Eugene Gallagher and his son in “Paradise,” Celtic Park.
An Irish community is like a great football team.
With the All-Ireland GAA final approaching on July 27 between Kerry and Donegal, fans know that when these teams commit to play together with focused belief and strategic vision, they will freely create chances, score goals, and achieve All-Ireland footballing glory.
Sometimes, just one inspirational play from one player can define the fate of the match and encourage team spirit.
From Michael Murphy’s goal in the opening minutes of Donegal’s win against Mayo in the 2012 All-Ireland Final, to Paul Geaney’s goal within 60 seconds of the throw-in of Kerry’s win against Donegal in the 2014 All-Ireland Final – these iconic plays are immortalised in the hearts and minds of Donegal and Kerry fans through generations.
Many Irish people at home and around the world are also everyday heroes and legends when they work together as a team to champion their community’s history, culture, and heritage. One local hero, who is quickly becoming a legend by raising his community’s spirit, is Eugene Gallagher from Ballyshannon in Donegal.
On July 4, Eugene proudly and peacefully flew 67 Irish flags along the Ballyshannon road to Rossnowlagh ahead of the annual Orange Order parade. Eugene saw no issue with flying the flags in protest.
He said, “This is my country, I’m flying the flag of my country.”
He wholeheartedly believes that every Irish person should have “the freedom and right to fly their own flag in their own country.” He expressed that the flags will be “bigger and better” next year.
An avid Celtic FC supporter, he shared with me the backstory of why he specifically chose to fly 67 Irish flags. The number 67 has a symbolic significance to his beloved Celtic FC, who have millions of fans throughout the two Celtic nations of Ireland and Scotland.
Eugene said that one of his heroes, Celtic footballer John Clark, inspired “stopping at 67.” He noted that he could have flown hundreds of flags given the overwhelming support from the local community in Ballyshannon, Bundoran, Rossnowlagh.
He said that Celtic in “67 won the European Cup” and since Clark “passed away on the 23rd of June, flying the 67 flags was a small tribute to the legendary Lisbon Lion John Clark.”
Clark, also known as 'Mr. Celtic' and 'The Brush', was Celtic’s sweeper during their greatest season in 1966-1967. The Bhoys were the first team in Scotland to win the European Cup, the Scottish League Championship, the Scottish Cup, the League Cup, and the Glasgow Cup.
Eugene loves Celtic football with his heart and soul. He has passed down that love and Celtic pride for his boyhood club to his children, whose football home away from home is “Paradise” (Celtic Park).
If Celtic Park is Paradise, then Eugene’s native homeland of Ballyshannon and Rossnowlagh is his cultural heaven.
The ancient Gaelic names reflect that Irish heaven. The silver shining River Erne that streams through Ballyshannon is Samhair, “The Morning Star," and for Rossnowlagh, Ros Neamhlach, where he flew his 67 flags leading towards the golden strand of Rossnowlagh Beach, “The Heavenly Headland.”
Rossnowlagh Beach. (Ireland's Content Pool)
As I write – flags have been proudly raised around the Kingdom of Kerry and the Hills of Donegal for the All-Ireland Final. Every time that a county flag is raised – the community spirit within Kerry and Donegal rises with the flag.
These county flags play a significant part in symbolising support and pride for their football teams, and the same is true for Irish people proudly flying the Irish tricolour – one of the world’s greatest symbols for peace and unity.
While a part of Eugene’s story centers on proudly flying 67 Irish flags – the backstory reveals that he respectfully honoured Clark from Celtic's 1967 team.
By flying the 67 Irish tricolours – Eugene peacefully unites his local community and the legendary footballing spirit of Clark – rises high and raises the tide – inspired by one Irishman’s Celtic pride.
*Éamon Ó Caoineachán (Eddie Keenaghan) is a poet, writer, and historian, originally from Bundoran, Co Donegal, but now living on the Gulf Coast of Texas. He is currently a PhD postgraduate in Arts at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick.