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THE PARTY HAS started here in Castlebar long before the champions arrive.

By early afternoon, the streets of Castlebar were awash with green and red as families, friends and supporters steadily streamed into McHale Park in the hours before Mayo’s All-Ireland-winning team was due home.

There was no shortage of horns blaring from passing cars, children draped in county colours or flags fluttering from windows. Even after the celebrations that stretched long into Sunday night, there was little sign anyone was ready to slow down.

For Colm and Ciara Caulfield, from Achadh Mór, the celebrations had even extended to the youngest member of the family.

Three-month-old Teidí slept through most of Sunday’s final, although Colm admitted he “might have woken him once or twice” with his roaring at the television.

The family watched the game from home yesterday before joining the crowds in Castlebar today.

“It’s only up from here for Teidí,” Colm laughed. “He’s never seen Mayo lose an All-Ireland.”

Nearby, Oscar Kilkenny was making his way towards McHale Park after a long night celebrating.

The Castlebar native said getting into a local pub after the match proved impossible.

“You couldn’t get served anywhere,” he said. “Everyone was out.”

Outside the stadium, John and Sarah Ward were doing brisk business from a stand piled high with hats, scarves and flags.

Their biggest seller, however, was one that couldn’t be found anywhere else.

Among the sea of Mayo colours were “Mayo for Sam” flags sporting former US president Joe Biden, first produced during Biden’s visit to the county in 2023.

“We’re the only ones that have the flag today,” John said as supporters stopped to snap them up before heading through the gates.

Those hoping to grab something to eat before the homecoming faced a test of patience.

Queues snaked away from chip vans and coffee stalls, stretching to what appeared to be close to a hundred people at times as supporters settled in for the wait.

For David O’Connor and Peter Butler, from Ballinrobe, the celebrations had begun 24 hours earlier.

Butler was among the lucky supporters inside Croke Park on Sunday and, by Monday afternoon, his voice had all but disappeared.

His croaky attempts at conversation drew laughs from those around him, with little sympathy offered after a day spent shouting Mayo on.

Nearby, Steve and Maria, from the Ross townland, soaked up the carnival atmosphere as music blared around McHale Park and supporters continued to stream through the gates.

For Darragh Quinn, the celebrations came with a welcome day off work.

He had watched Sunday’s victory from home with his sons, Noah and Harry, before bringing them to Castlebar to welcome the players home.

Like so many families gathered outside the stadium, it was a chance to share a moment that generations of Mayo supporters had spent decades waiting for.

Hours before the team train eventually rolled into view down the road from the stadium, nobody seemed concerned by the wait.

After a 75-year search for Sam Maguire finally came to an end, there was nowhere else Mayo supporters would rather have been.

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