Role of the postman never more important, says Galway great Fallon

Ja Fallon attended a postal workers conference there a couple of years back. The mood was somewhat downbeat. An air of uncertainty hung over the future existence of the postman and postwoman.

“The post was nearly gone,” recalls Fallon, who has been shoving envelopes through letterboxes for close on 30 years.

“A lot of your standard bills had gone online so the union was trying to come up with different ways of keeping connected with rural Ireland.

“Checking in on elderly folk to see were they okay and bringing them food and medicine were among the recommendations.

“It is amazing how we have gone the full 360 and all these ideas are now in motion,” says the two-time All-Ireland football medal-winner.

Of course, postal workers would have much preferred if these changes came about in very different — and far less worrying — circumstances. But like everyone else on the frontline, the men and women driving those familiar green vans — or cycling their bike in Fallon’s case — have adapted to these trying times, have done what has been asked of them, and then some.

As well as connecting with local shops and pharmacists on behalf of those who cannot, or are unable to, go beyond their front door, postmen and women are taking letters and parcels from the elderly and vulnerable and distributing them for free. Newspaper delivery has also been added to their list.

The role of the postal worker has never been more important or relevant, the former Galway great correctly remarks.

“We have linked in with Alone to provide a support service for those elderly or vulnerable people who are living by themselves at the moment.

“My route is in Tuam town, so while nearly everyone would have neighbours who’d be keeping an eye on them, there are a few people I do call in on to make sure they’re okay and want for nothing.

“But that would be done naturally anyway because I’d know them and they’d know me.

“I suppose that ringing of the doorbell is more important at a time like this because the postman might be the only person they see from one end of the day to the next.

“A lady came out to me last week. Her husband has an underlying health condition. She herself was told not to go near the shops. I go to the shop for her, it is on my round anyway, and I’ll deliver whatever few bits she asked for on the way back. Officially, she is probably supposed to go online and fill out a form, but you help whoever needs a hand or something delivered.

“It is great to see that connection back. It highlights the services we can still provide for people, and are happy to provide.

“Because when you go down to the west of Ireland and into rural parts of it, it is remote. Your next door neighbour might be a kilometre or two down the road and so, as we said, the postman might be the only person they see from morning till evening.”

One particular An Post initiative the two-time All-Star was delighted to see come on stream in recent weeks was the distribution to every household of two free postcards. Those cocooning appreciate far more a hand-written letter than a text or WhatsApp message.

“What was a dying art was letter-writing. I have two teenagers myself who don’t know how to write a letter. I deliver to nursing homes and there is nothing but cards and letters at the moment. It is a throwback to 15 years ago when people were writing on a regular basis.

“For grandparents, they see the handwriting and it is very touching for them, much more so than getting a text. It brings us back down to earth and it is nice to see it.”

Fallon’s job description extends to that of a primary sorter at the An Post depot on the outskirts of Tuam town. The application of physical distancing guidelines at the warehouse means he now starts his shift at 5.15am.

It is these exact guidelines which inform his view on what the 2020 All-Ireland championship might look like if there is a return to GAA activity later in the year.

“Hopefully, there will be a championship, but I do think there will be restricted numbers in terms of crowds, where all stadiums will be operating to a quarter or a third of their capacity. That’s the only way I could see it happening. Either that, or behind closed doors.”

His old Galway teammate Padraic Joyce had the county’s footballers sitting pretty at the top of Division 1 when Covid-19 brought the shutters down on the sporting world. Galway’s football was almost more impressive than the victories they were chalking up.

“They were flying it. Momentum is hard to gather. When you get it, you can go a lot of places with it. From that sense, it is a pity, but look, I say that fully cognisant of the bigger picture.

“Whenever the GAA does return, it’ll be a level playing field. But it is hard to know when we will be in a position where a call can be made on sport returning.”