JOE.ie Journalist For A Day: “Today really was a golden opportunity”

There are few Irish institutions quite like this.

by Patrick McKenna – #SparkSomething JOE.ie journalist for a day winner

The excitement it generates nationally can only be rivalled with how the USA prepare for the Super Bowl.

It’s the pinnacle of the footballing year – on the third Sunday of September every year swathes of match-goers descend on the capital.

I was lucky enough to be one of them.

Inside Croker, Patrick McKenna the #SparkSomething winner with two men the whole of Mayo wishes were on the park. pic.twitter.com/K5gj8RU346

— JOE.ie (@JOEdotie) September 20, 2015

Since I won the AIB-sponsored ‘Spark Something’ competition it’s been a whirlwind of excitement and preparation for All-Ireland final day.

On my assignment, I shadowed JOE.ie editor Paddy McKenna as he made his way up and down Jones road interviewing all kinds of fans from both Dublin and Kerry and handing out #JOEBrolly(s).

Paddy McKenna, the second most famous man from Leitrim, after the meteoric rise of Moone Boy’s David Rawle, is a fountain of knowledge to say the least and unquestionably one of the greatest of all time News2day anchors.

What a trooper @daithiose is, putting a brave on face it. The #JOEBrolly helped mend his broken baba heart. pic.twitter.com/Xn9fqLwrdb

— JOE.ie (@JOEdotie) September 20, 2015

The highlight of my day was getting in front of the camera myself to interview Clare hurler and footballer Pádraic ‘Podge’ Collins.

Throughout the day the thing that stood out for me was the colour. The sky blue and navy of Dublin adorning the Hill and the green and gold of Kerry flooding Jones’ road as they made their way around the arena.

Colour swirled all around, from the red of Michael D’s carpet that he glided along as he welcomed the players, to the green hallowed earth of Croke Park, to the grey sky that formed the backdrop for the game from which the rain fell leading to the unpredictable nature of the game.

Although the palette of colours muted as the ground became more sodden, Philly McMahon shone like the neon strip on Eamon Fitzmaurice’s tracksuit bottoms throughout.

And the final colours of the day were the silver of Sam Maguire to signal Dublin’s victory which meant there won’t be a cow milked in Drumcondra for a fortnight.

Dublin’s Michael Darragh MacAuley and Kevin McManamon celebrate with the Sam Maguire cup after the game
©INPHO/Cathal Noonan

Today really was a golden opportunity. I saw exactly what was expected of a media professional in the modern world – hectic, constant but hugely enjoyable and deeply rewarding.

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