By Kieran Lynch

THE GAA’s history has family written all over it. Kerry have the O’Ses and the Spillanes. For Dublin it’s the Brogans. In Donegal it’s all about the McHughs. Just last weekend, the core of Kilcoo’s All-Ireland triumph was made up of just two families: with the Branagans and the Johnstons taking centre stage.

Armagh, of course, are another county whose history has been written by footballing families. The Kernans, the McNultys, the O’Rourkes and so on. Even many of Armagh’s current stars come from great stock with Rian and Oisin O’Neill being nephews of the legendary Oisin McConville, and Jarly Óg Burns’ father, Jarlath, being an ex-captain of the Orchard county.

However, another family has been emerging in Armagh now for some time, and with four siblings representing their county in 2022: Connaire, Aimee, Bláithín and Ciaran, we’ll be hearing a lot about the Mackins in the coming years.

BIG AMBITIONS

Aimee was the first of the Mackins to debut, beginning her inter-county career in 2016, and the 2020 Footballer of the Year has been in the spotlight for some time. Her sister Bláithín, a 2020 All-Star, and brother Connaire, a regular starter in Kieran McGeeney’s side over the last five years, are also no strangers to being in the public eye.

It was only in January, when 22-year-old Ciaran became the fourth of the Mackin’s to represent Armagh, that the Camlough-based clan had new-found attention in the media, with many hailing them as the new number one family in the GAA.

“I think some of us saw that stuff on social media, and it’s obviously nice to read about but it’s not something we look too much into,” said Aimee, of the acclaim.

“We all live busy lives so it’s not something we can get caught up in too much. But it’s great to have four of us in the house all playing for Armagh and representing our county. It’s probably something that we all thought that we would love to do when we were younger, so for us all to achieve that, it’s definitely something special.”

For the quartet, who represent Shane O’Neill’s, playing for Armagh has been a lifetime ambition, as they all have been fanatical about the Orchard county since they were children.

“Yeah definitely,” said Connaire on whether they always had ambitions to play county football.

“When we were younger, we were brought all around the country following Armagh, even in the league games. Wexford, Kerry, everywhere.”

“For us, obviously we would have followed the men’s teams,” said Bláithín.

“Then the girls team got to an All-Ireland final (in 2006) and the club took us to Croke Park to see them and that plays a big part in it too because Armagh had decent teams when we were younger. You were looking at those teams and thinking that you would love to do that, so it probably always has been the case that we wanted to play for Armagh.”

“I don’t think Mum and Dad thought that there would have been four us playing though at the same time,” laughed Aimee.

The aforementioned mum and dad, Freda and Mickey, played a huge role in helping their kids achieve their dreams.

“Every weekend would have been a football weekend when we were younger and it still is now,” said Aimee.

“They took us to all of our training sessions and matches, and probably without them we wouldn’t have stuck at it.

“After the 2002 final (Armagh v Kerry), dad and Connaire were down at the club recreating the winning goal – so when your parents are heavily involved, it’s sort of
natural that you grow to love it yourself.”

HEALTHY COMPETITION

With four fiercely competitive siblings under one roof, the Mackins feed off of one another’s high standards in order to maximise their efforts.

“In training, me and Connaire are always pushing each other on and I’m sure it’s the same for the girls,” said Ciaran.

“Me and Aimee are always pushing each other on,” agreed Bláithín.

“We do gym sessions together and our group training together, so there is competition in a good way. In the lockdowns, we probably noticed it more, because we had no other choice. We were training together and encouraging each other to come out for runs and stuff like that.

“You don’t know how well you would have done without having someone to push you on, so there is a wee bit of competition, but it’s healthy competition.”

The performances the four are now turning in for Armagh were forged when, as children, they had highly competitive battles in the family garden.

“Years ago, there was probably more competition when we had the garden football competitions – playing boys against girls,” laughed Aimee.

“There were a few scraps, because the boys used to get thick when me and Bláithín would beat them!”

One big advantage to the siblings playing together with each other for years which has translated over to playing for their county, is the understanding they have built-up, which makes it easier for them on the field.

“You know everything about them, and what they do, so it’s second nature playing with them,” said Connaire.

“We’ve been playing together so long that you’re really used to it,” added Bláithín.

“It’s the same with most club players, and obviously even more so when it’s your sibling because you talk about it a wee bit more, so you know exactly what type of ball they want. But it’s the exact same with all club players, because you have been playing with them so long, you know more about them.”

STAR FORWARD….Aimee Mackin was crowned the TG4 2020 Player of the Year

“I know for our circumstances, in terms of me and Bláithín’s positions on the field, a lot of the time she’ll be out the field and find me with a kick pass in,” said Aimee.

“But you don’t even have to shout for it, it’s just a case of her looking up and she sort of knows where I’m going to be running, and understands what positions I like to get into, to get on the ball.”

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

The youngest of the siblings, Ciaran, has made a dream start to 2022, and after getting a lot of game-time in the Dr McKenna Cup, he was trusted to make his league debut against Dublin in the first round, and he described why the night was so special to him.

“Playing in Croke Park was always a dream and especially playing with my brother was massive,” said Ciaran.

“It was so nice to see my family there, and my girlfriend and all of her family down, my close friends from the club down showing support. It was such a great day to remember, and to top it off with a win was all the better.”

Asked had he any nerves, he said that once the whistle blows, it’s important to treat every game with the same level of respect.

“Obviously playing in Croke Park was massive,” he said.

“I was maybe a bit nervy coming out on the field, but once the ball is thrown in, you just treat it like it’s any other game that you play. You just have to work hard and be focused and tuned in.”

Ciaran played a big role in Armagh’s 2-15 to 1-13 victory and after the game, his manager Kieran McGeeney mentioned him as one of the standout performers.

“It’s nice to get recognised like that, and hear what Kieran said, but it’s the team I think, and how well we performed, which is what matters,” said Ciaran discussing their victories over Dublin and Tyrone.

“Getting those points on the board in those two big games – against two of the best teams in Ireland, was massive, but it’s all about the team.”

Ciaran’s older brother Connaire also weighed in on that memorable win in Croke Park, and he detailed how fantastic it was to be one of four Camlough men who played on the night.

“Playing against Dublin would be my favourite moment in an Armagh jersey,” said Connaire.

“Playing with Ciaran, and Greg [McCabe] and Blaine [Hughes] and all, seeing all of the family being there and having all of the support from Shane’s was good to see – that made it special.”

WHAT WILL 2022 HOLD?

In 2022, all four of the family members will aim for success as the respective teams look to build on promising 2021s.

Last year was an important one for the Armagh ladies as they claimed the Ulster title with a memorable win over Donegal, in a game both sisters describe as their best moment in their county careers.

“My best moment in an Armagh jersey would be last year’s Ulster Final against Donegal,” said
Bláithín.

“It was quite significant for us, because it was the second Ulster I had won with Armagh, but the year before we had beaten Monaghan in the final, and Donegal didn’t enter that year because of Covid. Obviously, we were delighted that year, but it didn’t feel like you had fully won it because the reigning champions weren’t in it.

“So last year we beat Donegal in the Ulster final and we knew they were a great team. So, to finally overcome that, because they had tanked us in the two Ulster finals before that, it was a significant win for us.”

“Probably going into it, a lot of people didn’t see us as favourites,” added Aimee.

“It was nice to win it, with all of the counties participating in it. The last ten minutes of the final were nip and tuck, so to win it by a point was great.”

As for the ambitions in 2022, none of the siblings were getting too far ahead of themselves and stressed the importance of taking things one game at a time.

“For us, it’s the same every year, you don’t look too far ahead,” said Aimee.

“Everyone in the league will be looking to get out of Division Two, so it makes it that bit more competitive.”

“Every year, you’re just looking to improve on what you did last year, so it’s just about performance and consistency,” said Bláithín.

With regards to the men’s team, 2022 could hardly have started better, as they have claimed wins over Dublin and Tyrone in their first two league outings, but Ciaran affirmed that nobody is getting carried away just yet.

“We’re just taking it week by week and game by game, you can never get too far ahead of yourselves. The game this week is Monaghan and that’s all we’re focusing on.”