Sam splits family as football loyalties take hold!

Dunmore native Florence Gilmore spent the past week winding up her Kerry husband, Ivor Buckley, ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland senior football final.

“There was a bit of craic in the house this week all right. A good bit of banter,” said the Galway GAA supporter.

Florence teaches third class in St John the Apostle primary school in Knocknacarra, where she lives with Ivor, and their children Rosie (7) and Harry (6).

A daughter of Michael and Mary Gilmore from the football heartlands of Dunmore in North Galway, she’s mad about Gaelic football, and played while at secondary school in St Enda’s in Salthill.

Her husband, Ivor, who she met through mutual friends one year during Galway Race Week, played football, too. Firstly, for his club, Milltown, a small town located between Killarney and Tralee. Then for UCG during his college days in Galway; and then, after he graduated, in North London with the Kingdom Kerry Gaels.

He played on the 1994 UCG Freshers’ team, and Florence still has his jersey, which is maroon with a logo of sponsors Taaffe’s Bar on it.

“I wear it to all the matches. Everyone always admires it because it’s really retro,” she said.

This week, the family is holidaying in Dingle, where expectation of a Kerry win is palpable.

“The neighbours are giving us grief because I’ve a Galway flag hanging out of the car,” she laughed.

Read the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. Don’t miss our free All-Ireland supplement, with all of the latest news and views ahead of Sunday’s Final.

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