St Brigid’s Day may not, as we were told in school and as our kids are still being told the same thing now, mark the end of winter (Evelyn Cusack nailed that particular canard fairly decisively on the weather forecast yesterday evening – we’ve at least another month to go) but it is still a significant date hereabouts. This is because it was on this day a full five years ago that I decided to take complete and utter leave of my senses and start this enterprise. I did so then with this post – oh, the innocence of it all.
Now, with significantly more in the way of grey hairs and within shouting distance of 900,000 hits on the site, the first day of February back in 2007 really does seem like a long time ago. Then again, if you think about all that’s happened in the wider world over this period, I guess that it is.
Congrats Willie Joe, fabulous work.
Happy birthday willie joe, hopefully there’s another 5, keep her lit!!
Well done – Happy Birthday
well done
A special day for WJ and all of us who enjoy The Green and Red, a glass will be raised in celebration. Keep up the great work WJ, we all really appreciate it.
to hell with evelyn irish spring starts today .. keep the. flag flying
Happy Birthday Willie Joe. Keep up the good work.
Will you be giving out goody bags ?
Great day Willie Joe. Your site is one of the great things that has happened to this football mad county. well done son!
Happy birthday, I enjoy the site a lot. Hope your fingers are sore at the end of September( in a good way)
Well done WJ, great work.
I came across this site near the end of 2007 I think, it was invaluable to someone exiled away from home.
Congrats WJ on number 5. I think this site has kept a lot of die-hard mayo supporters sane for the last number of years with different opinions and views of what is good and bad regarding Mayo football. Keep up the good work.
Congrats W.J. A great site. Now that you are not talking football I would like to make a comment on James Laffey’s great book, ‘The Road to 51’ which I’m reading at present. It is a wonderful book. It is great to see photos of men I heard my dad talk about 70 years ago. ‘Purty’ Kelly, ‘Tot’ Mc Gowan Patsy Flannelly just to mention just a few. In reading The Prologue he referred to Seán Flanagan as a Ballyhaunis native. Seán was ‘bred born and reared’ in the parish of Aughamore, in the townland of Crossard near Tooreen wher his parents taught.
Ballyhaunis can claim John Prenty – but they are not going to claim Seán Flanagan!!. Having said Aghamore could claim a half share in John as his mother is from Mannin in the parish of Aghamore!!
Great stuff wj. Just read through your first ever article again. I think you sensed something big was gonna happen with johnno having just taken control…litlle did you or I think that by the time he had finished with us we had move from a top six to bottom six side. Anyway thanks for all. This site is a credit to you. Long may it continue
Fair play!
Great site, led by WJ but ably assisted by a broad range of contributors with a variety of opinions.
Well done, Willie Joe. Never afraid to face reality but your love of Mayo football still shines thrtough!
Congratulations Willy Joe on 5 years of your eye on the ball and your finger of the pulse of Mayo football.
All of the above and more WJ-God keep your site safe from the type of gunge perpetrated by other GAA discussion sites-although the quality of the posters is self regulating
congrats willie joe. here goes another tilt for sam 2012. also a comment on laffeys book , fantastic read that would open anyones eyes to what mayo teams of the past put themselves through in the pursuit of greatness. for the younger generation of mayo supporters out there its a must read. we are all familar with the names of the past but i feel you as if i know them better after reading the ‘road to 51’. if anyone can understand what i mean…
I really enjoy the site, congratulations on the work well done.
Congrats Willie Joe – Keep her lit for another 5 !
thanks a mil wj for all your wonderful information and entertainment over the past 5 yrs, keep er lit!!
Thanks everyone for the kind words and thanks too for all the contributions everyone has made to the site down the years which, as Mikey says, have brought a wide variety of different and valued opinions to the table.
You’re right, Ted, that I thought good things were to come back in 2007 and part of me wanted to be on hand to chronicle it. As we all now know, it didn’t turn out that way but the past is the past and, as ever, we have to live in hope about what lies ahead!
Good man Willie Joe, a wonderful site I always enjoy reading heres to a successful 2012! Keep up the good work!
Congrats WJ and happy birthday.
Obviously you can’t make all the matches but your network shows the ability you have to work with people and keep the rest of us informed on the ins and outs of Mayo GAA.
900,000 hits is a great achievement as well. You must be looking forward to the million.
Fair play to you. You have kept it going through think and thin and the result here is something to be very proud of.
On Laffey’s book, does anyone know if there are plans to release it in paperback? Might not seem like much of a difference, but I have this strange aversion to hardback books…
As a Mayo supporter I bet
You found nothing of use on the net
Til the bould Willie Joe
Started blog for Mayo
Theres so much now we’re all in his debt.
Congrats on the fifth anniversary and long may this great blog continue.
happy 5th WJ , i wonder on that auspicious day did you ever think your site would be having tongues wagging all over the county , with the county board logging on to defend themselves and guests from new york giving us great reports on games like the FBD final.
more power to you WJ for the next 5.
I never aspired to such heights, Roger, and the thought of Limericks being composed specially to mark the site’s birthday wouldn’t have been something I’d have imagined either. Funny old world!
Well done willie joe. Grt to have this site to feed the Mayo addiction. Funny it seems to grow stronger the older you get.
have to stop looking around me at matchs tho wundering if the fella beside me is you!!!!!
Akamoreman my dad is from Crossbeg and remembers Flanagan bring the cup home in 51 and lighting the bonefire in the square in Ballyhaunis. Jesus i wish just once to see that, just once will do. (ahem god if you are reading this site, this year wouldnt go astray like ……)