During the final stages of the All-Ireland Senior Championship, GAA supporters come out of the woodwork.
Get out your hats, flags, scarves and headbands, because here are the 12 different types of GAA fans you are likely to meet if you happen to be around the Croke Park area today.
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1. The Real Mc Coy
This is the true blue, the dedicated fan that hasn’t missed a match since 1983, never mind all year.
Usually male, 40-50 age bracket, sporting a few grey hairs from all the stress over the years.
2. The Bandwagon Jumper-Oner
These folk know there is a match on, and could possibly manage to tell you one of the team names, but don’t bother asking the for the name of the opposition as it’ll just be a guess.
NOTE: This person will very shrewdly surround themselves with loyal fans in a bid to blend in.
3. Anything For A Day Out
This fan just loves the day out. The bus trip down to Croker with friends, doing something great on a Sunday and more importantly being able to pack a picnic for the journey.
Are those triangle sandwiches we see? Of course they are. Flask of tea and a bag of Taytos. Sorted.
4. “I’m Supporting My Home County”
This is the person that has lived in Dublin since the age of 3, but insists, “I’m a Kerry lad at heart”.
5. “Ah, Sure It’s A Bit Of Craic.”
This is the fan that isn’t too bothered whether or not they actually have a ticket to the match; they’re more concerned with making it to Quinn’s Pub than anything else.
Typical age of this person will be late teens to mid-twenties.
6. Overly Aggressive Fan
Stop shaking your fist in the air and try take the shouting down a tone; it’s sort of creeping a bit…
Temperature of their blood: Boiling.
7. The Over Enthusiastic Fan
Hats, Flags, Scarves and Headbands. Check to all four…
This is the person that you most definitely will not miss in the crowd. They’ve got in to the spirit of supporting their county, just a little too much.
8. “Reffffffereeeeee”
This fan acts/pretends they know the game but actually they haven’t a clue.
They believe that shouting “Reffffffffffffferrrrreeeeeeee” over and over again will make people seated next to them think they know what is what on the field.
9. The Silent Man
This is the distinguished gentleman that will sit next to you in the Hogan Stand and won’t utter a single word the entire match.
He has a programme in one hand, and his hand-held radio in the other. He’s listening in to the commentary live (missing Marty) with just one headphone and you can never be too sure which side he is supporting. He is not for giving anything away.
10. Obsessive Fan
They know the name of every player on the pitch, the referee and every lines man.
They can be spotted wearing the signed jersey and they will most definitely be the first to cry if their side loses the game.
11. Famous Fan
Often we find ourselves staring at the Sunday Game Live thinking, “I know your ones face from somewhere.” The celebrity fan usually attends a game towards the later stages of the Championship.
Make no mistake folks, every County has a famous fan. Just some are bigger celebs than others.
12. The ‘Final’ Fan
This is the worst fan of all. The person who hasn’t gone to a single match all year, (or the four years previous), but gets a ticket to the All-Ireland Championship Final.
If the world was a just place these people would be prevented from entering the gates of Croke Park, but sadly it is not. Spare a thought for all the loyal supporters that will be left without a ticket this year.
Honorary Mention… Enda Kenny
The Taoiseach is a loyal Mayo man and Aidan O’ Shea’s biggest supporter.
Attends every match, because he has to… And provides excellent ‘High 5s’ to kids.
