I should, I know, have given some advance warning about this development but such is the speed at which things can sometimes move in the tech world it kinda got overtaken by events. Anyway, as you can see for yourselves, the site has just had an overdue makeover, with the new look-and-feel going live a short while ago this afternoon.
It was a bit of a surprise for me when I went checking to see how long it had been since the last refresh was done and discovering that this happened way back in June 2012. That’s a long time in the real world – Barack Obama, for example, hadn’t fully completed his first term as US President then – but in the online environment it’s positively aeons ago so it was definitely time for a new look. And so, a week ahead of the site’s tenth birthday, here it is.
As those who know me will readily confirm, IT expertise is not one of my claims to fame. If it were left to me, the site would still be stuck in the Web 1.0 era, with bits of formatting falling off the wagon with every twist and turn along the road. You’ll be relieved to know, then, that I’m unable to take credit for any of the work on the upgrade.
The two people who can, and to whom I’m enormously grateful, are Michael Maye (AKA Mayo Mick) and Michael Carolan, a Crossmolina native based in Boston. Both are well versed in the inner workings of WordPress (and much more besides, I’d wager) and in a matter of days they’ve taken the work on the upgrade to an astonishingly rapid conclusion. That’s the power of the transatlantic Mayo meitheal for you. My huge thanks to both of them for their sterling efforts.
Although the site’s appearance has been transformed, all the usual features are still there – and the site banner is back too (the photo used is one Mick took as well) – so feel free to have a wander round and get used to the new look. Sure, in a few weeks you’ll have forgotten that it ever looked different. That’s how it goes in the online world.
Well done WJ. Progress we must And this site has progressed and evolved as our county has. Proud of it.
Brilliant – and well done to Mayomick for the great work he does. Great banner photo. Hadn’t seen that one before. Who the hell is no. 32? Brian Reape?
Mobile site is nifty too. Well done to all
Love it well done all !
Well done willie joe
Great work WJ 2017 barely underway and 10 articles up. It’s going to be lively!!
Well done WJ on the new look site. Only seems like yesterday since the last overhaul!
Well wear, as they say.
Brian Reape for sure.
Well done Willie Joe and the IT guys and to Michael Maye as well no better man to take a good photo. The new site looks good no doubt we will be consulting it hundreds of times before the year is out
Looks well, very slick.
Looks great and very mobile friendly
I like it.well played
Well wear WJ. Great website just got better. Good start to the year.
i like your new look website well done
Fair play WJ.
Fair play WJ, very impressive! Hopefully Sam will be resting on the top of the page come September.
Congratulations Willie Joe and to all concerned. Looks wonderful .
Impressive WJ
Comhghairdeas
absolutely class! well done all.
Looks great lads , well done.
Love it. Very clean cut, classy and modern. No fuss. Well done all!
Sorry my smiley symbol turned into a question mark for some reason?
Very nice !
It looks magnificent guys take a bow. I love the banner photograph at the start. We have a real sense of pride in our team and our blog. Looking forward to the coming season.
Congrats to all involved, a wonderful resource that keeps on improving, a bit like our wonderful team. Love that photograph – just one thing missing from it !
Hat’s off to you WJ and the 2 micks,it looks great
Very nice went on earlier and thought I was in the wrong place. Well done this takes slot of work and thought. Thank-you!
Love the new look, well done Willie Joe!. Not long now until the Monaghan match, we’re going for our 7th year in a row to be ultra competitive, signs so far looking good. But let’s not underestimate the enormous challenge ahead.
Nice job. Site looks great. I should have known a Crossmolina Man would have been involved
great work as always Willie Joe and co.
Great stuff folks.
OK Reape is 32, who is 31?
Ger McDonagh is #31
well done Willie Joe-kinda like gettin a new jersey!??
??= smileys!
Congrats Willie Joe and to everyone else involved in the new look!
Well done Willie Joe.
There are many that will pontificate, ponder, argue and ultimately only suggest and scribble,. There are VERY FEW who will grab the handlebars of a site like this and continually fill the deep inkwell and use its contents to provoke opinion, to probe, to question, to console and most of all to inspire the people of a great County to discuss and exchange views. To celebrate and to challenge each others opinions on the intricacies of that formula to success is like an eternal Spring, your neighbour has a promising child,, and so it begins again with the parish and Club.
Forums could be compared to discussions held between intimate friends with eavesdropping opinionated listeners willing to exchange their heartfelt views or opinions, some are sober and more are tainted with a kind of alcohol induced emotional outpouring of championship football. This is where we drink the unfamiliar wine of our game. This is like truth serum that either ends in laughter and joy or that dreadful morning after of “ooh my God” !! please tell me I didn’t say that, but that’s life as we are passionate people and the heart roars before the mind checks the wording,,. Ye have great men on the field and a few capable bucks on the keyboards off it so enjoy the ride, after all it’s 2017.
Congrats Willie Joe – and well done and thanks to Mick and Michael. Looking forward to the big birthday.
Awesome site update Willie Joe! Also special kudos to Michael Maye (AKA Mayo Mick) and Michael Carolann, great work!!!! We all know we will be visiting often throughout the season. For reference, the responsive mobile feature works perfect on my old android, my work blackberry and my new iPhone, so great job team!!! Roll on to September!!!
Thanks all for the kind words and positive feedback on the site upgrade. To underline how quickly the whole thing happened, I met up with Michael M at Kiltoom on Sunday and he agreed then to help out on doing an upgrade, which I said needed to be done at some point (he’d sorted a few bugs that had appeared on the old one in recent weeks). Then overnight on Sunday a mail from Michael C in Boston dropped into my inbox with details of a possible new theme and work began in earnest on Monday on finalising the finer details of it. It all went live yesterday. That’s impressive going and I just want to stress again that I had nothing to do with it and am as much in awe at the makeover as the rest of you!
I haven’t commented since before the All Ireland but I must salute Willie Joe on this great upgrade of his website – it looks really good. As well, after the latest, draining defeat, it’s a vote of confidence in Mayo’s future and gives us all a boost.
I saw a few of the Dublin players who were with the All Stars in Dubai a couple of months ago, got a good close-up look and its remarkable how physically similar they are. They’re all around 6 feet (apart from Fenton, but he’s very fast), a bit of muscle but nothing that would limit their mobility. I think Gaelic Football has moved on, and the day of the towering, lumbering type of player vainly trying to barge their way through is finished.
Unless they are a rare talent, any player who doesn’t have both the required skills and speed should not be selected on a team with All Ireland winning aspirations. There’s no need to mention the other elephant in the Mayo room, even the dogs in the street will tell you the score with the Mayo forwards.
The last site upgrade in 2012 coincided with a new dawn in Mayo football, let’s hope the 2017 version sees us finally cross the line first.
Looks fantastic, well done to all involved!
Nice one WJ
Thanks Wideball for the Ger McDonagh identification.
That’s impressive project management Willie Joe.
Maybe you could turn your attention to other pressing issues: the housing crisis; rural broadband? Looks like you are the man to get things sorted!
Fab WJ
Love it, love the blog, love our county,and love love our team.
Cant wait for Feb4th.Best of luck and blessings to all involved from the Top down.
Congratulations well done,all the best for the future,what:a wonderful start to the year when the team finally:win Sam,hopefully all the posters keep posting people like jaden,gamechanger,and all the outsiders who take part with us in our: journey
As the yanks would say, the new layout is awesome or it’s amazing! Well done to all involved!
Well done to all. Really is a super site and gaining more importance and relevance every year
I like it! Well done WJ and Michael & Mick. New year – new energy – new look – new hope! Onwards and upwards.
Well wear willie joe.. lovely upgrade.
Love the makeover – well done to Mayo Mick (who I already know is a whizz at such things) and to the other Michael across the pond.
I love the photo too Mick, but I personally can’t wait until you’re changing it next September so that the team that finally brings us over the line will be immortalised on this fine site 🙂
Jaysus Willie Joe. Mighty, mighty, mighty!!! Have to wear the good suit to go on here anymore. 🙂
Love the new look WJ!! Nothing like opening the page and seeing that photo to stir the pride!! Well done..
Lovely upgrade WJ and well done to the two Michaels. It’ll take a while for the eye to become attuned to the new look but, a new year and a new look. A new ending perhaps?
Well done, and as always, thanks for all the work.
Willie Joe this is amazing stuff. When I clicked in I thought I’m in the wrong house here and wasn’t even sure how to gain access. Hugh credit must go to the two Michaels for pulling this together of course, but I’ve a feeling you had a lot more involvement than you’re letting on. Either way it’s now a most impressive site and one you can be truly proud of.
Gamechanger10, what mighty piece you’re after posting there. I’ve read it a few times just to take it all in, and to fully appreciate the quirky way you’ve played with words – great stuff indeed….