WATCH: Mayo GAA star plays the drums on emotional homecoming
All-Ireland champions Diarmuid O'Connor, Jack Carney and Donnacha McHugh pictured after carrying Sam Maguire onto Achill Island on Sunday evening. Carney played the drums on the way across.
There is no end to Jack Carney’s talents.
From kicking two-pointers effortlessly in Croke Park to standing and smiling for thousands of photos throughout the most amazing homecoming, the Kilmeena man has been one of Mayo’s best ambassadors since winning the All-Ireland just over four weeks ago.
But the primary school teacher is a man of many talents. Carney was preparing to cross the Michael Davitt Bridge onto Achill Island with Sam Maguire and his teammates Donnacha McHugh and Diarmuid O’Connor behind nearly 100 members of local pipe bands when he was made an offer he couldn’t refuse!
Would he join in and play the drums? Owen McNamara from Dooagh at the western end of Achill Island made the offer.
Carney, not for the first time this year, didn’t take a backward step!
— Edwin McGreal (@edmcgreal) August 24, 2026
His father Peter, who grew up in Polranny right beside where this video was taken, is a leading member of the Clew Bay Pipe Band in Westport and music clearly runs in the family.
Carney gladly took the drums and set off playing with the Achill pipe bands while McHugh and O’Connor looked on in amazement.
Peter Carney can be seen playing the bagpipes at the start of the video.
It was an emotional homecoming with crowds of over 2,000 gathered. Jack Carney didn’t just help carry Sam across but he played it over the bridge too.
Video credit Andrea Kilbane.
