'Excitement of Christmas week' for Louth fans in run-up to semi-final
Louise Walsh
"It's like the excitement of Christmas week and waiting for Christmas day," said a Louth supporter who has sold 650 seats on his coaches to the big game.
Rory McCullough has drafted in other buses to help with the huge demand for seats to the first All-Ireland semi-final in 69 years when they take on Mayo in Dublin's Croke Park on Saturday.
Nearly 300 of those fans will gather at the O'Raghallaigh's GAA club in Drogheda, where they will all do a version of the Norwegian World Cup Viking drum dance before embarking on the buses.
The lifelong Louth fan remembers when he had difficulty getting his coach half full of fans to watch the county team.
"I remember driving loyal fans to watch the team getting hammered away to Leitrim and Tipperary, but it has moved full circle, and we are up there again with the best of them," he said.
"The atmosphere is unbelievable. I think the team have a fantastic chance, but like all matches, it's all on the day. We will have to take our chances when we get them."
Meanwhile, a Drogheda pre-loved store had to put out a call-out to sister shops for any Louth memorabilia after jerseys, shorts and bucket hats were snapped up within a few days.
Louth fans who may not have been able to afford the price of a new Louth jersey got a bargain if they got their hands on any of the adult pre-loved shirts, which sold for €8.95 at the local Enable Ireland store.
Other non-official T-shirts were sold for €4, while bucket hats were on offer for just €2.
"We dressed our window in Louth colours and gear, and people immediately started coming in, asking if we had jerseys and other stuff," said manager Patrice Moloney
"We had about two dozen jerseys as well as shorts and hats and other red and white memorabilia, and they flew out the door.
"Many people just can't afford a new jersey at the minute, but want to celebrate the team's success, so it was great that we could offer the gear at low prices. We are still getting people in who are disappointed that they are all gone, but we have put a call-out to other stores in other areas, so here's hoping a few more will crop up."
