Trip of a lifetime ends in glory for ‘phenomenal’ New York bunch

Not long after Oisin Mathers and Brian Coughlan had accepted the Division 1 Féile crown, the New York panel, stood in the middle of Breffni Park, broke into verse.

First, a rousing rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner. Then, Amhrán na bhFiann. They didn’t need prompting, they never have.

Sean Price couldn’t have been prouder. The New York manager, during their preparations for this year’s Féile Peile na nÓg, was keen to strengthen the ties between his players and the country in which their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents were born and reared. After all, two-thirds of this New York panel were first-generation Irish. He wanted to create an identity.