Scenes in Clones!
Three weeks after sending on congratulations to ‘my fellow county men’ of Fermanagh, DUP leader Arlene Foster has gone a step (or several steps) further by showing up at St Tiernach’s Park to cheer them on.
Fermanagh shocked Monaghan in the Ulster SFC semi-final and were on their way back home, on the team bus, when Foster’s kind tweet was spotted.
Ciaran O’Brien got back in touch sharp enough and invited the Fermanagh politician along to the final.
Cheers mate, we have a ticket saved for you for the final 💚💚💚 @FermanaghGAA pic.twitter.com/FqI3mlfyaY
— Ciaran McBrien (@C_Mac888) June 3, 2018
Few expected Foster to take the Fermanagh lads up on the offer but she expressed her gratitude and her schedule was cleared.
Sure enough, with the Erne County taking on Donegal, Foster showed up 45 minutes before throw-in.
Outside St Tiernach’s, Foster was greeted by Ulster GAA President Michael Hasson and Heather Humphreys TD. Brendan O’Brien of the Irish Examiner was on hand to get this video of her entering the main gates.
Arlene Foster making her entrance to St Tiernach’s Park, in Monaghan, for the Ulster final featuring her native Fermanagh. We are through the looking glass here people! pic.twitter.com/84bzPSWuVm
— Brendan O'Brien (@byBrendanOBrien) June 24, 2018
There was quite the scrum as GAA fans and the media photographers jostled to get some photos and videos of the historic moment, as the Democratic Unionist Party leader took her seat.
The occasion was momentous and social media was abuzz, especially when she stood for Ireland’s national anthem Amhrán na bhFiann.
Arlene Foster stands during anthem at Fermanagh v Donegal Ulster Final @BBCNewsNI pic.twitter.com/TgX2iZ8o26
— Richard Morgan (@BBCRichardM) June 24, 2018
Good to see Arlene Foster at today’s #UlsterFinal2018 and standing respectfully for Amhrán na bhFiann
— Chris Hazzard MP 🍉 (@ChrisHazzardSF) June 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/GerBhoy_67/status/1010872000804478976
https://twitter.com/CllrDesCahil/status/1010872551105589248
Feel so sorry for Arlene foster taking her to watch that shit when she could have went to the Munster final last night
— John Joe O'Neill (@johnjoemoortown) June 24, 2018
Absolute fair play and respect to Arlene Foster for attending #UlsterFinal in Clones today. Hopefully some of the first steps on a journey #CreditWhereItsDue
— Sorcha Eastwood MLA (@SorchaEastwood) June 24, 2018
As for the game itself, Donegal got out of the blocks quick enough and led 2-5 to 0-3 after 30 minutes.
