Well, after all my harping on about it and procrastinating with it, it’s finally done. I’ve spend countless nights editing down into what I thought was the best version. As I said before, though, I could have made four or five documentaries with the material I had left over. However, time was not on my side as a student.
I would like to thank David Brady, John O’Mahony, David Clarke and Michael Gallagher for all being a part of the documentary. I also interviewed James Nallen and Martin Carney but never trust technology – just because something is saved doesn’t mean it is solid.
I lost their audio as my laptop went into a meltdown on Monday last, thus beginning a meltdown of my own. I would like to thank all six of them for their time and effort and for portraying in words the trials and tribulations of being a Mayo GAA supporter, player and all-round lunatic.
I’d also intended to interview two of the surviving players from 1950/51 but things didn’t work out. Padraig Carney had broken his leg and was laid up in hospital so I never got to speak with him. I did get to chat a number of times with Paddy Prendergast but, with his hearing issues, a phone interview wouldn’t have worked.
Bear in mind it is my first ever documentary so don’t be expecting an award winning final project. But it is a Mayo documentary for Mayo people and so Mayo feedback would be gladly appreciated.
I would love to make another documentary on Mayo. Next time I hope it’s about the journey of winning an All-Ireland. For the moment however, this will have to do.
Enjoy!
That’s my morning commute listening sorted!.
Will report my thoughts after.
I was about to go to bed and instead listened to your documentary.
I thought it was excellent for one main reason.
Documentaries that are honest, teach us something new and suprise us are always I think what creator and audience strive for.
I’v never heard a current Gaa player, former Gaa Manager or player/pundit speak in that honest low key unguarded mode. I didn’t hear a single cliche which is the danger with Gaa interviews.
David Brady I’v never heard in that hushed over a coffee mode (was it a coffee shop? :-)).
John OMahoney gave what I think is an honest different perspective to his second term.
Michael Gallagher touched on the “What if we did win one?”.
Overall I see a pattern of all four contributors views leading to why we will win. It’s like we’re arm wrestling this problem and we have steadily ramped up the pressure now since Liam O’Neil in 1985. That 1989 generation got lifted to a new level of obsession. Which lifted again in 96. We took some hammer blows in 04/06. But that just toughened more endurance into us. We endured Longford. 2012 and 2013 can we take more? Yes fire away. 2014, 2015 and 2016 more ever so close defeat. Our response? Record attendances at league games and ready to rock n roll at minor, u21 and senior level.
2017 is the year Darragh, make sure to have yer second documentary ready to go :-).
Lovely job, thanks for sharing. Congratulations on pulling a beautiful collection of thoughts together. Mayo Abu!
brilliant.. after i nearly turned it off 30 seconds in listening to the last few seconds from October 01st, i really enjoyed it! Trying not to let people see me welling up here at work!!
Great stuff
Great piece of audio. Made me slightly emotional! Really captured the feeling of being from Mayo. Would love to hear an extended version when you have more time. Thanks for putting this together.
Ah Darragh. That was brilliant. The thoughts of winning it, oh the thoughts. Well done and thanks for sharing
Great work Darragh
fantastic Work Darragh,it was heart warming to listen to that,
stirs all kind of positive thoughts that i guess we shouldn’t be thinking about in march!
mayo abu!
Darragh, from memory, what were James Nallen’s thoughts & recollections. A mighty Mayo man. Would loved to have heard his contribution.
Just listened to it myself over breakfast. Fine piece of work, Darragh, well done.
Why not put it forward to the Radio One Documentary series – there is one there already about Mayo GAA http://www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone/2009/0626/646142-hurt/
Hey Trevor, James nallens thoughts were extremely insightful. A very intelligent man to talk to. He talked about his time in Mayo and critical analysed not even each final, but nearly each season in which he played. He talked about when he knew his time was up, which is funny considering he is constantly in the gym here in NUIG, the fittest man going!
Brian, I’m one step ahead of ya! I emailed radio one a month ago saying I was in the process of putting it together. They prefer to be on board from minute one and also, since they did a doc on mayo gaa not too long ago, they didn’t find any reason to take this one on!
Thanks to everyone for the kind words and thoughts. This doc was made especially for every Mayo GAA supporter so it’s fantastic to hear these words coming from readers of this blog.
Also a big thanks as always, to Willie Joe who has always given me a platform to rant and inform (mostly rant though)
Very much enjoyed the doc Darragh. Thanks!
It was hard listening to some of the clips. An undertone of regret and disappointment, especially with David Clarke, your heart would have to go out to him and all those who have worked so hard to bring us to the promised land.
But at the same time, a sense of optimism towards the end that there are good days ahead for Mayo. The time will come when we will look back and wonder what all the fuss about curses and whatnot was about. Keep the faith
Thank you Darragh! Yes indeed James Nallen is a very intelligent man & a gentleman to boot
Understand well where you’re coming from Wayne .Listened to it this morning before work and wished I’d left it till I got home. Great piece and well done Darragh, but didn’t do much for my mood . All the heartbreak hitting me at that hour of the morning.
Enjoyed that, Darragh. Well done.
It’s difficult to listen to the first few minutes of that, tears welled up!! Great insight from John O’Mahony, he wasn’t appreciated when he was there first time around.
You should be proud of yourself Darragh, great piece.
We will get there someday. I think we have all dreamt of what it will feel like, it what drives us on every year
Great listening Well done Darragh.
Thank you Darragh for that Mayo journey back thru the years. Brought the emotions flooding back.The next one you do will be the journey to winning Sam and that ‘s very near now.
There’s something so so special to being a Mayo supporter. Think it’s because we are so proud of the huge passion and commitment of our players, we cant but follow them with all our hearts and goodwill. We will always be in this together.
Really enjoyed that , fantastic piece well done Darragh
Excellent piece Darragh very well put together. It really tugged at the heart strings and brought tears that I thought were long since dried up back again. It reinforced to me how lucky we are to have such a resiliant bunch of players willing to represent us year in year out after all the knock backs they’ve had. And David Clarke what a gentleman.