When we think of Ulster footballers, we think of manly man, hardened hearts and closely-cropped haircuts. The world may changing like mad, but Ulster footballers remain defiantly Ulster footballers. The amazing Ulster Championship, the last truly competitive provincial championship, was launched in Belfast last night and it was full of Ulster footballers being Ulster footballers. Sportsfile photographer Oliver McVeigh was up there, and there's a common theme uniting nearly all of the photos he took. When being photographed, Ulster footballers seem to exist most naturally as Ulster footballers with their arms folded across their chest. View the evidence below:
Mark Lynch and Mark Poland: arms crossed.
Justin McMahon and Mark Durcan: arms crossed.
Mickey Harte, spiritual godfather of Ulster football, arms crossed.
Mark Lynch, alone beside a sculpture, arms crossed.
Mark Durcan, arms crossed, forward lean.
Tyrone's Conor Clarke, sideways facing, arms crossed.
Cavan's Alan Clarke arms crossed.
Clarke again, and Armagh's Ciaran McKeever, beside a painting, with their arms, well you know. Note that Ulster footballers don't cross their arms in paintings.
