Passion, Heart, Determination, a never say die spirit
Offaly is a County in the heart of Ireland: "Offalyness" describes the county's collective spirit and attitude, a never-say-die attitude, passion, heart, determination and pure unadulterated craic that characterises the people of Offaly. The term was coined by U18 football manager Roger Ryan, in an interview on his team winning the 2025 Leinster title from an unlikely position: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4lquiYp1cg
Michael Duignan elaborates on it here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rHBNBBJSHQY
1982 Football Final: Kerry v Offaly
Arguably the most famous moment in GAA history, snatching victory from Kerry and ending their bid for a fifth All-Ireland title in a row. Séamus Darby denied Kerry the 5 in-a-row dream when he scored this famous last gasp goal, along with the iconic celebration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Pu1vqVz6nA
2025 Ryder Cup: Shane Lowry doing Lowry things
As the US look destined for a famous comeback and under intense pressure from a febrile US crowd, Shane Lowry sunk the winning putt as Team Europe retained the Ryder Cup on American soil in New York. Craic like this should be illegal! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqateyGvGew
Who did the dance better, Lowry or Darby?
1994 Hurling Final: Offaly v Limerick The 5 minute final:
With the clock ticking down and the game seemingly over (Some had left the stadium to catch the last train!), Offaly launched a sensational comeback, scoring 2-5 to win the game in the last five minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIOEenL_li0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaU0-oNP72E
Friday before the '94 All-Ireland hurling final and Johnny Pilkington was at a wedding. A guest at the wedding kept approaching him, reminding the Offaly hurler to stay off the drink. “I got tired of him telling me what to do, so I had seven or eight pints." Offaly won the All-Ireland on the Sunday: "I think I played fairly well in ’94," said the Birr man :)
Q: Did you smoke during your intercounty career... (on his 30/day habit)
A: Not during the matches... obviously https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RfbNcDCcYJ0
- Johnny Pilkington, the undisputed King of Offalyness
Shane Lowry , a close second, cut from the same cloth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnMa16Gs9fM
There's more than one way to be a golfing legend: https://youtu.be/MzDj0j15SYo
1998 Hurling Semi-Final: Offaly v Clare
Offaly came back from the dead after the final whistle to beat Clare, and ultimately beat Kilkenny in the final to become All-Ireland champions. Kudos to Clare manager Ger Loughnane for agreeing to the replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSUV2eTHq_4
This 1998 All-Ireland Hurling Championship Radio documentary is titled "Who Fears to Speak of '98": https://www.rte.ie/radio/doconone/646009-whofears
Shane Lowry Winning the British Open in 2019:
Shane Lowry wins at Royal Portrush | The Open Official Film 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOzwGjYIpf0
Shane Lowry Winning the Irish Open as an amateur in 2009
Shane Lowry Speaks On Irish open 2009 | Golfing World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu9qJNWuQM4&t=0
1989 Hurling Semi-Final: Antrim v Offaly
In the 1989 All-Ireland Hurling Semi-Final, Antrim defeated Leinster Champions Offaly in a result considered one of the biggest surprises in championship hurling history. In a classy gesture, the Offaly team formed a guard of honour for the Antrim team - It's not all about winning! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCXFvTITtaQ&feature=youtu.be
Honourary Mentions:
- The heartbeat of the mighty Offaly team of the 1990s, and one of the game's true characters, Johnny Pilkington was at the heart of some of hurling's greatest ever dramas. Laochra Gael Documentary https://www.tg4.ie/en/player/online-boxsets/play/?pid=6228380914001&title=Johnny%20Pilkington&series=Laochra%20Gael
- John Troy, Offaly legend with epic skills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ur-QbUMjf0&t=18s
- Girvan Dempseys try in the corner vs England in 2004. This is a slight stretch... but his auld lad is from Kinnity! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlPf3N7KQkk
- One for the Future: Offalys Alex Dunne battled his way through from fifth on the grid around Imola to take his second victory of the 2025 Formula 2 season: https://www.formula1.com/en/video/formula-2-highlights-2025-imola-feature-race.1832458286460172822
- Offaly Camogie team winning this years intermediate title to return to the senior ranks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nPPhFCtMjg
- Not from Offaly, but has all the core qualities: Roscommon Goal Keeper Shane Curran, as described by Chris O'Dowd: "He'd be just as happy to ride a bull into a church... he was gang busters": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr6LRCRM6Dk
More to Come:
I put this site together as a homage to a beautiful place, full of beautiful intelligent people