Search Results for 'the World Cup'

This week’s instalment of popular television programme Thank GAA It’s Friday is to look at one of Mayo’s greatest footballing legends, Cora Staunton, who has now turned her hand to women’s rugby.

From the World Cup-winning German football team, to Barack Obama, to the Pope, nearly everyone it seems has been caught up in the incredible rise of the ‘selfie’ - self-portraits snapped from smartphones.

Mayo’s little Argentina on the Moy has decked the town in blue and white and cheers of ‘Vamos, vamos Argentina’ are ringing out in the streets ahead of the World Cup final on Sunday.

The World Cup has reached the quarter final stages, Wimbledon has almost reached its climax, yet the Provincial finals in the GAA championships have yet to yield their winners despite starting two months ago. When you think how fast these other tournaments are run off it makes you feel for the inter county players with the long drawn out season with gaps of up to six weeks between games. None of the big hitters has been eliminated in the football championship, and before you say what about Derry, they were never going to win the All-Ireland. One team I felt may be able to put it up to Dublin, physically anyway, was Monaghan. They are lucky to be still in the Ulster championship and they have no greater incentive to win their replay with Armagh than avoiding a replay against Tyrone in the qualifiers. Monaghan more than likely felt great about themselves after beating Tyrone, and clearly took their eye off the ball playing against Armagh, while probably looking ahead to an Ulster final repeat against Donegal without actually having qualified for it. They got the wake up call necessary and I am sure they will win the replay.

The 12th Athlone Agri-Show and Food Festival will take place at the Showgrounds at Gaffey’s Farm, Moydrum on Sunday June 29.

Tom Dempsey Flooring, Oranmore, is offering a unique moneyback offer for flooring products purchased during the World Cup.

World Cup fever is well and truly upon us with games coming thick and fast and most of us struggling to keep the lids open for the late starts every night. Mayo football and the World Cup is something I relate to from my memories as a Mayo footballer. I made my championship debut for Mayo all the way back in 1994, the World Cup was on in the USA the same year. It is hard to believe 20 years could go by so fast. Mayo football was taking a bit of a bashing then on the back of Mayo’s humiliating defeat to Cork in the All-Ireland semi final by all of 20 points in 1993. As a new kid on the block I did not care about the World Cup, and I was oblivious to the thrashing I am sure Mayo football was taking from the entire country, because I had achieved a goal I set myself as a 16-year-old who failed to make a Mayo u16 team for the Ted Webb Cup. When I arrived home from Mayo u16 training in 1990 to tell my parents I had been dropped from the panel because I simply was not good enough I swore to them that day I would play for the Mayo senior team before I was 20.

With the summer weather starting to heat up and the World Cup action in full swing The Snug Bar in the Left Bank area is the place to be this weekend. You can follow all the World Cup action in the beer garden or on the many screens throughout the pub. If you are planning a summer BBQ or party The Snug Bar has a separate beer garden with its own bar for private functions which always creates a great party atmosphere. There is no charge for the function room and free finger food can be provided. Areas can also be reserved throughout the bar free of charge.

The world is being treated to a feast of football that for even the passing fan is intoxicating, particularly this year in the exotic location of Brazil, World Cup record holders, long-time world favourites, and home of the greatest footballer Pele.

With the summer weather finally hitting Galway, many people are leaving the shadows of the home and heading outside to bask in the rays.