Multy-faceted: Community out in force to welcome home their champions
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Shane Allen, Kevin O’Sullivan, Robbie Forde in Multyfarnham on Monday evening of last week.Image 2 of 9
Keith Quinn (Co Sec) and Mark McHugh (Manager)Image 3 of 9
Footballers of the future braving the rain on the green in MultyfarnhamImage 4 of 9
Captain Ronan Wallace meets fans and signs jerseys.Image 5 of 9
And more signing.Image 6 of 9
Even Athlone man Ray Connellan received a warm welcome in Multyfarnham.Image 7 of 9
Boidu Sayeh meets fans Jake and Louis Green.Image 8 of 9
James Mitchell, Eoin McCabe and Harry Niall enjoying the festive feel in Multy last week.Image 9 of 9
Where the celebration of the Leinster SFC final victory began – in Mullingar on the Sunday night.Sunday week last, outside the Greville Arms on Pearse Street. The crowd thickens, a garda supervises the removal of a parked car. Preparations were being put in place for the return of the heroic Westmeath GAA Leinster SFC final winners.
The rain starts to drift down. It’s soft at first, a gentle drizzle to cool down a crowd being warned up by the party music from the stage. By 9 o’clock it’s no longer soft, a persistent downpour heralds the homecoming. As captain Ronan Wallace, Delaney Cup in hand, is escorted through the crowd by a garda outrider, the crowd are oblivious to the soaking.
The stage is electric, the victorious Ladies intermediate team joining their male colleagues on the platform. This is the essence of community; a group of people, united by a common bond.
Twenty hours later the party is still in motion. The Delaney Cup Monday Club have a bus to shuttle them around the county. A venting of steam after the completion of phase two of the 2026 Senior Inter-County campaign. A respite before the final push to return to Croke Park on the most important Sunday of all.
The party is joined by one Marty Morrissey on the banks of the River Gaine. There are no longer footpaths in Multyfarnham, only parking spaces. The RTÉ presenter is chatting to the captain of the county team in his home village. The grin is still in place, but the eyes are a bit tired.
Not that fatigue gets in the way of civic duty. Mr Wallace is pressing flesh, signing jerseys and having selfies taken with everyone who asks. He’s mobbed, blanketed more effectively than the 2012 Donegal defence.
And still the rain falls. It feels like it has been raining solid for 24 hours, perhaps it has. It doesn’t matter. There is no amount of rain that could put out the fire that has been lit in the hearts of the Westmeath fans.