There’s a rural club in Derry that has some set instructions listed out in one of the changing rooms for players to bear in mind before games.
They read like a little list of classroom rules.
Don’t sleep in
That’s alright, you don’t want footballers showing up to games groggy or with their body clock out of sync, whatever time the match is scheduled for.
Water
They were probably – like we all have been – reminded with seven or eight text messages saying the same thing over the weekend.
Mass
Whatever about club events or traditions, this just seemed to be instructing all of them to carry on the Roman Catholic obligations they were brought up with, and to make sure they do it in their own time.
Pasta
It skipped breakfast and went straight to the main course.
Gear
This was followed with a checklist: boots, gloves, ‘togs’, gum shields.
Prayers
Presumably in case you forgot your gear or scoffed at mass.
Parish churches around the country aren’t as involved in the GAA clubs as they used to be and maybe that’s partly to do with the fact that players aren’t as involved in the other direction but there’s still some connection in there in some places.
Listen, whether you’re religious or not, there’s something unifying about doing that stuff together. The story of the Tyrone team praying with Mickey Harte is touching whatever way you look at it.
And, ahead of any big game, every member of the squad or the club just wants to pass the time together. There’s vulnerability, there’s excitement in those hours closing in on what could be the biggest moment of your lives but there’s also a deeper relationship there with everyone, a recognition that you’ve come this far together and that you will go to battle as comrades once more.
So if it’s a minor game, a meeting, a big breakfast, tea and sandwiches or just plain, old mass, everybody in the club will go there to prolong the hope.
In Roscommon, Michael Glaveys got back to basics with one of the most sacred traditions before a big game.
Whether you're religious or otherwise, Mass before an All-Ireland is part of what the #GAA is about. Praying for victory, good weather, player safety & safe travel for supporters. .@glaveys have Mass in their local complex this evening. All part of a great build-up. #Roscommon
— RoscommonGAALegends (@RosLegends) February 1, 2018
The club will face off with Moy of Tyrone in the All-Ireland intermediate club football final on Saturday at 3.45pm in Croke Park and the scenes at mass looked special.
Ahead of the game, Glaveys received a classy message from one of their biggest rivals but it’s hard not to empathise with what they’re all going through now.
A few pictures show the buzz in the community from kids to the elder generation. You can sense the excitement in every stomach as green and yellow drapes around the ceremony.
You can see, for another night at least, that this is what the GAA is all about. Everyone dreaming. Everyone together.
