Most of the Mayo supporters who made their way across the Atlantic for last weekend’s Connacht championship opener against New York have now arrived back home. They’ve taken with them memories of an enormously enjoyable weekend in the Big Apple, where the county’s presence there was felt right across the city.
In this latest episode of the Mayo News football podcast we wrap up the New York trip and seek to put it in the wider context of transatlantic connections between the western shores of Ireland and North America’s eastern seaboard.
Co-hosts Rob Murphy and I review the weekend’s events from our different perspectives at opposite ends of the Atlantic Ocean. Rob, still Stateside, then catches up with Mayo News sports editor Mike Finnerty and Mayo News columnist Anne-Marie Flynn for some final reflections on the trip before they head home.
Next we hear from Inisturk native Danny O’Toole, whose father Michael is still known to take to the currach when making his way to the mainland for Mayo matches.
Ending our New York odyssey on the podcast, we widen the lens out to consider more profound themes of emigration and the strong connections that exist between Mayo and North America. We do this from different standpoints on opposite ends of the Atlantic.
Rob and I are joined by Ciaran O’Hara at the poignant Tuke Memorial Garden in Blacksod, from where so many Irish emigrants bade a final farewell to their native shore. Rob and Ciaran then move across the Atlantic to the equally evocative Irish Hunger Memorial in Manhattan, where, with the Mayo Day celebrations in full swing, they talk about the destinations Irish emigrants reached and how their efforts there helped to shape the New World.
Finally, Rob speaks with Professor Christine Kinealy of Quinnipiac University who considers the Irish post-Famine experience and the way in which the links to home prevail for so many Irish Americans down successive generations.
This latest episode of the Mayo News football podcast is now online and is available to listen to on iTunes, SoundCloud, Podomatic and Spotify. You can also listen to it directly on the Mayo News website as well as here on the blog using the SoundCloud player below or the one on the right.
The Mayo News football podcast’s championship coverage this summer is proudly sponsored by J Streicher. “When it absolutely, positively has to be financed on Wall Street.” Visit our website at www.jstreicher.eu.
What a weekend! She’s some spot is New York.
This was my second trip out there for the game and it is safe to say there were many more supporters present this year as opposed to 2014. Whether it was just that more were wearing their colours, or, that we are getting madder with age, but there seemed to me anyway a greater visible presence of Mayo-heads.
The main event itself, the game, was a damp squib. In more ways than one. The much expected mill for tickets proved to be a non-runner as supporters were still coming in, paying cash at the gate, 10 mins in to the first half. I wonder was Rooney left with many €100 tickets by Sunday morning???
Mayo were utterly dominant throughout the first half in every position of the field and opted for points on two occasions when goals were there for the taking. In truth, New York were very poor and no where near as competitive as in 2014, when they well in the game up to the 45th minute mark. Mayo obviously sensed this early and took pity on them, knocking over handy points when goals were on offer. This was the correct thing to do as a turkey-shoot would be no good to either side. The game was well and truly over by the second half but Mayos complete lack of fluidity and slickness against a beaten team was disappointing to see. Basic passing and handling errors resulted in a scrappy affair and considering the possession we had we should have completed our moves and runs far more efficiently. I know it was only v New York but considering there were 5 or 6 lads vying for a geansai in a Connacht semi-final, it should have been a slicker performance.
Rob and Mike were two rows behind me so I got the “pre-edit” version of the podcast. Fair play to you all for the work ye have put in over the last week, it can’t have been easy. Also, it is very clear that this fixture means a lot to the GAA community in New York, and us here also. A lot of hard work and organisation goes in to this fixture from the US side of things and they deserve much credit. As they do also for the development of their young boys and girls in the game. It is plain to see that many of the US underage players are on a par (skills and technique-wise) with the Irish youngsters.
I feel also that the possibility should be looked at allowing New York in to the Championship qualifiers. Another game against an inter-county side (and not one as strong as Mayo or Galway) would greatly benefit them and give them two big games a year to target.
What a brilliant weekend, enjoyed every minute. My third Mayo match there and met some great people. Former Mayo footballers as well as current. I met one man in Rory Dolan’s after the game and he inquired where I was from and when I came out. I said Lahardane and on Friday. Asked him the same and he said Louisburgh, 50 yrs ago next January and not a hint of an accent. He also spent 5 years in England before going over. Some man.
Just a word on the hospitality shown by the owner of Connollys pub,Times Square(a Galway man!).He went out of his way to make people feel welcome.His staff,like himself were courteous and always pleasant.
Agreed Connollys was great. unfortunately I was one of the ones that paid over the odds for the ticket but happy to have experienced it! next time (hopefully there is one) if I’m without I’ll queue early
Another great listen. As one of the resident Americans, it was wonderful to see the invasion of green and red.
I now have to visit Black Sod when I come over in June for the Connacht championship!
A big Thank you to Helen Moran and all her staff at O Donoghues Bar And Restaurant on 156 West 44 th Street between 6th Ave and Broadway who made my wife and i and our friends from Kiltimagh so welcome on our two Visits to her establishment.
She is like me originally from Ballyhaunis .
Thanks Again Helen
Compelling listening this most recent Mayo GAA Podcast..covering much more important things than the GAA, like, Famine, Emigration and Heritage… but pulling all the threads together into this magnificent, loyal and numerous pheonemon , that is the Mayo fan base…Very interesting observation towards the end of the Podcast, relation the Five Generation DNA memory of the Great Famine, absolutely essential listening in my opinion for anyone interested in the History of Mayo or indeed the Western Sea Board of Ireland…One piece of information that I can add is that, according to the Census of 1841, County Mayo at approx 380K had aporox 10,000 more people than County & City Dublin at 370K …. The Dubs wouldn’t have had a hope against us back then. .. Dublin City and County has more? 10 time’s the population of Mayo at approx 130K nowadays…. Ireland has Local and European Elections coming up , shortly… Dublin has a housing crisis, Mayo and much of the Western Sea Board are still suffering from depopulation … Food for taught, it’s up to the citizens of this Republic….In this part of Ireland, we have our freedom….We owe to the citizens of todays Ireland, and to the memory of those who fought to give us that freedom, and to those commerated at the Famine memorial beside the Reek at Murrisk, and the Irish Famine memorial in New York!.. Let’s make the future better than the past!
Lean times – what’s this about Mayo being freer than the rest of Ireland? What about the other thirty one counties? ?
@Seamus Thornton.. Read it again. I never mentioned that we were ‘freeer’ or ‘less free’ than anywhere. I said that ‘in this part of Ireland, we have our freedom’ … I taught that it was self evident… any citizen can Vote or not Vote, endorse or regect any Political Party, Policy or Politican,
Well written Leantimes. And a great podcast by all the gang. Inspiring stuff. Anyone from Mayo who visits NY must take the trip to lower Manhattan and see the Hunger Memorial. An old cottage from Attymass that predated the famine and indeed survived it. A monument to Mayo in the greatest city in the world. The spirit of those people who fought just to survive will be brought home to you. Well done to all who travelled last week.
@ Lean Times, I agree wholeheartedly with the majority of what you’re saying but when you say “in this part of Ireland we have our freedom” it suggests that some parts don’t. Probably a bit too political of a statement for the blog even given the themes of the podcast. That’s all. In any event I can feel a rap on the knuckles from Willie Joe coming down the line if he’s reading this!
Podcasts great So happy to see Tom Parsons was with team in new york. What a guy. The take over of Times Square was best ever!!
Funny old thing the mention of your home town… Louisburgh man in Rory Dolan’s….in NYC. We’ve such pride in our county and in every little town and street. Hello to all you Louisburgh folk from another one in Carlow…too long! And hello to all the Mayo folk far and wide. You make my heart happy and proud to share the same beautiful county as our native sod. Mayo is in my soul…hello soulmates
Thanks WJ for the podcasts and for all the effort put into this from the whole team. You’re bloody amazing.
Keep your heart up and be proud of us. Maigheo go deo
@ Séamus, it may be political (up to WJ to determime whether its allowed or not). Personally I have no issue with it as it’s a factual statement notwithstanding my acceptance that the term ‘freedom’ is open to interpretation.
Fair play, Leantimes.
Sorry Seamus, to be clear, I see no problem with the posible suggestion arising from Leantimes statement, that being that some part of Ireland may not be ‘free
Anyway… football…. ros v leitrim? Any predict ions?
Comfortable win for Ros I reckon . That Cox lad from Kerry will play havoc with Leitrim full back line if on form.
Roscommon win with a few points to spare the most likely outcome but who would have expected Limerick to beat Tipperary by seven this evening?
@Leantimes. Great post. Our history is part of our DNA. Our 130,000 though is no miwadi. No watering down on the Mayo lineage. Great people had to leave but they left mighty roots behind.
Dublins 1.3 million, well the true Dubs are in there among the 1.3 million and I have to admit, they bring a buzz and have some great supporters themselves. I’m hoping if their drive for 5 is scuppered this year that it’s ourselves that can halt their gallop.
The pics of the cottage at the start of this piece are possibly my favourite from all the articles on here. A tribute and a remembrance to our forefathers and mothers. In New Yorks metropolis, a stark reminder of the famine times and also a treasure to the Irish, and a piece of home for the Irish immigrants who live there now.
I’d love to see Leitrim doing well today.