The Mayo Premiership captain celebrates with the Sam Maguire Cup during the celebrations of the All-Ireland Senior Football Champions in Castlebar, Mayo, July 27, 2026. Photo: Piaras Ó Mídheach / Sportsfile. When the final whistle blew for the All-Ireland final on Sunday, Canon Stephen Farragher “couldn’t stop crying” for over an hour after the game finished.
At Monday morning Mass this week Fr Farragher said that “today is different”.
Normally for the Parish of St Patrick’s in Ballyhaunis it’s a Novena Mass to Our Lady for the Perpetual Help, so people were standing for the opening hymn.
He asked everyone to sit down.
“I said I’ve come out here on this altar, on many Monday mornings, not just here, but when I was in Tuam,” he explained. “Today there was an awful sick feeling in my stomach, and I just broke down, crying,” he admitted.
Fr Farragher said that it was going to be “emotional for a long time.”
“It’s just like a boil being lanced because we were the laughingstock a lot of the time. The Mayo losers. If they went to Croke Park they cannot win people would say,” he explained.
“So, it’s just lanced the boil at last,” the PP stated.
The Parish Priest had insisted he would attend Reek Sunday instead of the final.
“I’ve been at many heartbreaking finals over the years. I said I’m not going back for more heartache and pain. I honestly did not think we would beat Kerry.”
After partaking in the pilgrimage, Fr Farragher quickly finished up the hike and headed to his hometown of Ballinrobe to watch the game. A lifelong Gaelic football enthusiast and avid Mayo supporter, Fr Farragher was sentimental when recounting the experience.
“It was a pent-up of emotion going back 50 years,” he explained.
Fr Farragher emphasised the significance of this feat, when informing The Irish Catholic of his connection to Mayo’s captain Jack Coyne. The All-Ireland premiership captain comes from Ballyhaunis. Fr Farragher was involved with the Ballyhaunis club and assisted Coyne at a young age. Coyne’s mum, Noreen, is at daily Mass at Ballyhaunis every day.
Meanwhile Fr Stephen O’Mahony from SS Peter and Paul, Straide explained that the result was additionally meaningful to their parish.
“Kian McHale would be the representative from the club here and everybody is very proud of him. We are glad to have a representative on the team,” he explained.
Mr McHale didn’t come on the ground on Sunday but contributed significantly throughout the season.