SDLP MLA for Newry & Armagh | Engineer | Gold Celtic Cross Owner | Family | Friends | 🏐GAA 🟧⬜️ | 🏋🏻♂️Working Out | Níor chaill fear an mhisnigh riamh.
🌳🌳The last line in Séamus Mallon’s book “A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they will never sit.” 2 who made huge contributions to Ireland left us this year. I planted 2 Oaks for Séamus Mallon RIP & John Hume RIP to mark 2020 the year of their passing
After the tragic death of their son Kevin in the US in 2013 The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust was set up by Colin & Eithne Bell and has now returned home 1,000 Irish people who died abroad. They should be very very proud having helped so many Irish families in their darkest hours
A one minute’s standing round of applause was observed by everyone in attendance in Armagh today in solidarity with the Harte and McAreavey Families
#ARMvTYR
#GAA
#NoToHate
Céad míle fáilte Setanta Frank McNulty who arrived early this morning. Mother and baby are well - we’re feeling blessed! And we’re feeling so thankful to the maternity teams at Daisy Hill Hospital for their gentle care, professionalism, thoughtfulness, teamwork, and kindness.
Given the GAA season is most likely going to be played behind closed doors wouldn’t it be great if the GAA could reach an agreement to broadcast all the games live 📺 We’d all love to go to matches, but in the circumstances we’d be thrilled to roar on our teams from the sofa 🛋
50yrs young today…still striving for his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu…still as passionate about
@Armagh_GAA
as ever…. still a warrior. Happy Birthday Geezer.
About this time 20yrs ago I woke up in a City West Hotel room. Under the door was a letter from a sporting hero & global icon. To say I was inspired is an understatement. I went down for my All Ireland Final breakfast bouncing and brimming with confidence & determination 🏆
#GAA
📺 Patrick Kielty’s 1st
#LateLateShow
was interesting, surprising, serious, funny, entertaining and brilliant! He has certainly put his own stamp on Ireland’s flagship television show 🦉
This week 15yrs ago Paul Quinn was lured to a shed and was mutilated and murdered by the IRA. In the face of the trauma and the slander and the intimidation endured by the Quinn Family, both Breege and Stephen have demonstrated extraordinary bravery and an indefatigable resolve.
☘️Armagh City is where our 2 traditions meet - 2 St. Patrick’s Cathedrals look at each other across the city.
Politics can be negative, narrow & divisive, but today, I hope we can all agree to focus on what unites us, rather than what divides us ☘️ Lá fhéile Pádraig shona daoibh
#OnThisDay
18 years ago Andrew McCann passed me the Sam Maguire Cup on the steps of the Hogan Stand. I then buck leap’d up onto the presentation table and pumped the cup in the air with sheer joy ✴️ I don’t know what possessed me, but I’m glad
@sportsfile
captured the moment 🏆
This time 17yrs ago I was heading down for my breakfast in .
@CitywestHotel
after receiving a letter from Muhammad Ali under my hotel room door.
I have to say, I was feeling very sprightly.
Mickey Harte is one of the most successful GAA Managers of all time. And he has dealt with more tragedy than most both personally and in sport. He has always personified dignity and strength in triumph and tragedy. He’s a winner in my book. Good luck in the next phase Mickey.
Ran into this man today. A Player who came along as an 18yr in ‘02 and bamboozled defenders🏐Ronan Clarke was a genius Footballer and is as nice a guy as you could meet. I’m lucky to know him & proud to have played with him.
Today Ronan took his son Jesse into buy football boots
📺 Sad to watch Tommy Gorman’s last broadcast as the
@RTENews
Northern Editor. A brilliant journalistic career built on balance, compassion, integrity, and good will towards all.
Slán agus beannacht leat Tommy.
This day last year a man who was a hero of mine, a man who was a friend, and a man who was a mentor to me sadly passed away. Rest easy Séamus Mallon.
Solas na bhflaitheas air.
Hard to believe it’s 16 years today since Cormac McAnallen’s sad and sudden passing.
We were lucky to know Cormac and we were honoured to call him our teammate. Cormac’s legacy lives on.
.
@MaryLouMcDonald
can pontificate all she wants.
IRA violence & thuggery had same impact as violence & thuggery of gangland today. It made widows of wives, orphaned children, and destroyed families & communities.There is always an alternative to violence
Absolutely heartbreaking to watch Barry McGuigan bravely telling the sad sad story of his daughter Nika’s passing on the
#LateLate
. And, while sharing his aches of pain and grief he empathized with other parents who have lost children 💔
What a fighter.
Feeling of huge elation today with the passing of Pat Catney’s Period Poverty Bill. Then I meet Sinead Ennis on the staircase and she called me a “prick”
What a contrast.
A very poignant and powerful moment after Dublin complete Leinster 10 in-a-row, Stephen Cluxton laying a wreath on behalf of the greatest Gaelic football team of all time
@CrokePark
to commemorate 100yrs since
#B100dySunday
💷Kieran and Maura McGeeney presented a cheque for an incredible £32,905 to the Southern Area Hospice after Geezer went
#HairlessForTheHospice
💈The barbers are opening but Geezer won’t be needing one for a while!
The family of John Morrison RIP have asked me to invite people from all sports to wear their club or county colours to his funeral tomorrow at 11am in St. Malachy’s Church Armagh, saying “that’s the way he would have loved it.” 🔶⚪️⚫️❇️🔵🔴
Jarlath Burns is a proud
@Armagh_GAA
man. Our county’s Ulster breakthrough in ‘99 led to a golden era. Jarlath was our team captain then and he has contributed much to the GAA since. I wish Jarlath the best in his GAA Presidential quest.
Sambo McNaughton, Allstar ⭐️, a man who overcame his own speech impediment adversities and became an All Time Great
@AontroimGAA
Hurler, says John McKillop is No. 1 in Cushendall
#Legend
#LaochraGael
Was an starry eyed admirer of the great Kerry team in my boyhood. They were my heroes.
I never dreamed in later years I’d be on the same sideline, as manager of Laois, pitting my wits against the great Mick O’Dwyer, for his last match
#Micko
#Legend
🏐
✴️ 32 years of unbroken service at inter-county level as a player, coach and manager is incredible.
Last night the
@Armagh_GAA
County Committee unanimously ratified Kieran McGeeney as County Senior Football Manager for a further 2 years.
Ádh mór ort Geezer 🏐
I want to live in a New United Ireland that is an ambitious & diverse shared home place of fairness and opportunity for all the people of this island including Irish, British and the more than 500,000 people who were not born here. Let’s spill our sweat for that
#clairebyrnelive
20yrs ago to the month we achieved our wildest dream by winning the All Ireland 🏆 I never would have believed then that 20yrs on I’d be back in Croke Park with my Mom to see some fella in a cowboy hat singing songs 🤠🎵🎤🎸
#GarthBrooks
#YOLO
Liam Neeson’s narration of the Story of The Irish Famine coupled with the emotive and evocative imagery makes
#TheHunger
enthralling and disturbing viewing.
When it comes to protecting our island from criminals, thugs, drug lords and gangsters, the silence from those who would aspire to lead our country is deafening 🤷🏻 Maybe, they have not gone away, you know….
The Armagh City Hotel will be utilized from Monday coming as part of the Southern Trust’s battle with
#Coronavirus
. Massive well done to the owners in offering their premises for the cause.
🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳
1 month ago today the
@DeptInfra
felled a row of ancient Irish oak trees in Greenbank, Newry.
That day I gathered a handful of acorns. Today I planted them.
“A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they will never sit.”
On February 20th it will be 34 years since Séamus Mallon delivered his eloquent and powerful Maiden Speech emanating his unyielding integrity and vision.
What a brilliant .
@Armagh_GAA
Minor Team pic from the 1989 Ulster Final in this week’s .
@ulstergazette
featuring well known faces including current Armagh Senior Manager Kieran McGeeney and .
@CelticFC
Manager Neil Lennon 🏐⚽️
#ArmaghToTheCore
HERO: Today, as we mark the 20th Anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement it’s an honour to accompany my political hero and my friend, to today’s celebrations at Queens. Now more than ever we need political leaders like Séamus...🕊
The replayed
#GAA
2002 All Ireland Football Final featuring Armagh versus Dublin is on
@TG4TV
today at 2:40pm. I recall it was quite an exciting game
#GAAGloryDays
Comhghairdeas leis an Uachtarán Tofa an Chumann Lúthchleas Gael, Jarlath Burns
Jarlath won on the first count 🗳️
Jarlath Burns 158
Pat Teehan 70
Niall Erskine 49
🕊️ A great peacemaker Séamus Mallon RIP passed away 3yrs ago.
His politics are my politics and the politics of the
@SDLPlive
.
Join us. Let’s build a New North. Let’s build a New Ireland.
I’ve spoken with the Chairperson of Steelstown LGFA
@paul_ohea
, a man who won an All Ireland for Derry Minors on same day as Armagh won Senior.
The club are considering appeal options. It’s very sad that young women who are determined competitors are being denied a fair shot 🏐
A man I worshiped as an Armagh fan and who I was lucky then to play alongside is stepping away from ABC Council after 32 years of service to pursue new challenges.
Best of luck Houli in the next phase!
#ArmaghToTheCore
#HOULI
🏐
SICKENING! The Curriculum Sports Prog that delivers high quality coaching to primary school children via
@UlsterGAA
&
@OfficialIrishFA
high caliber coaches is coming to an end. Coaches will be out of a job around Xmas. Kids will have no sport in school. Thanks Arlene & Michelle.
In a very poignant twist of fate, it was 34 years ago today on the 24th January 1986 Séamus Mallon RIP was elected as the .
@SDLPlive
MP for Newry and Armagh.
Suaimhneas sioraí dá anam 🕊
It was a privilege to be part of the guard of honour for John Hume at his funeral today in Derry. Farewell and thank you John. You taught us that we can overcome.
A Kerryman in Armagh. An exciting new chapter for Armagh Football. Kieran Donaghy, ultimate competitor on the pitch & gentleman off it, brings immense respect before he walks through the door. His experience in
#GAA
& basketball will be huge asset to Geezer’s backroom team⭐️🟧⬜️
Jarlath Burns is a proud Armagh man. Our county’s Ulster breakthrough in ‘99 led to a golden era. Jarlath was our team captain then and he has contributed much to the GAA since. I wish Jarlath the best in his GAA Presidential quest.
Playing Rules
The ball can be carried in the hand for a distance of four steps and can be kicked or hand-passed....After every four steps the ball must be either bounced or "solo-ed", an action of dropping the ball onto the foot and kicking it back into the hand.
🌳The decision to fell ancient Irish Oak Trees in Newry without proper engagement is scandalous
🌳We need to see the report demonstrating all options have been considered
🌳I’m calling on
@JohnODowdSF
to stop the scheduled destruction of these trees tomorrow
#GoGreenSaveEarth
🏃♀️Dr Sinead Kane is an inspiration. What an extraordinary, determined, strong woman. An absolutely refreshing and uplifting interview.
#TommyTiernanShow
“Everybody in Ireland knows about Daniel Kinahan because there’s an element of fear, snd terror about that name” says Barry McGuigan who was the only man in boxing brave enough to comment publicly.
The Irish word for teacher is múinteoir which speaks of a mother hen’s wing wrapped around her brood - that’s what our children & communities should be expecting next week & from 1st Sep.
Our teachers love them & will wrap themselves around them (metaphorically)..
#SchoolReopening
🏆🏐This day 25yrs ago in 1995 a small club from South Armagh became
@UlsterGAA
Senior Club Champions.
I’m very proud to have played with these men 🟩🟨
Less than 10yrs earlier in 1986 our club
@MullaghbawnGAA
won the
@Armagh_GAA
Junior Championship.
#GAABelong
🏆
#Achieve
Fist pumping, table banging, clapping, laughing, jeering - singing a song about the shocking murder of one of the most beautiful people you could ever meet. It’s so sick and shameful.
Thinking about the Harte family who’ve been so strong and dignified. They do not deserve this.
@hevwilson_e
Heather you’d get one hundred thousand welcomes in any GAA club and you’ll have great fun & craic whilst learning the game & keeping fit and you will build bonds for life.
The only question you’ll be asking is, what took you so long!
TRANSFER TEST: Strong leadership from the Boards of Governors and Principals of 5 Newry & Kilkeel Schools in a move focused on addressing the issues faced by local communities in this time of crisis and a move that places trust with communities, teachers and parents.
.
@SDLPlive
’s John Hume’s words rung true in ‘69 and they still ring true today.
Ireland has enough on its plate with a looming threat of
#Brexit
.
The last thing we need are bombs back on our streets. They weren’t right during the Troubles and they are still not right now.
RIP The Great Jim McKeever. A
@DoireGAA
all time great who captained the Oak Leaf County to their 1st All Ireland Final in 1958
My Dad was fortunate to play alongside Jim
@QueensGAA
in 1965
My sympathies with Jim’s family, friends and fellow Gaels. I measc na naomh go raibh sé