GAA legend (80) and TikTok star says Meath 'will give it a rattle'
Louise Walsh
"It's normally my day off but I had to come in for the banter and the craic after the win against Dublin," said a Meath sports shop owner who has gone viral on social media for his knowledge of the GAA.
Legendary Meath fan Jacksie Kiernan went to work on his day off on Monday because he didn't want to miss the chat with customers about his team ending the Dublin run of success on the pitch after 15 years with a four point win in Sunday's Leinster semi-final.
The 80-year-old stalwart has followed the Meath team since he was just 10 years old and he is so well-known in the game, his 57-year-old sports and shoe shop in Navan is a go-to place for all Meath merchandise.
The shop is often frequented by past and present players and coaches including Graham Geraghty, Joe Cassells and former manager Sean Boylan.
Kiernan is also regularly approached by fans desperate to get match tickets.
In recent years, he has been likened to the late sports presenter Jimmy McGee with his memory on all things GAA, but especially Meath and videos on TikTok have been viewed up to 500,000 times.
@jackkiernans35 Great game to play. #meathgaa #gaa @The GAA Room ♬ original sound - jackkiernans35
"I'm just delighted with the result and the win for Meath," he said.
"The players are a great bunch of young guys who weathered the storm until the end. The Dubs aren't out of the championship yet but this win was good for football in Leinster. Fifteen years of success is a long time for Dublin. Sunday was the first time that my own grandchildren have ever seen them beaten."
Since early Monday morning, there was demand for bunting and flags as well as Meath jerseys as fans celebrated making it to the first Leinster final in five years.
"I was very vocal in encouraging the team from the sidelines but there was a man who had to go outside and smoke four cigarettes in a row because he couldn't stand the excitement of the game," he laughed.
"I like yesterday my parents bringing me to my first All-Ireland final when I was ten years of age. There was a Kells man, where I'm originally from, on the team called Michael Grace and he was brilliant. It was 1954 and Meath won the match against Kerry."
Meath are now gearing up to play Louth in the Leinster final for the first time since Meath snatched a last gasp win with a controversial goal in 2010.
"I never regarded that as a win. I always thought the GAA should have replayed it. It was a disaster.
"I'd say Louth are slight favourites this time. We have a younger team, they have maturity but sure we'll turn up on the day and give it a rattle."
"I'd say the worst memory I have is the defeat of Meath in 1991 to Down. I cried afterwards. But the 1987 All-Ireland win was the best, I think, for me anyway."
In recent times, Jacksie has become a TikTok sensation due to his memory of GAA as people send his daughter Louise questions to ask him about the sport. He insists he doesn't get to research any of the questions beforehand.
"No, I just have a great memory thank God and a huge love for the GAA. My daughter Louise records the videos and posts them. People do slag me about the videos but I don't watch them myself – sure I've only a flip phone, if it's even charged!"
