THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN north and south of a defined geographical area is a perpetual area of study and analysis.
In a matter of broad speaking, the divergences between the north and south of England for example, is stark. Who could argue the same does not apply to Ireland?
Develop the point and it becomes clear it is a universal theme across Europe; France, Italy and Spain all have clear demarcations.
Narrow the focus to a micro level, and you’ll do well to produce a keener divide than north and south Armagh.
Here, you run into an urban-rural divide, with vastly different accents, attitudes and outlooks.
At the epicentre is the town of Lurgan. In the north, there is no town quite as maligned and put down as Lurgan.
Anti-social problems and sectarianism are hangovers of The Troubles era. A number of horrendous murders have occurred in recent years. It all leads to a stigma around the town.
When it comes to Armagh footballers, there hasn’t always been a large representation from the area, but they always brought a large, vocal and vociferous support.
Largely transported by buses, the local tipple remains the Buckfast tonic wine produced by monks. ‘Lurgan champagne’ as it is called locally. Go into certain bars in the town and it is behind the bar for sale on the optics racks.
Interest in the GAA hasn’t always been enduring. The current Down coach Mickey Donnelly has been a teacher in the town at St Paul’s – now St Ronan’s – and has watched a transformation that brought the school to MacRory Cup and Hogan Cup success in 2018.
“I started in St Paul’s in 2002, the day after Armagh won the All Ireland. While everybody was swept away on the coattails of an All Ireland win, at that point I felt the GAA wasn’t as strong in Lurgan and north Armagh as it could have been,” he says.
“But that’s twenty odd years ago and the amount of work that has been done since at underage level has been phenomenal. Clann Eireann went through a golden age of being in the Paul McGirr tournament, Ulster minor finals and that brought Barry McCambridge, Tiernan Kelly and Turbo (Conor Turbitt).
“So it’s no coincidence that they are forming a serious representation on the Armagh panel.
“And a rising tide lifts all boats. As Clann Eireann started to get their house in order, so too did St Peter’s, Clann na Gael, Wolfe Tones, Sarsfields, all those. You have a bustling area now that the GAA is at the heart of everything that goes on, it really is.”
From time to time, the GAA presence in the town has shone bright.
In the early days of the Ulster club championship, Lurgan’s Clann na Gael won two titles, in 1972 and ’73, being denied an All Ireland title when they lost to a star-studded UCD team in the replayed final of ‘74.
County football at this time was in rag order. In April 1974 the team travelled to Leitrim for a league fixture. They didn’t have the full 15. In the stand were three Armagh supporters. One of them had to tog out to fulfil the game.
What happened next? The entire county board and management team resigned, with the exception of Tommy Lynch of Camlough.
The new board was founded, and immediately asked Peter Makem, a relative of Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers, to become the new manager.
Makem toured the county meeting with potential players, asking them to commit. One of his first calls was to Jimmy Smith of Clann na Gael, to ask him if he would captain the side. He readily accepted.
The second point of order was to gather all the new players and their wives at the Charlemont Hotel in Armagh for an evening of dining and dancing. Makem paid for the food and Lynch sorted out the band.
And from 1975 right into the ‘80s, Armagh never lost a single league game in the Athletic Grounds. They reached the 1977 All Ireland final. A Lurgan factory churned out thousands of flags and bunting that created an orange blanket all over north Armagh. It was a celebration of identity at a time when the murderous Loyalist Glenanne Gang haunted the area.
The team won the National league in 1976, and then Ulster titles in 1977, 1980 and 1982. It also produced figures such as Joe Kernan, who would manage Crossmaglen Rangers to All Ireland titles before taking Armagh to Sam in 2002.
When Armagh fill the bus on Saturday to head to Croke Park, they will do so with as big a contingent of players from in and around Lurgan as they have had on a panel.
Applying poetic licence as some are just outside Lurgan, but you have Oisin Conaty (Tír nan Óg) and Peter McGrane (Ballyhegan) from the outskirts, with Stefan Campbell and Shane McPartlan from Clann na Gael, Andrew Murnin of St Paul’s and Clann Eireann trio Conor Turbitt, Barry McCambridge and Tiernan Kelly.
It’s a different world, insists the aforementioned Jimmy Smith.
“The big difference now is facilities. Each club have state of the art facilities and children and parents are now really aware of that stuff.
“We have over 300 children now at our club and have an annual presentation night. And they come to that in all their hoodies, polo tops and tracksuits.
“Previously, one set of jerseys did all the club. As you pulled on your jersey you were aware of a generation of armpits before you!” he laughs.
“There’s a great identity and affiliation to your club now. There’s a great development of young people. And it all feeds into it. Not only that, but the development of ladies football has been incredible and Armagh have a massive female following.”
In their recent game against Roscommon, something stood out. All the scorers were from north Armagh.
There’s a broad similarity in the way Kerry football always had a thing of the country lads for backs, and townies for forwards. There was also a distinction of styles of football in the county – Crossmaglen being exponents of catch and kick whereas the likes of Clann na Gael would get the job done through teamwork and passing.
The same feeling echoes to the present day. Stefan Campbell, Conor Turbitt and Andrew Murnin are quite different forwards, providing serious variety and effectiveness.
Onwards to Croke Park, all sides of the county pulling their weight.
