Western People 2025 Questions: All-Ireland winners, darts champ and ones to watch - Q&A Four
The late Jon Kenny, who passed away in November, is responsible for one of the all-time great GAA speeches.
Since no one else on these pages has said it, I will. Mayo. Mark Ronaldson’s column already has me giddy.
Kilkenny. Let eventual champions Clare off the hook last year and will be smarting. To think the game’s most successful county could go a 10th year without Liam is almost unthinkable.
A world medal for javelin star Oisin Joyce from Ballinrobe was certainly something worth shouting about.
The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final. What a shame there could be no replay.
It depends how we’re fixed on the scoreboard! Seriously though, three points seems a fair reward.
The infamous Dentist’s Chair has followed Paul Gascoigne around for almost 30 years. Based on Ireland’s recent defeat to England, Heimir shouldn’t abandon his dentist’s licence anytime soon.
A new management might just breathe new life back into Dublin.
Swimming. If a Christmas Day dive into the lake with the neighbours counts?
Apparently the rule is that I am to exclude past guests of the Mayo Sports Stars Awards, but I’m not sure Sir Alex Ferguson is even as famous as George Best anyway.
What Rhys McClenaghan achieved by winning gold on the pommel horse was quite incredible, not just because of the skill, technique, fitness and physicality involved, but because of the pressure of knowing things had gone so horribly wrong for him at the previous Olympics. Displayed nerves of steel in such an intricate event.
Arteta. Ruben is ready to turn Manchester red again.
Is John Lowe still playing? Otherwise it’s little Littler for me.
the question setter obviously doesn’t consider Dublin v Mayo in the Allianz Football League on January 25 a big day out. but may I also refer you to my very first answer.
James Maheady. Two footed and full of beans, his penchant for worldly points on a regular basis has been key to Crossmolina’s advance to the All-Ireland Club IFC semi-final.
Forgive the artistic licence as it classifies under neither but D’Unbelievables’ ‘GAA Manager’.
“I’ll tell ye something lads, the standard of name calling in this club is absolutely diabolical. And we’re training all winter at it. There’s no point in running up to a man, sticking your tongue out at him, calling him a sissy and running away. Jesus lads, that’s not name calling. You pull hard into him, pull hard, hard, hard, hard. Make sure the referee can see you but he can’t hear you. Then you start lads. You insult his mother. Insult his grandmother, his sisters, his family, every one seed, breed and generation of them. Insult the s**** out of him, annihilate him, lambaste him. Make sure that man hits you. When he hits you, you hit the ground. He gets the line, we get the free. Fourteen men against fifteen, lads. You don’t even know how to play the f****** game.
“You’ll know all about it when you’re playing under-14 next year, right.”
Rest in peace, Jon Kenny.
Boxing. I liked unbeaten Swinford pro Eoghan Lavin’s recent pronouncement in this newspaper that his ambition is to headline a card at the Castlebar venue.
Athletics.
I think they could hit a sticky patch yet. Or maybe that’s just my Red Devils bias speaking out. Chelsea look a serious challenger to me.
Messi (It’s very possible I have contradicted myself in previous columns).
Rhasidat Adeleke. Still only 22, you’d just love to see the Dubliner sprint to greatness at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo next September.
The two points rule will bring pandemonium to club football.
