The Devine family have been stalwart fans of the club over the decades and generations and we were absolutely honoured to have them as match sponsors for Harps v Cobh. Everyone at the club appreciates your unstinting support for the club!
As a family, the Devine’s have supported Finn Harps for many years and are now into the fourth generation of supporters. It all began in 1969 when Grandad took Dad to a Finn Harps game shortly after Harps first entered the league. They attended a friendly match against Peterborough United when Dad was 14 years old (we’ve forgiven him for supporting Derry first). From that moment on, Dad was hooked, and he passed his passion on to his wife, children, and grandchildren. Dad is privileged to have watched some of the greatest footballers Ireland has produced. Players like Peter Hutton, Stuart Guald, Tony O’Doherty, Jim Sheridan and of course the great Brendan Bradley, and many, many more.
Fast forward a few years, and this is when our own memories began. For us children, the introduction to the Finn Park faithful started one St. Patrick’s Day as we returned from celebrating in Donegal Town. Our first game was unforgettable. Whether Harps won or lost, the experience of being in the stands, cheering for the team, and feeling the collective energy of the fans left a lasting impression on everyone.
When we get together as a family, we reminisce about all things Finn Harps—the good and the bad. We have followed Harps up and down the country, through the highs and lows. On Christmas mornings, our house resembles the shop at Finn Park, with five children kitted out in Harps gear. We have travelled to Kilkenny for play-offs. We attended the FAI Cup semi-final game when they had to evacuate the ground mid-game due to a bomb scare. Travelling to Galway, when the team bus left a player behind when it stopped for lunch on the way to the game. There was also the time we made a trip to Dublin for the FAI Cup final replay and left one family member behind (don’t think we’re forgiven yet!) These are all stories that are reminisced over in the Devine household.
Before the days of online streaming and not living locally, we spent our Saturday nights listening to the radio for highlights. Or refreshing Aertel for the score, hoping it was correct. The online forums back then were a godsend. They allowed us to keep up with the comings and goings at Finn Park. We could join in the banter with the fanbase, helping with song lyrics and enjoying the craic. It made us feel valued members of the Finn Park family and the wider LOI community.
The tradition of attending games has now carried on to the fourth generation, with some family members traveling from farther afield. For tonight’s game, we have family members who have travelled from Luton, Belfast, Cork, and Strabane. Most of the children are season ticket holders, even though they may not make it to many games each season. They proudly wear their Finn Harps tops, scarves, and flags—much to the dismay of the Cork City fan in the family!
The children all love attending games, singing Finn Harps songs, playing the drums, and meeting the players and managers over the years.
Liam travels over from Luton to support Finn Harps. He enjoys telling his Finn Harps story about standing at the back of the stand and cheering on the team. He also loves talking about Finn Harps when people ask about his shirts. He is thrilled that he and his cousins can meet the players and get their signatures on his flag..
When Finn Harps play in Cork or Cobh, the Collins side of the family might be the only Finn Harps fans in the away end, with their dad in the home stand. They cheer for the team and sing the songs to encourage them to victory.
For the younger Devines who live in Strabane, they are lucky to attend games regularly. They can often be seen standing at the back of the shed, cheering the team on, and even doing mascot duties on occasion. They share the same delight with their cousins, creating memories just as their parents did.
The children all love singing and cheering with their cousins in the shed, so they really hope there will be a lot to sing and cheer about tonight
As a family, Finn Harps is the one thing we can all agree on, uniting us through the highs and lows, and we hope this passion continues for future generations. We will all look forward to breaking down and analysing tonight’s games after the final whistle. COME ON THE HARPS!
