Epic scenes from '87 as victorious Meath bring Sam home

Meath Chronicle's then sports reporter Paul Clarke penned this report from the homecoming, September 21st, 1987!

 

With due respects to that great man from Poland it is doubtful if Pope John Paul would have received a warmer welcome than that afforded the victorious Meath team as it returned on Monday evening.

The chosen few had attended the Royal Meath Association banquet in Malahide the previous night but this was the real homecoming as Mick Lyons and his mighty men brought Sam back to the banks of the Boyne for the first time since 1967.

Bonfires blazed as the young and not so young celebrated the end of Meath's footballing famine and savoured the feast of All-Ireland glory.

The whistle stop tour commenced in Clonee where there was a reception at the Kepak meat plant and then headed to Dunboyne, Moynalvey, Summerhill, Trim and eventually (much later than was expected) to Navan.

Summerhill has certainly never seen anything like it. The locals were out in force to pay tribute to Mick and Padraig Lyons but a goodly portion of the county's population seemed to be there as well and the attendance was estimated at 3,000.

The centre of Navan was sealed off as crowds poured into the town to witness the final stop on Monday's tour. The team was late due to the extent of the reception in other areas but nobody seemed to care as the beer flowed with similar fluency to the rain which earlier threatened to put a dampner on festivities. 

Some who were old enough to remember '49, '54 and '67  said they had never witnessed a reception quite like it. Sean Boylan's popularity witrh the people of Royal Meath has never been in doubt but it reached new heights last Monday night.

It was an emotional occasion and the cheers were deafening as the estimated crowd of 12,000 roared their heads off in approval while the new King of Meath introduced each of his players (all 26 of them).

Other to speak included Meath Co Council chairman Johnny Murtagh, father of Meath player Finian and UDC boss Paddy Fitzsimons. But it was the players the crowds came to see and their words were lost in the tide of emotion which gripped the town. They had come to listen to King Sean and to once again see the faces of the players who brought such joy to the county the previous day.

Despite the crowds in Summerhill and Navan there were no significant reports of casualties though a number of children were squashed and man had to be treated for a fall. 

Red Cross units from Navan, Trim, Slane, Dundalk and Drogheda were on duty but had a relatively quiet evening.

Judging by the extent of the celebrations they could have been very busy on Tuesday morning...