Bronagh Mulholland is the life and soul of Glen GAA.
A mother, teacher, coach, the club's vice-chair and the type of person who could help anyone with any problem – or at the very least throw a caring arm around them, listen to them, and maybe point the way towards help.
Her two sons Cathal and Eunan take the field on Sunday, not that their mam will be able to watch it. She can guarantee that she will be on stadium grounds but most likely she won’t be able to watch the game itself. That’s been the case for a good few years now, the nervousness involved is overbearing.
She’s like a mother to most of the players. Aside from having them in her classroom, she was their coach from Go Games level up to under-12 and beyond. She had them doing resistance training in the swimming pool long before it was a scientific tool for S&C coaches.
All of that work took place behind the scenes. But it’s because of people like her that Glen are where they are now – on the cusp of a famous and groundbreaking All-Ireland win.
And of course it’s also because her old friend, Malachy O’Rourke, has coached the team to great heights and feats since taking charge.
O’Rourke and Mulholland were in the same class in teacher training college years ago and they have been friends over the decades.
"We were always so proud of him and his achievements," she says.
"And from Glen's point of view, all of the pieces of the jigsaw fell together when he agreed to come to us.
"That connection we had from college made it extra special and I always believed the lads had the potential and they are getting to fulfil it now working with Malachy."
Seeds were sown when O’Rourke was the guest of honour at Glen’s commemorative dinner dance in 2018.
He enquired when the Derry club last won a county senior title and was taken aback to learn they had never broken that particular piece of ground.
Two years on, O’Rourke was aboard and has duly helped the club conquer that elusive territory, leading them to a coveted Derry Championship in 2021 and retaining the title last year.
Now they stand on the preface of unprecedented glory.
Mention O’Rourke’s name to anyone involved in the club and there is a warm glow of approval obvious.
To the man himself, the former Fermanagh and Monaghan boss feels the club had a tonne of work done before he took the reins.
"They were just keen to give anything back," he says. "The club is at the heart of the community and they are very tight and take care of each other. They had a lot of work done – it was just to push it on a bit. The club is steeped in the tradition of Gaelic Games and they knew where they wanted to get to."
O’Rourke is a few years out of the inter-county game, although he has not been short of suitors. He is relishing the challenge at club level.
"I was with Monaghan for seven years and it was time to recharge the batteries," he says.
"I did know some people in the Glen club previously and I did know there was a lot of talent in the club and success in the past and it appealed to me and I’m so glad it did.
"Because these lads are so ambitious and they have given everything to the cause."
Trusted lieutenant Ryan Porter will be in the stands for the AIB All-Ireland final on Sunday against Kilmacud Crokes. He picked up a suspension in the semi-final win over Maigh Cullen.
But the work the duo have invested into Glen has long since borne fruit. O’Rourke says it was just a matter of tying everything together when they took charge initially.
"There were just a few pieces of the jigsaw to find," he revealed. "Build up the belief, playing as a team. When you suffer a few losses and have not won a county title previously there are a few things to watch out for, so you just build and reinforce good habits all the way along.
"The way the lads have played in the final stages of games has been great. I have an easy job; I just tell the boys what to do.
"They have to take the credit; they go out and execute the skills. They have been coached to a very high level over the years, there is a lot of work gone into them. I am just privileged to be there with them."
O’Rourke reckons the gap between club and county is closing all the time. He reckons the level of top clubs is similar to the inter-county preparation of 10 years ago.
And he says what has changed most is players approach and preparation in the off-season.
But now it all boils down to Sunday; a game will be the biggest test of the lot.
"We have to perform ourselves," he states, flatly.
"We also have to watch Crokes and their players and the hurt from last year is sure to be there, but we have our own confidence too and we just have to perform ourselves first before we worry about anything else."
