We’re never short of things for doing in this neck of the woods at this time of the year.
That crossing of the Film Fleadh, the Arts festival and the Races has for many years acted as an apex in the Galway year.
To those dates we travel with hope left in a summer; after that, we traditionally think that soon, the evenings will be closing in, and the long winter looms ahead.
In some years, there was the distraction of an All-Ireland appearance, an event in early or deep September that would hopefully bring the glint of silverware to light the way until the movement of the clocks. Something to keep us going.
But over the past few weeks, Galway people have been doing us proud on many fields, showing a never say die attitude; a belief that any result can be achieved. You know, we never knew how badly we needed a fillip until the events of the past weeks happened.
And all of this is before the Olympic Flame is ignited in Paris next week.
I was coming out of Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday night at the time that Galway United’s Julie-Ann Russell snuck in and latched onto a header to lash it beyond the England keeper in Norwich; it brought to national attention the talent that we already knew existed, having seen her sterling displays for title chasing-United this season.
Many of the family and friends and supporters travelled south on Tuesday night to see her start against the imperious French, and from the off, she was a thorn in their side, her selfless running harrying Les Bleus into panic and error.
Her role in setting up the opener for Denise O’Sullivan was key, but her real moment came soon after when she latched onto a through ball, turned inside onto her left foot and planted the ball in the top corner of the French net.
I know Julie Ann from my involvement with her in the promotion of the women’s game in the city and county and can vouch for the soundness of her personality; her desire to ensure that others get the chances she did; that equal terms are secured for the players, and that through her supreme fitness, the sky’s the limit for every woman to play sport to the level they wish.
Her story has lit up the Irish sporting world this week; at a time when Galway was already basking in the light of their admirable performance against Donegal in the All-Ireland semi-final on Sunday.
Donegal, in their green and tellow, resembled aesthetically the colours of a banana-skin, and they could have derailed the Galway train, but the battlehardiness instilled into our heroes by Padraig Joyce and his backroom team saw them face the storm and come out unscathed.
In that team too, there are heroes enjoying a limelight in their thirties. On Sunday week, they have an opportunity to grasp and shape history. They will be levelheaded about it all and they will go out to make us proud once again.
The Galway U16 camogie team face their All-Ireland final versus Limerick in Kilkenny this Saturday evening; at practically the same time, the senior footballers play Cork in their semi-final. It is a sporting time of plenty. We wish them all well and hope they get inspiration from the likes of Galway’s senior men and from Julie Ann.
In your legs and hands, you have the capacity to cheer us up. In return, we cheer you on. Thanks for the memories you are creating. Gaillimh Abu.
