We at the Saffron Gael have regularly brought you updates on the number of views we have had on the site and today, with still 7 weeks of the season remaining, we are happy to tell you that we have broken the 2 million mark for the third season in succession.
The Saffron Gael was launched back in May 2017 by John (Curly) McIlwaine and his brother Paddy and the first game posted was an U21 Hurling final between Dunloy and Loughgiel on May 29th.
In 2017 we had 724,728 views on the site. In 2018 the numbers increased to 1,373,793 views and in 2019 we were up again to 1,638,846 views, further evidence that the site is extremely popular with Gaels in Antrim.
In 2020 we were slightly below the 2019 figures but still recorded 1,617,956 despite the lockdown due to the Covid 19 pandemic and in 2021 figure were up again, this time to another high of 1,919,010 views.
The 2 Million mark became something of an obsession for myself and John and in 2022 it finally arrived when we recorded 2,190,135 on the Saffron Gael and last year it got even better when we passed the 2.5 Million mark for the first time.
As I write this article today the viewing figures for 2024 currently stand at 2,002,750 and it seems unlikely that we will reach that record breaking number of last year but there are still 7 weeks of the years to go so we will wait and see.
Earlier this week we recorded our 10,000th post on the site, just an indication of the amount of time and work that it takes to provide the amount of posts that are available on the site on a daily basis.
We have been very fortunate to have had a strong team of volunteers who give their service freely to the site and without the help of people like Brendan McTaggart, Bert Trowlen, Kevin Herron, Seamus McAleenan, Sean Paul McKillop, Joe Carberry, Brian McKee, Michael Corcoran, Geordie McGuckin, Damian McKee, JJ Lawell, Mickey Morgan, Sean Toal, Pete Hyndman, Elaine Kelly, Claire Fawl and Tony McCollum plus anyone we may have missed, without whom this volume of publication would not be possible.
Most of all many thanks to the indivduals who contribute, plus the businneses and companies who have sponsored us. None of this would work if we did not have their support. Clubs too have weighed in with a number of clubs donating annually to the site and to these clubs were are eternally grateful and if your club has not yet made a donation this year we would appeal to you to do so.
Finally a big thanks to our readership whose regular viewing have created these figures and we would appeal to you to support our sponsors who have enabled you to view the Saffron Gael free of charge.