an ideal that many did not believe in 16 months ago can come to fruition for the benefit of the whole county.”
He said the team’s work in getting to the final “will live on in the memory of all the people of Donegal for a long time. Now we all believe that we won’t have another 20 years to wait.”
Bishop Boyce’s joy was echoed in parishes across Donegal.
In the parish of Carrick, Fr John Britto, a Carmelite priest told The Irish Catholic that “all victories come from God”, and added that “the whole community is very excited, there is such a feeling of togetherness. And it is football that brought us all together. It is a beautiful game. Thank God for the great opportunity to come together, old and young.”
Fr Britto may be from Kerala in India, but even he is caught up in the excitement being felt in parishes all over the county.
Enthusiasm
Some priests intend to use the win in their homilies on Sunday. Fr William Peoples of Donegal Town told The Irish Catholic that “after two decades of waiting there is great jubilation. It has brought a little bit of hope between the recession and the weather.”
He added that, using the match as an example, he would “not be shy” in urging people to put as much enthusiasm into their faith, “the one thing that lasts when all else has passed away”.
In Dungloe, Fr Aodhán Cannon said he had been struck both by “the wonderful sense of people pulling together and manager Jim McGuinness’ thanks for all the prayers from supporters”.
Attending the game to soak up a “fantastic atmosphere” and celebrate local boy Stephen Griffin, Fr John McLoone of Inver told The Irish Catholic that he would “certainly reference the win at Masses on Sunday. You couldn’t let the opportunity to do that slip by”.
Speaking from Ardara, Fr Austin Laverty described the great excitement felt in the town due to local hero Paddy McGrath’s part in securing the historic win.
“Paddy McGrath is a great role model and a great parishioner,” said Fr Laverty, “a young man who never misses Mass. He’ll be taking the cup around the five schools we have here and that’s a great thing that he’ll be seen by the young people.”
Fr Brian Quinn of Letterkenny, who was in Dublin and celebrated Mass for the team and supporters at the Burlington Hotel on the morning of the final said “the lads have given us such a lift. There was such joy, such pride.”
Part of that elation, Fr Quinn said, was in the “togetherness” the final had prompted among families and friends separated by emigration.
“Just like Mayo,” he said, “we have all felt that pain, and it was great to see so many come home for the match.”