Everyone loves Armagh! Well, nearly everyone…

Why do I feel so elated over Armagh winning the All-Ireland Football Final? It’s not as if I’ve any affiliation with Armagh – I have met a few Armagh people and have found them invariably friendly and articulate. In fact I remember fado fado interviewing primary school kids about their pets.  I wasn’t really interested in their pets – what I was after was the variety of accent and story-telling ability. The most monosyllabic kids were from North Antrim and the most uninhibited, natural-storytellers were from Crossmaglen.  But that’ s still not sufficient explanation for my heart swelling at the scenes of delight after the game  in Croke Park, with everything bathed in orange and joy.

I didn’t view the Armagh home-coming, which I gather has upset Jim Allister. It seems some PSNI officers joined in the flag-waving and rejoicing, which must have gladdened the hearts of the Armagh supporters. But Jim’s heart remains unsoftened. As he sees it, the officers in question breached their code of neutrality.

Dear God, Jim. There was an infectious quality to the Armagh rejoicing, and only hearts of triple brass would have stood aside, unmoved.  Besides, Jim, you may have forgotten that the PSNI are struggling a little to project a better image with the nationalist community. I don’t think they were simply engaged in a PR exercise – I somehow believe that they were genuinely caught up in the euphoria of the occasion.  Jim was probably addressing his North Antrim constituency, and assuming they’d find his narrow-eyed disapproval proper order for any copper that would associate himself with these fenian louts. And I see now where the DUP has pitched in with THEIR disapproval.  I personally think Jim and his DUP colleagues are under-rating the good people of North Antrim. Until proven otherwise, I’d prefer to believe that they were happy to see another northern county overcome with rejoicing and joy,  hoisting that good Protestant Sam Maguire aloft.

And I don’t think I’ll ever forget that moment when Jarlath Burns embraced his son Jarly Óg,  and the presidential glasses were knocked sideways on his forehead.

Go raibh maith agaibh agus maith sibh, Ard Mhacha!  Yahooo!!!