Reliving every moment of Mayo's 'Sam' glory'

Never Stop Dreaming is set to be a sell-out

The launch of Mayo's story of All-Ireland SFC glory, Never Stop Dreaming, unsurprisingly drew a capacity crowd to the Bridge St. Dome at the Wild Atlantic Words Festival in Castlebar.

Written by accomplished local sports journalists Anthony Hennigan and Edwin McGreal with the sharp-eyed Michael McLaughlin as pictured editor, the impressive 380+ page publication follows the Mayo senior football team 'from the cautious optimism of a new era to the final whistle at Croke Park on July 26, 2026, and the extraordinary celebrations that followed, capturing the football, the players, the fans and the joy'.

The story unfolds as it happened, game by game with insights from inside the dressing room.

It was officially launched by Aidan O'Shea, who last May became the first outfield player in the sport to register 100 senior championship appearances, and only the second player after Dublin goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton to do so.

Also in attendance was the CEO of the Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation Martina Jennings, who is leading the development of the Sunflower Children's Hospice at Moneen, Castlebar.

Now with over €9 million raised for €14 million project and work due to get underway early next year, she paid tribute to the book's editorial team for offering to donate some proceeds from the publication towards the children's hospice development.

Published by Mayo Books Press and complimented by striking match images from leading sports photography firm, Inpho, as well as the elegant design of Siobhan Foody, Never Stop Dream is more than a record of Mayo's Mayo's greatest year since 1951.

It is, as the notes on the back cover rightly proclaim, a book to treasure and a keepsake of Mayo finally realising their dream of lifting Sam Maguire after a 75-years absence.

Mayo stars Jack Carney, Diarmuid O'Connor, Jack Livingstone, Sam Callinan and Aidan O'Shea share their memories of a season that changed Mayo football forever, alongside interviews with members of the Mayo management conducted throughout the year.

What is telling is the fact that Hennigan, McGreal and McLaughlin all considered it 'a privilege' to have been involved in putting together a book about a sporting success that had brought people and communities together like never before.

It was, they said, the book they always wanted to write - 'a great honour to be part of a great Mayo team telling this story'.

Interestingly, McLaughlin had not been in Croke Park on the day when the magic unfolded. Instead, he was on Croagh Patrick covering the annual pilgimage day for a national newspaper.

But once the celebrations broke out in the aftermath of the victory in Dublin, he felt compelled to capture as much of the local reaction as he could over many days and weeks, his work reflecting just how much the success meant in every corner of the county, the feelings of joy still lingering to this day.

Needless to say, this is a book that will hold pride of place in thousands of Mayo households at home and abroad.

At €27, it's a real bargain.

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