Padraig MacNamee is welcomed by the Cuchullain Village

The Creagh lorry was geared up and ready for returning the 2025 senior football champions to the Village on Sunday evening with the main street in Dunloy packed. Pappy’s Band were out, parading and drumming up the atmosphere, the Village Inn was thriving as natives young and old waited in the cold autumnal air.

The horns of the Creagh lorry could be heard from the distance and the faint chants of those celebrating in the back of it. The side boarding latches of that lorry were being tested to the maximum. The party was getting started.

Smoke bombs and fireworks filled the night air, the cheers were deafening and the sky lit up with an array of colours all superbly caught on a drone.

The lorry made it’s way up to the Parish Centre with memories of 1990 for those old enough to remember as Pappy’s Band led Seaan Elliott, Deaglan Smith and the rest following suit. Chairman James McKeague kicked off proceedings with a word on the efforts of the camogs who were narrowly defeated in their final before Anthony McQuillan, Seaan and Fr PJ all took the mic. A plethora of thank you’s, some cracking one liners from Fr PJ and the odd tune being chanted from the team.

This was a special occasion for everyone in connected with Dunloy and one remember for a club steeped in success with hurling. The celebrations will go deep for this one as this Dunloy team returned to the village as kings of the big ball.