During the past couple of decades CLG Oileáin Árainn’s rise has been one of the great success stories in Galway football. It is a tale of perseverance and hope, crushing losses experienced, great days sampled.
The fact that one of their own is now an established player with the maroon and white senior footballers is a source of considerable optimism. Seán Ó Maolchiaráin is fully aware of the pride that exists. “Especially coming from the islands,” he replies when asked about representing the progressive club.
“A lot of people don’t expect anything of us because of different scenarios – taking the boat or whatnot. So hopefully I can do them proud, I know with some of the fans coming on Sunday it will be great to have some of the parents and siblings there. We will give it a go.”
There was a time, not so long ago, when footballers from the Islands would gather at South Park to train with commendable enthusiasm. That was the start of a journey through the ranks of the Galway game, a spell when the vast majority of the panel lived away from the three islands.
It remains a challenge. “Collectively we train once a week if we can at all,” Ó Maolchiaráin adds.
“Then we are training away on our own, whenever lads are based. Three or four in Dublin, or the eight or nine lads on Inis Mór for example. The big issue is training collectively, but we get on with it.”
Ó Maolchiaráin is grateful to An Spidéal for assisting him and other young Oileáin Árainn players enabling them to feature at a high level in underage matches.
“Thankfully An Spidéal took us, a few guys my age and myself,” he recalls. “Otherwise you don’t know where you are at or what other clubs are doing at the age. So it was great to get involved to play leagues and championships at underage club level.”
His development continued with Galway underage teams, while the Sigerson Cup with NUIG offered a stage to demonstrate talent also.
“Most definitely, even coming out of minor playing Sigerson it is a different level altogether, even the physicality of the game,” Ó Maolchiaráin says.
“You have to really put in the work after it, you know then where you are at. The Sigerson is a great competition, unfortunately we didn’t get the chance to play in it this year, but hopefully we will get the chance next year.”
Going to Dr Hyde Park on Sunday brings a Championship examination against Roscommon. “It is great to have it, at the start of the year we didn’t know what month or would it even get played,” Ó Maolchiaráin acknowledges. “So it is great to have it now on Sunday.
“You are always trying to keep ticking over during the winter months anyway. You are waiting for the date and thankfully we got the date, now we are here, we are looking forward to it.
“Even during the league it was a tough, tough battle. In recent years Galway and Roscommon there has been nothing between them on any given day. We are looking forward to a huge battle on Sunday.”
