PHILLY MCMAHON DONNED the familiar sky-blue jersey during the 70-odd minutes of action as he claimed his sixth All-Ireland medal.
But for the Dublin celebrations that engulfed Croke Park afterwards, he was a clad in a white t-shirt that was presented to him by a member of the Hill 16 crowd.
McMahon provides the context to explain the significance behind the presentation.
“A friend of mine (Tomas) threw it to me from the Hill, I didn’t know he was going to do it. He texted me the day before and he said, ‘Look in the Hill’.
“I was like, ‘Right, I’ll have a look during the parade’. I look around the stadium when I’m walking around because I love taking the energy in.
“I was looking around and thinking, ‘What was he talking about?’ I didn’t see him. But then when we were bringing the Cup over at the end I was looking for him again and he was right in front of me.
“He showed me the t-shirt and he threw it over to me. It was Walter White, and saying he was here with me, it was lovely. Because my Da looked like Walter White. It was nice.”
His father Phil senior watched on for the previous All-Ireland triumphs but this time he was absent after passing away two months ago. That added a poignancy to McMahon’s All-Ireland final experience.
“The last two years have been tough for me because of my Dad’s situation. I’m just so lucky I had a great support network around me with the lads.
“There’s a lot of people who have issues in their lives and adversity in their lives. People say, especially with mental health nowadays, people say it’s okay to say there’s something wrong with you.
“For me, sometimes actions are nearly stronger. To see Eoghan O’Gara going up to my Da through his illness, just to take that time, the guy has a young family and he was travelling down to Wexford.
“That just shows you the character that we have in the squad. Other lads done it as well.”
For McMahon the joy from these All-Ireland victories is the impact it makes on those closest to him.
“It’s probably tough on my mam being there without him yesterday but you can’t fight reality, it is what it is. I just hope that they’ve (his family) gotten a bit of happiness this year from it.
“I can remember, and I can’t give you age, driving over the canal bridge by Croke Park, on the bus with my ma, and saying to her ‘I’ll play there some day…’
“From that, to playing there in school, in the old Croke Park, that’s how old I am now. But six All-Irelands? Jesus, no.
“And it’s what it’s brought, the success of those All-Irelands, is probably more important than just saying I’ve won an All-Ireland, the way I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to develop a platform to help other people.
“And for me that’s the best bit about winning an All-Ireland, not saying four in a row, or six All-Irelands. It’s what you get from it, and what you can give from it.”
Those that shaped McMahon into a multi All-Ireland winning defender are not forgotten either, particularly the guiding influence of Ballymun coach and former Dublin player Paddy Christie.
“I said it before, Paddy would have seen the energy of the kids in Ballymun, and blended that well with the kids that were from Glasnevin, at a certain age.
“And I would have had a lot of aggression, because of the problems I would have had at home, with my brother John.
“And because of my education around addiction, I would have been so frustrated and angry, because that. And I pushed that onto the pitch, and Paddy was the one that spotted that, and did it for a lot of young kids in Ballymun.
“Unfortunately there were a few that slipped through the net, that he couldn’t help. There was one guy, and he was incredible, his name was David Bewley. He had the movement of Diarmuid Connolly, that’s how good this fella was.
“But as I said, you kind of drop off, for whatever reason. He’s come back the odd time, but that fella was incredible. There are other Dublin lads who will take about him all the time.
“There were loads of lads like that, maybe got caught up in the wrong things, and unfortunately got brought in the wrong direction.”
Even in the aftermath of Dublin’s latest All-Ireland success, McMahon is conscious that a similar outcome could have faced him.
“Ultimately that’s what can happen. I’m working in Mountjoy, every Tuesday and Thursday, talking with prisoners. And these lads would have had problems with their self image from a very young age, or their family members or environment would have influenced the choices they’ve made.
“And unfortunately when we look at Mountjoy, and when we look at the people in there, we only look at the crime, and don’t look at the person, and what they went through.
“There are people in there who have serious issues, essentially shouldn’t be there, might need psychological help, rather than their liberty being taken away.
“If you want to learn about life, go into to Mountjoy and work there for a couple of weeks. And that’s what Paddy Christie did really well for us, his intervention more so.”
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