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Labour's Aodhan O'Riordain's Playful GAA Tweet Generates Quite A Backlash From Mayo Fans

Balls Team
By Balls Team
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Of all the people to be accused of baiting Mayo supporters ahead of the All-Ireland football final, we didn't think it would be the darling of Irish liberalism, Senator Aodhan O'Riordain.

O'Riordain is unusually popular on twitter for a someone who served as a Labour TD in the last Dáil. This is presumably down to his prominent position on the Yes side of the gay marriage referendum, a position which was obviously very popular in the Irish twitter community.

If there ever comes a day when the Irish twittersphere becomes its own constituency and is allowed to elect deputies to Leinster House, then surely, we thought, Aodhan would top the poll, with Panti Bliss and Niall Horan being elected as independent candidates. Even Ivana Bacik might get elected.

But this isn't the way to canvass for votes on there.

Frankly, we didn't forsee him sending 'bantersaurus' style, goading tweets in the direction of Mayo people before September.

His playful tweet sent after Dublin's win on Sunday afternoon has enraged several Mayo people, sparked a volley of angry responses from Mayo, a county which is, it's fair to say, not quick to brush off slights of any kind. Seven All-Ireland losses in a quarter of a century will do that to any group.

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Beating Mayo in the final was tantamount to 'shooting Bambi', according to Aodhan.

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One constituent living in north Dublin but presumably from Mayo told O'Riordain, "don't bother coming to my door again in Dublin Bay North!"

A few Mayo supporters exhorted the Senator to "stay classy!" Catherine Halloran of the Star got into a back and forth with Aodhan, accusing him of "going below the belt" and "spinning" when he tried to say it was because he liked Mayo so much.

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We did suggest once that the 1996 All-Ireland final series was the sporting equivalent of Bambi's mum dying but we meant that purely in terms of heartbreak. Although, as Aodhan said, when you're explaining you're losing.

Read more: KNEEJERK: Our 'Biased' Controversial Columnist Recalls Unsettling Experience With Dublin Fans

 

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