Eimear Ryan: How quickly admired underdogs become resented superpowers

When the Dublin men’s team won in 2011, they were bridging a gap of 16 years. It was nothing compared to Mayo’s famine, of course, but still substantial

Dublin’s David Byrne and Ciaran Kilkenny celebrate after the defeating Mayo to win a sixth All-Ireland SFC in a row. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

AN rud is annamh is iontach. A uniquely Irish phrase, not just in language, but in attitude. We’re a post-colonial nation, and in many ways we don’t expect — or even, in a stubborn way, want — too many nice things. Going without will make the having, whenever it comes along, all the sweeter. That’s the reasoning anyway.

It’s why culturally we love when teams end famines and are deeply suspicious of anything more than a three in a row.