From the control tower, above the scoreboard at the Town End of Sean MacCumhaill Park on Sunday, Event Controller Terence McShea will observe the movements of 15,768 Gaelic football fans at the biggest game ever to be hosted in Donegal.
The meeting of Donegal and Tyrone – which carries with it the carrot of a place in an All-Ireland semi-final for the winner – is a real heavyweight clash. The prize on the line heightens everything, from the tensions to its very meaning.
It is a game and an occasion worth in excess of €1million to the economy of Ballybofey and Stranorlar. That figure was estimated by the local Chamber of Commerce when the counties clashed in 2013.
Five years on and Leah Fairman, the Manager at the Ballybofey and Stranorlar Chamber of Commerce, says that figure will rise.
“It can only be that and more now,” she says.
“It is absolutely huge for the towns. It’s a wonderful showcase for the fantastic businesses. Everywhere will be rammed to the gills.
“We have over 260 businesses in the towns and they all work so well together. Everyone will benefit from this, from petrol stations, to shops, cafes, hotels, restaurants, pubs, you name it. Local businesses doing well means more jobs and more investment in the community.”
Fairman says a game like this can leave a ‘legacy’ behind and hopes that many visitors can be enticed back for other events, such as the Donegal half-marathon on September 30th.
She says: “It’s fantastic to see over 15,000 people coming into the area. We have to make the most of it and hopefully people will want to come back.”
Sean MacCumhaill Park’s usual capacity is 17,520 but, due to this Sunday’s all-ticket status, the number of reduced to 15,768. The game is already a sell out and most clubs haven’t managed to satisfy the demand for the golden tickets.
There are around 2,400 season ticket holders between the two counties and the old ground will be heaving at its seams on Sunday when Joe McQuillan throws the ball in. One county board official described the last few days as ‘crazy’.
“It’s just another game – but it’s a much bigger game,” Ballyshannon native McShea says.
Event Controller Terence McShea
“It’s the biggest game ever in Ballybofey. It’s an All-Ireland quarter-final and it’s nearly equivalent to an Ulster final.”
There will be 110 stewards deployed around MacCumhaill Park, with grind 40 others looking after things like selling tickets and operating the shop.
Over a dozen Gardaí will be on duty while 26 turnstiles will be open. Top brass from Croke Park and the Ulster Council will be in attendance to observe the operation.
“My role is basically to get the people in safely and out safely,” McShea says. “I watch all entrances and keep an eye to see where any bottle necks are developing. It’s harder to get people into the terrace, but once we see a section filling up we move them to a different entrance.”
McShea keeps in constant contact with other stewards and the Gardai, while five CCTV cameras relay footage back to base.
Over 50 journalists are accredited to cover the game for all sorts of mediums from print, radio, television to digital media. 12 cameraman and over a dozen photographers will be capturing the moments.
Before the game, injured Donegal forward Patrick McBrearty is part of a panel that will take part in a special ‘Up For The Match’ at Jackson’s Hotel at 12noon. The Sam Maguire, Liam McCarthy, Anglo Celt and Dr McKenna Cups will be in Ballybofey for supporters to have their pictures taken with. The proceeds from the event will go to the Donegal Training Fund.
There is a spinoff benefit, too, for the local club, Sean MacCumhaills, who operate the shops, the half-time draw and who retain 15 per cent of programme sales on the day.
Fairman believes that, in future, games like this could become a festival of sorts.
“I would like to think that we could provide on-street entertainment and things like that,” she says.
“We have so, so many people coming and it’s easily the biggest event to come to the area. The only thing we have business-wise that could come close is McElhinney’s sale or the switching on of the Christmas lights. People are coming in and hanging around for a day so it’s really important for us. We’re delighted to get the chance.”
Croke Park officials will be keeping a close eye on happenings at Ballybofey – and other provincial venues – as the inaugural Super 8 series draws to a close.
“There’ll be a lot of people wondering how these venues are running,” says McShea, who has been a long-time Event Controller for inter-county games in Donegal.
All eyes will be on MacCumhaill Park – but McShea’s eyes will be trained, mainly, on those watching.
“I’ll be concentrating more on the crowd and making sure it all works out. Just making sure that everything is alright. There’ll always be something.
“I might get to see bits of the game, but it won’t be much…Hopefully I’ll get to see a semi-final the next week!”
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