Galway fan Blade revved up for Munster by Mayo's McStay

Caolin Blade has followed the fortunes of Galway in both codes but has never been to MacHale Park in Castlebar.

Connacht’s Caolin Blade in action against Ospreys.

Caolin Blade is from a huge GAA family in Monivea but while he played both hurling and football up to minor level and has followed the fortunes of Galway in both codes he has never been to MacHale Park in Castlebar.

So, this weekend’s historic URC clash with Munster will be his first time to visit the home of Mayo GAA and like everyone else in Connacht Rugby, he’s chomping at the bit to be running out in front of over 25,000 fans there.

He will get his first taste of it when they hold their captain’s run there on Friday and after being impressed by the presentation delivered by Mayo manager Kevin McStay on Tuesday morning about the history of the venue, he’s really looking forward to it.

“I’d never met him before,” said Blade. “He spoke to us just giving us a bit of history and where he is from, and MacHale Park and Mayo obviously. As a Galway man I was a bit reserved! Nah, I was delighted. It was very interesting and he just said our home at the weekend is MacHale Park and he made us feel extremely excited and extremely welcomed to go up to Mayo — especially as a Galwayman!

“I’m so excited. I’ve actually never been to MacHale Park. As much as I follow GAA I’ve never strayed too far from Pearse Stadium, so I can’t wait to get up there on Friday for the captain’s run and see it. Yeah, I’m really looking forward to the weekend.

“I was always heavily involved in GAA. I played hurling and football. I’m from Monivea so we’ve a football club called Monivea Abbey and a hurling club called Abbeyknockmoy. I played both until I was 19/20. I played intermediate hurling for the Abbeyknockmoy adult team and played football up until minor level.

“I’ve been around GAA all my life. All my best friends are really heavily involved in GAA so I follow GAA as much as I follow rugby. It’s still a massive part of my life.” 

But while it will be a big occasion Blade, one of the most experienced players in the Connacht squad with 206 appearances, knows they can’t lose sight of the URC points on offer against Munster in the battle for a top half finish.

“They’re our closest neighbours and probably our biggest rivals. So, it’s going to be a huge game, an interpro, a must-win for us, a must-win for them. If we beat them we potentially go ahead of them, if they beat us they stay ahead.

“So, to be doing it in Castlebar in MacHale Park in front of 26,000 people, if you’re not getting excited for this you’re doing something wrong,” added the 30-year old who won his third cap for Ireland when coming off the bench in the 25-24 win over South Africa in Durban last summer.