The latest episode of the Cult Of...podcast series with Bulmers explains the cult of the GAA fan and who better to explain the amazing phenomenon of the GAA fan than Roscommon's own Paddy Joe Burke. Paddy Joe Burke has enjoyed a few viral smashes over the years and we were fortunate enough to speak to him ahead of the drawn All-Ireland quarterfinal between the Rossies and Mayo.
Here is his exaltation about the joys of being a Roscommon fan.
Listen to the entire podcast below
When the referee throws the ball in, the atmosphere changes...But this is the GAA.
This is passion.
This is what it means and I love all of the interacting.
And I love being in the stadium, wherever we are, even today now. It's magical, awh it's beautiful. To be in the stadium wherever your team runs out. And you see them all running out. And you'd know them all. You'd know their run and you'd know their style. And you'd see who's here and who's there and you see the pre-match buildup. And I love the the fan beside me from the opposing county. He might have silvermints and he'll share them with ya, and he'll be nice to ya. And he'll ask you do ya know a man in..., he'll always know someone in Roscommon even though he might be 50 miles away. And you'd be disappointed you didn't know him and you'd be dying to say "I do know him!"
And all that changes then. Oh, sometimes I hate when the referee throws in the ball, the atmosphere in the stadium changes. And the fella beside me stops giving me silvermints. And then he starts roaring at our corner back, and he's saying "Ref, did ya see that?" Or, he wants to beat us physically, mentally and emotionally. And you say, this is a nice fella five minutes ago. But this is the GAA. This is passion. This is what it means and I love all of the interacting. And there's one other thing as well I love.
When I have me jersey on, I'm really, really conscious of this. When I put on me county jersey, I'm no longer, well okay, I am Paddy Joe. And I have my county jersey on. But there's a bigger emphasis on I am now an ambassador for 64,000 people. And it's not that I'm on an ego or, it's not about me. I'm just an ordinary fan.
But the fella standing beside me will judge 64,000 people on my behaviour at that game. He's going to go home and say, Well I have to have manners. I have to respect my jersey. I have to respect the GAA. I have to respect the ethos of the game, the greatest game in the world. I have to respect all of the great men that have carried the GAA through the centuries. And all I have to do is go to the match, wear me jersey, have respect, first of all for my own team. I can cheer, but not engage in any nastiness or y'know, be very respectful to everyone else's county. And everyone else's jersey.
So there's an onus on Paddy Joe to be an ambassador for the greatest county in the world. And I don't want to let my team down on the field. And I don't want to let Paddy Joe down. And I don't want to let the jersey down that I'm wearing and I love that aspect of the game as well.'
You can listen to the full episode of The Cult Of... podcast series with Balls and Bulmers above, as we delve into some of the most fascinating cult sporting moments. Whether it's Maurice Fitzgerald's majestic sideline point or the Clare team that came from nowhere in 1995, it's always 100% Irish.
Please drink Bulmers responsibly.
