Dundalk players at All Ireland

A group of traditional musicians became the first Louth musicians to play at Croke Park on the day of an All Ireland final since Dermot O’Brien lined out in 1957.

Fionnuala and Padraig Donlon, Kay Webster Dooley, Daithi Kearney and Lorraine McMahon and Paul McMahon were invited to play on the hallowed turf at the half time interval during the Minor final between Kerry and Galway. ‘ THE invitation came though Paddy McMahon who is involved in the Ard Comhairle and it was great to be able to combine our twin passions for Comhaltas and the GAA,’ says Kay Webster Dooley,

It was a long day for the six musicians as they had to be at Croke Park early on the Sunday morning for a sound check at 10.30am.

‘ There was a lot of security as President Michael D Higgins and An Taoiseach Enda Kenny were in attendence,’ she adds. ‘We were guided around Croke Park by a lovely girl who is a fiddle player and it was a nice experience to get a behind the scenes view of what happens on All Ireland Sunday, with all the organisation which takes place before the games start.’

They met with GAA President Aogán Ó Feargháil and were in the Green Room with Marty Morrissey and Daithi O Sé.

‘It was great craic altogether and a really nice gig for us,’ says Kay.

As the honour of playing at half time during the Senior Final falls to Artane Boys Band, they haven’t been invited back to the rematch.