THE SWING SET outside his home in Oranmore brings Seán Óg De Paor back about four or five years ago.
His idea at the time was to get a telephone pole, cut it up into thirds and attach a swing at the end. An alternative to the sets that are made from iron and fall to rust over time. He wanted something different for his children that the weather can’t strip away. Something that will last.
De Paor went through an old football comrade from his Galway days to bring his vision to life. He knew Paul Clancy worked for the ESB and would have access to that kind of wood.
And the request was warmly received.
“Could you get me an ESB pole?”
“Yeah, that’s no problem.”
“Can you cut it in three thirds for me and throw it in over the wall?”
Within a week, the project was complete, fully chopped to De Paor’s liking, and ready for use.
The swing is still out in his garden today. Still lasting as he hoped it would.
****
The victorious Galway team lifting the Sam Maguire Cup on the Croke Park pitch after winning the 2001 All-Ireland final. INPHO
INPHO
De Paor is not a man for dates. Wednesday 23 September and Sunday 27 September don’t strike him as occasions of any real significance. They would be passing him by this week without much thought if not for others prompting him.
This conversation over the phone is the first time he realised that they both represent All-Ireland anniversaries for him. Wednesday marks 25 years since Galway’s 0-17 to 0-8 win over Meath. Along with Galway’s dominance that day, the 2001 final is also remembered as the day when the Sam Maguire was presented to the winning captain Gary Fahey out on the pitch. The Hogan Stand, where the formalities normally take place, was under construction at the time.
The second date corresponds with the 1998 All-Ireland final when Galway were crowned champions for the first time in 32 years. A famous goal from Pádraic Joyce helped power them to a four-point win over Kildare which ended a famine in the west.
De Paor wore the seven jersey on both days, scoring two points from play in the 1998 final. He also scored a memorable goal against Cork in the 2001 qualifiers, using some soccer skills to sweep the ball into the bottom corner after a well-timed interception.
Both squads have their own individual WhatsApp group to keep in touch these days, but there are plans for a merger.
“I don’t know exactly how many players are in both, but you’re looking at about roughly 20,” De Paor explains. “There are some fellas who wouldn’t know other fellas on the other group. It just tidies it up that hopefully we’ll meet on a much more regular basis. We always say we’d have to get better at organising stuff for ourselves.”
The 2001 team had a gathering recently. They were brought together for the jubilee celebrations of their success on All-Ireland final day, standing together on the pitch in Croke Park before the spotlight shifted to Mayo and Kerry.
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For De Paor, among others, this was their second such outing in three years.
“We had a meal on the Saturday night in the hotel that we stayed in,” he continues. “There were a couple of speeches after and it was really nice. On the Sunday morning, which we didn’t do three years ago at the ’98 reunion, we had a mass which was celebrated by Father Pat Donnellan.”
A time to honour the players who delivered a golden period of success in Galway. During that stretch, they reached three All-Ireland finals in four seasons, losing the 2000 final against Kerry after a replay.
The drawn game ended 0-14 apiece, where De Paor was unfortunate to see a late shot at the posts drop short. Kerry won the replay 0-17 to 1-10. And while redemption came the following year for Galway, it’s the chances that eluded them that continue to linger.
“It’s always the ones that you lose that you think about,” De Paor adds. “We were beaten by Kerry, and over the course of the draw and replay, you could say we could have maybe won it the first day.
“But if you fast-forward to 2003, we drew with Donegal in the quarter-final in Croke Park (1-11 to 0-14), and they beat us in Castlebar in the replay (0-14 to 0-11).
“I always felt that was the year where we might have done something if we got over Donegal. We hadn’t played particularly well and it might have taken a semi-final for us to wake up. I think every team that wins something, they don’t really think about the stuff they won, it’s the stuff that got away.”
****
Michael Donnellan, Finn Clancy and Ja Fallon during the 2001 jubilee presentation. Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO
Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO
There was a heavy emotion in Croke Park for those jubilee celebrations. As the proud members of that 2001 team stepped forward to receive their moment of applause, there was a profound sense of loss in the air. They were missing two of their best.
John O’Mahony and Paul Clancy were both there in 2023 for the 25-year recognition of the 1998 team. But on the day that the 2001 team was honoured, their great manager was represented in the line-up by his wife, Geraldine. And standing in for Paul Clancy was his young son, Finn.
Michael Donnellan and Ja Fallon, star players of that era, kept close to him during the presentation.
“We all told him that he did a super job,” De Paor adds, “And the two lads that were either side, they looked after him. He did it all in his stride and had a smile on his face. For his family, while it was tough for them, they’ll appreciate that he was brave enough to do it, to represent his Dad in Croke Park.
“Life can be cruel. I know most teams, when they gather for reunions, they start losing players and managers as time goes on. We had a lovely weekend in a lot of ways, but the two lads were very much to the forefront of our minds.”
That gathering came just a few weeks after Paul Clancy’s funeral in late June. The 1998 and 2001 squads were present for that too, coming together to say goodbye to a beloved teammate who had died at just 49.
De Paor reached out to Paul during his illness. He knew others would be doing the same, and was conscious of burdening Paul with too many messages of support during a delicate time.
Paul Clancy during the 2001 All-Ireland semi-final against Derry. INPHO
INPHO
Other players, De Paor says, had a closer relationship with Paul. But they had their own connection too. He remembers teaching Paul as a fifth-year student when he was just starting out in the profession. They kept close to each other at training too.
“I marked him a lot,” De Paor explains. “In terms of his skills and technical ability, he was superb. He was really fearless, a huge competitor. He just always wanted to get the better of you in training. And if he did, he’d let you know. He was a great man for the quip.
“He was probably the most underrated player. If he had had a clear run from injuries, he’d have picked up an All-Star or two along the way.”
John O’Mahony also passed away after an illness. His death two years ago at 71 came as a shock to De Paor. They had spoken just before that about the Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival. O’Mahony wanted De Paor to attend as he had an interview with former Dublin manager Jim Gavin lined up for the event.
Galway manager John O'Mahony celebrates after winning the 2001 All-Ireland final. INPHO
INPHO
O’Mahony was working alongside RTÉ broadcasting legend, Tommie Gorman, to organise it all. Tommie was John’s video analyst during his management stints with Leitrim, Galway and Mayo. They were close friends too, and died within weeks of each other.
Their plans went unfinished, but De Paor believes that working on a project together gave them hope.
“They had said (to each other), ‘Right, this is what we’re aiming towards,’” De Paor continues.
“Two weeks later, we got the news (about John’s passing). We knew that he was sick. But even when we were told that he had died, it was a bit of a shock.
“Last summer, there was a tribute night to him at the Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival, and we got up to it. That was difficult as well.”
****
Seán Óg De Paor on the ball for Galway in the 2001 All-Ireland final. INPHO
INPHO
The aim for the players from 1998 and 2001 is to meet up a bit more often. Don’t wait for another All-Ireland anniversary to arrange a get-together. Combining their WhatsApp groups should help with that.
To many, they’re the team whose 1998 odyssey is captured brilliantly by the documentary, ‘A Year Til Sunday.’ According to a newspaper article at the time, they were the ‘fancy Dans’ who got the simple things wrong. The players went about burying that sentiment by sweeping the Connacht and All-Ireland championships.
Those who remember Paul Clancy as a player know all about how he recovered from a leg injury that year to play in the closing minutes of the All-Ireland final. They will also recall his famous cross-field pass to Declan Meehan for a goal against Kerry in the 2000 All-Ireland final replay. One of that all-time great team moves.
Another fond memory is his match-winning point against Armagh in the 2001 qualifiers, the assist coming from Michael Donnellan after winning the ball back from a block.
He was John O’Mahony in the public domain, but in the Galway dressing room, he was ‘Johnno’. The man from Mayo who guided men from across the border to the summit. De Paor can’t recall a time when he ever heard him curse, and can still remember the presence he had within the group.
That’s something only his teammates from that era can relate to. Maybe that will come up at one of their future gatherings. Maybe he’ll tell them more about the swing set Paul built for him, and how it’s still standing in his garden.
“Every time I look at it, I think of him. I wouldn’t have been in touch with him every day but every so often. And you’d just be laughing. It was never a serious conversation. It was a laugh or a joke or something like that. You’d feel better after.”
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Remembering Galway's All-Ireland glory 25 years on and the departed heroes of that era
THE SWING SET outside his home in Oranmore brings Seán Óg De Paor back about four or five years ago.
His idea at the time was to get a telephone pole, cut it up into thirds and attach a swing at the end. An alternative to the sets that are made from iron and fall to rust over time. He wanted something different for his children that the weather can’t strip away. Something that will last.
De Paor went through an old football comrade from his Galway days to bring his vision to life. He knew Paul Clancy worked for the ESB and would have access to that kind of wood.
And the request was warmly received.
“Could you get me an ESB pole?”
“Yeah, that’s no problem.”
“Can you cut it in three thirds for me and throw it in over the wall?”
Within a week, the project was complete, fully chopped to De Paor’s liking, and ready for use.
The swing is still out in his garden today. Still lasting as he hoped it would.
****
De Paor is not a man for dates. Wednesday 23 September and Sunday 27 September don’t strike him as occasions of any real significance. They would be passing him by this week without much thought if not for others prompting him.
This conversation over the phone is the first time he realised that they both represent All-Ireland anniversaries for him. Wednesday marks 25 years since Galway’s 0-17 to 0-8 win over Meath. Along with Galway’s dominance that day, the 2001 final is also remembered as the day when the Sam Maguire was presented to the winning captain Gary Fahey out on the pitch. The Hogan Stand, where the formalities normally take place, was under construction at the time.
The second date corresponds with the 1998 All-Ireland final when Galway were crowned champions for the first time in 32 years. A famous goal from Pádraic Joyce helped power them to a four-point win over Kildare which ended a famine in the west.
De Paor wore the seven jersey on both days, scoring two points from play in the 1998 final. He also scored a memorable goal against Cork in the 2001 qualifiers, using some soccer skills to sweep the ball into the bottom corner after a well-timed interception.
Both squads have their own individual WhatsApp group to keep in touch these days, but there are plans for a merger.
“I don’t know exactly how many players are in both, but you’re looking at about roughly 20,” De Paor explains. “There are some fellas who wouldn’t know other fellas on the other group. It just tidies it up that hopefully we’ll meet on a much more regular basis. We always say we’d have to get better at organising stuff for ourselves.”
The 2001 team had a gathering recently. They were brought together for the jubilee celebrations of their success on All-Ireland final day, standing together on the pitch in Croke Park before the spotlight shifted to Mayo and Kerry.
For De Paor, among others, this was their second such outing in three years.
“We had a meal on the Saturday night in the hotel that we stayed in,” he continues. “There were a couple of speeches after and it was really nice. On the Sunday morning, which we didn’t do three years ago at the ’98 reunion, we had a mass which was celebrated by Father Pat Donnellan.”
A time to honour the players who delivered a golden period of success in Galway. During that stretch, they reached three All-Ireland finals in four seasons, losing the 2000 final against Kerry after a replay.
The drawn game ended 0-14 apiece, where De Paor was unfortunate to see a late shot at the posts drop short. Kerry won the replay 0-17 to 1-10. And while redemption came the following year for Galway, it’s the chances that eluded them that continue to linger.
“It’s always the ones that you lose that you think about,” De Paor adds. “We were beaten by Kerry, and over the course of the draw and replay, you could say we could have maybe won it the first day.
“But if you fast-forward to 2003, we drew with Donegal in the quarter-final in Croke Park (1-11 to 0-14), and they beat us in Castlebar in the replay (0-14 to 0-11).
“I always felt that was the year where we might have done something if we got over Donegal. We hadn’t played particularly well and it might have taken a semi-final for us to wake up. I think every team that wins something, they don’t really think about the stuff they won, it’s the stuff that got away.”
****
There was a heavy emotion in Croke Park for those jubilee celebrations. As the proud members of that 2001 team stepped forward to receive their moment of applause, there was a profound sense of loss in the air. They were missing two of their best.
John O’Mahony and Paul Clancy were both there in 2023 for the 25-year recognition of the 1998 team. But on the day that the 2001 team was honoured, their great manager was represented in the line-up by his wife, Geraldine. And standing in for Paul Clancy was his young son, Finn.
Michael Donnellan and Ja Fallon, star players of that era, kept close to him during the presentation.
“We all told him that he did a super job,” De Paor adds, “And the two lads that were either side, they looked after him. He did it all in his stride and had a smile on his face. For his family, while it was tough for them, they’ll appreciate that he was brave enough to do it, to represent his Dad in Croke Park.
“Life can be cruel. I know most teams, when they gather for reunions, they start losing players and managers as time goes on. We had a lovely weekend in a lot of ways, but the two lads were very much to the forefront of our minds.”
That gathering came just a few weeks after Paul Clancy’s funeral in late June. The 1998 and 2001 squads were present for that too, coming together to say goodbye to a beloved teammate who had died at just 49.
De Paor reached out to Paul during his illness. He knew others would be doing the same, and was conscious of burdening Paul with too many messages of support during a delicate time.
Other players, De Paor says, had a closer relationship with Paul. But they had their own connection too. He remembers teaching Paul as a fifth-year student when he was just starting out in the profession. They kept close to each other at training too.
“I marked him a lot,” De Paor explains. “In terms of his skills and technical ability, he was superb. He was really fearless, a huge competitor. He just always wanted to get the better of you in training. And if he did, he’d let you know. He was a great man for the quip.
“He was probably the most underrated player. If he had had a clear run from injuries, he’d have picked up an All-Star or two along the way.”
John O’Mahony also passed away after an illness. His death two years ago at 71 came as a shock to De Paor. They had spoken just before that about the Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival. O’Mahony wanted De Paor to attend as he had an interview with former Dublin manager Jim Gavin lined up for the event.
O’Mahony was working alongside RTÉ broadcasting legend, Tommie Gorman, to organise it all. Tommie was John’s video analyst during his management stints with Leitrim, Galway and Mayo. They were close friends too, and died within weeks of each other.
Their plans went unfinished, but De Paor believes that working on a project together gave them hope.
“They had said (to each other), ‘Right, this is what we’re aiming towards,’” De Paor continues.
“Two weeks later, we got the news (about John’s passing). We knew that he was sick. But even when we were told that he had died, it was a bit of a shock.
“Last summer, there was a tribute night to him at the Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival, and we got up to it. That was difficult as well.”
****
The aim for the players from 1998 and 2001 is to meet up a bit more often. Don’t wait for another All-Ireland anniversary to arrange a get-together. Combining their WhatsApp groups should help with that.
To many, they’re the team whose 1998 odyssey is captured brilliantly by the documentary, ‘A Year Til Sunday.’ According to a newspaper article at the time, they were the ‘fancy Dans’ who got the simple things wrong. The players went about burying that sentiment by sweeping the Connacht and All-Ireland championships.
Those who remember Paul Clancy as a player know all about how he recovered from a leg injury that year to play in the closing minutes of the All-Ireland final. They will also recall his famous cross-field pass to Declan Meehan for a goal against Kerry in the 2000 All-Ireland final replay. One of that all-time great team moves.
Another fond memory is his match-winning point against Armagh in the 2001 qualifiers, the assist coming from Michael Donnellan after winning the ball back from a block.
He was John O’Mahony in the public domain, but in the Galway dressing room, he was ‘Johnno’. The man from Mayo who guided men from across the border to the summit. De Paor can’t recall a time when he ever heard him curse, and can still remember the presence he had within the group.
That’s something only his teammates from that era can relate to. Maybe that will come up at one of their future gatherings. Maybe he’ll tell them more about the swing set Paul built for him, and how it’s still standing in his garden.
“Every time I look at it, I think of him. I wouldn’t have been in touch with him every day but every so often. And you’d just be laughing. It was never a serious conversation. It was a laugh or a joke or something like that. You’d feel better after.”
****
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2001 All-Ireland Football Final Gaelic Football Galway GAA John O'Mahony Meath GAA paul clancy Sean Og de Paor Thinking Back