Scottish Parliamentarian hopes to see Sam in March
Willie Coffey MSP (SNP) Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley who has tabled a motion to congratulate the Donegal team on their historic win. 2907MNP03
“Jimmy’s winning matches” has proved a major hit with one Scottish Parliamentarian who hopes that when the British and Irish Parliamentary Assembly convenes in Donegal next March they will be afforded the opportunity of seeing the Sam Maguire cup.
This week, Willie Coffey MSP (SNP) for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley tabled a motion to congratulate the county on their epic win.
The motion reads: “That the Parliament congratulates County Donegal on winning the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, defeating what it considers was an impressive County Mayo team by 2-11 to 0-13 in front of a crowd of 82,000 at Croke Park in Dublin; congratulates coach Jim McGuinness and staff on ending a 20 year wait to take the Sam Maguire trophy back to the county, and notes that Jimmy is indeed “winning matches and bringing Sam back to Donegal again.”
Willie Coffey sat in Edinburghs famous pub “Malone’s” to watch the game and for luck he wore his old ‘retro’ Donegal top from the 1990s. “I had tried to get a ticket for the game. I was putting out feelers to all my assembly pals but it didn’t work,” he said.
Willie has been coming to Donegal since 1990. Initially he stayed with Nora Boyle in Derrybeg and now he and his daughter, Niamh, come to Dunfanaghy to avail of the riding stables there. “I have a long association with Donegal. I first came to the county on the recommendation of friends and I have been coming ever since.
“I got there twice this year. I recommend the place to people all the time. I tell them to take themselves off to Donegal to calm themselves down and relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery,” he said.
The politician who is now in his fifth year in parliament is looking forward to March 2013 when he hopes to see the Sam Maguire cup.
“I am really hoping that when the Assembly convenes there in March that we will see the Sam Maguire and pay our respects to Jimmy.
“I would really love that and I am certain others would too. My daughter and I watched the game in Malone’s in Edinburgh.
“The pub was busting at the seams with Donegal and Mayo fans. I thought that Donegal won the game in the first ten minutes.
“I have been a fan of the team since they beat Dublin in 1992. I still have an original recording of that game. It was a fantastic game, fairly symbolic,” he said.
A large number of parliamentarians have signed the motion to date.
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Sunday 19 May 2013
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