The silver lining

Each September, at Croke Park, when the ball is thrown in at the all Ireland Gaelic football final, every true Irishman’s heart beats a little faster. It is our spiritual home, but for many years it had been a bitter vale of tears for County Armagh.

Until 2002. That year our team had a vigour, a sense of purpose—maybe this year would be different, maybe this year we would take the Sam Maguire Cup home for the very first time.

Orange and white flags and …