All-Ireland Final countdown: The Mayo men who lie behind enemy lines

Four Mayo men ‘exiled’ in Kerry have shared their thoughts on what it’s like being a Mayo fan while camped in the Kingdom.

You might look at the Kerry GAA crest a little differently on Sunday once you learn that it was designed by a Mayo man.

Tralee-based Claremorris man Peter Staunton was tasked with re-designing the Kerry crest in 2011.

The crest, introduced in 2012, replaced the old motif because the county board in Kerry were unable to copyright the original.

“I didn’t particularly want to be helping the enemy!” laughed Peter, a staunch Mayo supporter.

The re-designed crest features imagery of St Brendan’s Voyage, red deer which are native to Killarney, the landmark Skellig Michael heritage site and woodland fern found on Kerry’s mountains and valleys.

“Of course, when it was launched it was universally despised, there was almost protests and Facebook pages set up before it all settled down,” said Peter.

“I joked with Mayo colleagues that I brought the original artwork to a witch in Aghagower to put a curse on it,” he teased.

A Mayo fan in Kerry is not the easiest of stations.

“It’s like every county when it comes to football. You have the real afficionados, people who know their football, and then you got the assholes!” he joked.

“The people who know their football would be a bit more circumspect and careful about making any big pronouncements,” Peter added.

Peter believes that there is a bigger weight of expectation on Kerry than most people realise. He said there is a hunger and a pressure to deliver two in-a-row and no Kerry manager wants to be the one tripped up by Mayo in an All-Ireland final.

“It’s a bit like the All-Blacks when they weren’t beaten by Ireland. They don’t want to be the first Kerry team to be beaten by Mayo in an All-Ireland final. I think that weighs on their minds,” said Peter.

Castlebar-native Sean Lyons has been honoured for his community work in his adopted Kerry home but will always bleed green and red. Sean’s wit and writings are also lauded in both counties.

After 30 years in Kerry, the Mayo flag continues to fly proudly outside his home.

“A couple of years ago a window cleaner took it from my tree outside and used a ladder to put it right up on a chimney where I couldn’t get at it. I got a solicitor with Mayo connections to write him a letter. He came scurrying back a couple of days later,” laughed Sean.

He said Kerry supporters are convinced they will triumph again.

“People are very sound and very nice but at the same time they never really give any chance to Mayo. Even after the last day, they will say, ‘Fair play, that was a great game but ye won’t beat Kerry.’ They are super confident that it’s in the bag already,” said Sean.

He admits when Mayo lose to Kerry it can be a testing time but he can combat the disappointment with humour.

“I remember in 2006 I was teaching in Tralee. When I went in on the Monday after the game, very tired and very disappointed, I put a sign up on the door that said, ‘House Private.’ I was stopped by the priest on my way home for my lunch after word had spread about the sign!” 

Sean is the regular MC at the St Patrick’s Day parade in Tralee when the Sam Maguire is often present given Kerry’s All-Ireland record.

“It will be brought over to me in the viewing stand and handed to me when I will be told, “That’s the closest you will ever get to it!” He said Kerry football possesses something “in between self-belief and arrogance”.

“We have never had that arrogance and perhaps at times we have lacked the self-belief as well,” said Sean.

He believes Kerry supporters admire Mayo’s brand of attacking football but feel we lack that “finishing power”.

Sean hopes that opinion can be upended with a Mayo win on Sunday.

Claremorris man Pat McTigue’s banking career brought him to the Kingdom in 1991. He became involved with the Kerins O’Rahilly’s GAA club and later served as Assistant Secretary for the Kerry GAA County Board and secretary at Austin Stack Park in Tralee.

Despite this prominent position, Pat’s loyalty to his home county never wavered.

“My loyalties lie very much with Mayo. I was in Croke Park for the semi-final, and was up for the Cork game and Meath in Castlebar. I try and get to as many of the league games as possible and all of the championship where possible. The boys down here know I’m a staunch supporter and know I’ll be shouting for Mayo,” said Pat.

“My wife is from Mayo. There was no mixing of the blood. We are pure Mayo,” he joked.

Pat’s wife Aine is godmother to former Mayo footballer Michael Conroy.

Since landing in Kerry, Pat has consistently been impressed by the remarkable professionalism inherent in the senior team set up.

“No stone is ever left unturned,” he commented.

Pat believes Sunday’s clash will be a tactical battle. He feels Kerry will be strategising in order to curb the threat of Mayo’s full-forward line.

“Andy Moran did his homework against Louth and they got their match-ups right,” said Pat.

He felt Dublin dropped the ball when they focused so much on David Clifford that they forgot the threat posed by his brother Paudie.

Pat said there has not been too much triumphalism in Kerry in recent days but confidence remains.

“They are not saying much but at the same time they expect that this is theirs.” 

Louisburgh-native Paddy Joyce is another Kerry transplant who follows the Mayo team all over the country.

Paddy was the best friend of probably Mayo’s most famous Kerry resident, the late great All-Ireland winner Paddy Prendergast.

“I’m down here since 1990,” said the retired Garda.

His first week in Tralee saw him introduced to Paddy and the pair became fast friends.

“We travelled all over Ireland watching Mayo together. He was just an unbelievable man,” said Paddy.

Paddy was heavily involved with the Na Gaeil club in Kerry for more than 20 years.

“It’s not great being a Mayo supporter in Kerry. We have gone through it over the years but there is always good craic and banter,” said Paddy.

He is optimistic of Mayo achieving All-Ireland success for the first time since the playing days of his great friend.

“I am very, very hopeful. A lot of people think this is going to be our year. Kerry are always confident, but they know themselves they were lucky in the last two matches against Tyrone and Dublin.”