23. DHS - MacCumhaill Park

Shrine 23: the pride of all.Location: 54.801427, -7.77935Speaker: Michael MurphyTheme: gathering to cheer on their local heroes in battle. There is nothing that unites the people of Donegal like its much loved Gaelic football team. The home of the team is in Ballybofey, the centre of the county and it is here that regular training occurs and where many battles have taken place in the championship. The senior team's All Ireland victory of 1992 is still famously remembered and heroes such as McHugh, McMullan and Molloy have been replaced with recent heroes such as Murphy, McBrearty and McHugh.Beaten by a worthy team of All Ireland champions in 2011, Donegal have always been a team that others rightly fear, coming back in 2012 to lift the Sam Maguire cup in a very stylish manner followed by wave of partying back in the county to beat the band. Until Mayo did the honours in August 2021, they were the last team to stop Dublin in their tracks in the championship when Ryan McHugh came of age and Murphy as always lead by example.  Witness a sea of gold and green, a chorus of accents from Pettigo to Bloody Foreland, Glencolmcille to Glengad and a roar that would unnerve the most confident Hill 16 gathering. For pure visceral passion and encouragement, enthusiasm and ecstasy, Donegal Gaelic football support has no equal - well, in public at least... Sean MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey. URL:McCumhaill ParkAudio taken from Donegal's Hallowed Sites on the Racontour Archive.Spotify URL: Donegal's Hallowed Sites playlist on Spotify