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Sam Maguire
Man who fell to his knees in prayer in Croke Park in viral clip is 'pulling himself back together'
The reaction of one Mayo man, captured on RTÉ’s stream of the match, has gone viral and captured the true magnitude of the team’s victory.
— GibHogSport (@GibHogs) July 26, 2026
THE REACTION FROM Mayo fans on Sunday in Croke Park was immense, after 75 long, hard years of waiting for the team to win the All-Ireland Senior Football Final.
It’s an honour the team has not seen since 1951.
There were tears, cheers, and vigorous celebrations, but the reaction of one Mayo man, captured on RTÉ’s stream of the match, has gone viral and captured the true magnitude of the team’s victory.
In the short clip, a man in a Mayo jersey and zip-up sobs with joy, blesses himself, clasps his hands together and sinks to the floor of the stand.
“This better be the opening to Reeling In The Years 2026,” one person commented, while another said, “This is what it’s all about.”
The man is Shane Fitzgerald, from Kilmaine in Co Mayo. He told Oliver Callan on RTÉ Radio 1 that “it’s a dream” and is “unbelievable”.
“I’m pulling myself together slowly but surely,” he said hoarsely. “Delighted for everybody that has Mayo connections and those that have gone in the past that weren’t there to see it, but we had them with us to just to see that.”
75 YEARS AND THE WAIT IS OVER!!!!!
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 26, 2026
MAYO ARE FINALLY ALL-IRELAND FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS!!!!!!
📺 Watch on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
📻 Listen on RTÉ Radio 1#SundayGame pic.twitter.com/t5UgfhNAfx
Fitzgerald is a florist, and has been bringing flowers up Croagh Patrick for Reek Sunday every year for 20 years. On Friday, he carried the flowers up and hoped for Mayo to bring the Sam Maguire home.
“I’d have had a feeling for years,” he told Callan, “but sure look, that feeling was still there until the horn blew yesterday. But look it, yeah, got to the reek and look it, this was a great journey, and hopefully this week I’ll have a pilgrimage to the top of the reek with the Sam Maguire.
“I came down it on Friday and I said I’m not coming up here again, but I think I have to turn around and go back up again.”
After the hooter blew and the game came to an end, he bent down and kissed the ground.
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