Our lives are full of small and great moments of transition, important rites of passage, writes An Fear Rua …

The more obvious ones are birth, marriage, and death. In the religious sphere there are milestones like First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Napoleon Bonaparte, having conquered almost all of Europe, declared that the day he made his first Communion was the happiest of his life. The other day, I thought of another important transition – the last Primary Schools game you play, especially if it’s a final.

It happened in our school just recently. We were playing against a school that had been champions in 2000 and 2003, and runners-up in 2002. Not only that, but they had defeated us heavily in an earlier round. So, we weren’t by any means favourites, but our team had shown enormous improvement in each succeeding round and had soundly and stylishly defeated a much bigger and stronger school in the semi-final. I was quietly confident that, if Lady Luck smiled on us, we could snatch the coveted trophy from under our opponents’ noses.

The final was played in ideal conditions before several hundred enthusiastic spectators in the county ground, with endless cheers reverberating through the stands, and the long-serving County Chairman on hand to make the presentation to the winning captain. There was an informative match programme and a parade of school colours before the game led by the excellent local silver band. The hardworking Primary Schools committee Cumann na mBunscol carefully put in place all the elements that go to make any county final day so memorable.

We got off to a shaky start. Before we knew where we were, they had put a goal and a point on the scoreboard. A good point then steadied our team and, soon after, we equalised and at half time the sides were level at 1-2 each. Just eight minutes from full-time the sides were still deadlocked at 3-3 apiece after they had hauled back our one-goal lead. Then, our doughty opponents found an extra gear and tacked on a couple of late goals and a brace of points. The final score, 5-6 to 3-4, did not reflect the overall closeness of the encounter.

Throughout the campaign, our whole panel made a huge commitment to training and preparation. Before the final, the entire school community got behind them – with kids busily making home made banners and bunting in our yellow-and-blue colours, parents chipping in with sponsorship and new Roscommon-style kit and a big send off on the day of the match. Earlier, there had been visits by a trio of county stars, some with All Ireland medals in their pockets, helping with coaching and encouragement. A fantastic teacher quietly orchestrated all of this, with enthusiastic support from his colleagues.

Tears streamed down young faces as our defeated side left the field. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts all rushed to hug them, to say ‘Well done!’ and take precious photographs. Disconsolately, they made their way up the stand to receive their runners-up medals and, after a polite pause to acknowledge the presentation to the victors, moved towards the dressing rooms under the stand. As they walked towards the dressinrooms, the tall, hardworking centre fielder put his arm on the shoulders of the redheaded full forward whose goals at vital moments had done so much to keep us in the game. As much as to say: ‘We did our best. We could do no more …’

In that moment, I realised what a bonding there can be among a team of lads in sixth class of the primary school. Many of these started their schooling on the same day, nervous and expectant, and have been together from naíonra until this day. Our school is a gaelscoil drawing its pupils from several parishes round about. After this, the players on this team will go on to various second level schools and colleges and will end up playing with four or five different clubs in different divisions and in varying grades. Who knows, there may be several county medallists and even an All Ireland medal winner or two among the lot of them. Some of the younger kids will play for the school next year, but the Sixth Classes will never again play together on the same pitch, let alone on the same team.

This final will be their shared experience, their shared memory. Whenever they meet in the future, whether on a playing field or on the street, they will briefly recall this day.

After their last Primary Schools game together, this band of brothers (and a couple of worthy sisters as well) will never again soldier together …


Gaelscoil na Rithe: Runners-up in Division 2, County Meath Primary Schools Championship, 2005 with county star Ollie Murphy and Team Coach Pól Ó hAoláin