CHILDREN in a Kilcoo primary school have been "acting out the All-Ireland" during their breaks ahead of the Senior Club Football final tomorrow.
Pupils at St Malachy's PS in Kilcoo, outside Newry, will be given a half-day today to allow them to travel to Dublin to watch Kilcoo take on Dublin side Kilmacud Crokes.
The Co Down team will return to Croke Park two years after losing out to Corofin in their first appearance in the final.
St Malachy's principal Declan Lawlor said the children are "absolutely buzzing" for the match.
"You can see the excitement when they are playing outside," he said.
"They are taking on the role of their big brothers or uncles or dads who are on the team.
"They're almost acting out the All-Ireland final at break and at lunch."
Most of the Kilcoo panel are past pupils of St Malachy's.
Mr Lawlor said the match had come as a welcome distraction from the pressures of the Covid pandemic.
"It's the break that they needed," he said.
"They've loved the excitement and getting back with their friends.
"The adults sometimes worry but the kids don't have that. They just have sheer joy.
"They love their Gaelic football."
Mr Lawlor said he could not count the number of children in the school who are related to members of the Kilcoo team.
"With it being such a tight-knit community more or less everybody in the school has somebody they know on the team," he said.
During a 'black and white' day yesterday, pupils were allowed to wear Kilcoo's club colours.
Two teachers in St Malachy's have also rewritten the lyrics of Star of the County Down in honour of Kilcoo's achievement.
The school will film its new version of the classic song and post the video on social media today, along with good-luck poems and messages from the children.
"Even staff from neighbouring clubs who might not have that much affiliation with Kilcoo are all buying into the black and white theme," Mr Lawlor said.
"Most children in the school wear their black and white gear. Most of the boys who are interested in Gaelic football have come in in full kit.
"The excitement is palpable."
Mr Lawlor said the children are confident that Kilcoo can go one better than their 2020 run.
"The children embody that message of 'we've been so close before but we'll do it this time'," he said.
"They love their football here. Rain, hail or snow they do not mind going outside. Football isn't weather permitting."
Mr Lawlor will travel to Croke tomorrow along with most of the parish.
"I'm pretty sure there'll not be a person left in Kilcoo. Everybody is going," he said.
"The community, school and everyone in the parish has a close-knit spirit that is in the children.
"On the day there will be pupils past and present who are representing the club.
"We just keep encouraging the children and telling them that their heroes' skills were honed not only on the pitch but here in school."
