Mayo man reveals 'emotions got the better of me' at full time hooter
Kilmaine man Shane Fitzgerald thought of his late father when he fell to his knees following Mayo's All-Ireland victory
A Kilmaine man who fell to his knees and kissed the ground following Mayo's victory of Kerry said he was overcome with emotion and thinking of his late father who was a passionate Mayo supporter.
Shane Fitzgerald's reaction to the final hooter at Croke Park was beamed around the world after it was captured live on television and has become a symbolic moment of what the All-Ireland means to the people of Mayo.
Speaking to The Mayo News on Monday, Shane said that he was counting down the minutes as Mayo hung on to victory and was overcome with emotion when the dream of capturing Sam Maguire came true.
“I was sitting not far from the presentation area and looking over at Sam Maguire and with every passing minute we were getting closer and closer to winning it.
“On 65 minutes I said to the person beside me ‘Am I right in saying we've only five minutes left?' and we hung in there and got better at the end. I looked at Sam Maguire when I heard the hooter go and to be looking at it and realise it is going to Mayo… the emotions got the better of me.
“I was momentous. To officially say Sam was coming home to Mayo, I let off a lot of energy and balled my eyes and I went to my knees and kissed the ground. Little did I know there was a camera on me and I got caught and have to live with it for the rest of my life,” he laughed.
Shane's father Michael Fitzgerald passed away three years ago and on Sunday he was wearing a Mayo jersey he asked his father to sign just before he died. He said he thought of him at the final whistle.
“We all have our emotional journeys over the years and my father passed away three years ago. Before he passed I asked him to sign a Mayo jersey and I said sign that there and the day Sam Maguire is won by Mayo I will have you with me. I wore the jersey for the last three years and I have never washed it and I don't think I ever will.
“Jack [Coyne] mentioned the people who went before us and we all know somebody who would have loved and dreamed of seeing Mayo lift Sam Maguire. Dad was a quiet man but he always followed the Mayo team and wouldn't miss a game, the same as every Mayo person in the world. I thought it was interesting that after the players went around the pitch and the hype had settled down a bit we got a shower of rain and I felt that was a signal from above that they were happy,” he said.
A sheep farmer and a florist, Shane started the weekend by climbing Croagh Patrick as part of Garland Friday when traditionally Westport people would climb the Reek ahead of Reek Sunday. Having lived in Westport, Shane has brought flowers for the oratory for the last 20 years and did it again on Friday.
“I was carrying a box with three flower arrangements and it was an interesting journey and I met people from all over the world. We started with two carrying it and others started to chip in and later on a young lad from Fahy chipped in for a while. It was a team effort and the goal was to get to the top and pray to St Patrick for some guidance.
“It was one of the hardest journeys and I gained a lot of penance which I think might have got us over the line,” he joked, adding that he hopes that Sam is brought to the top of Croagh Patrick soon.
Michael was one of thousands of people to travel to Castlebar to witness the team bring Sam back to Mayo and he said it was only then that he started to sink in what had happened in Croke Park.
“We have gone to Croke Park for years and years and gone through so much sadness and loss and I don't think it will sink in until I see Sam Maguire back home in Mayo. It is just amazing.”