A bunch of the lads from Gowlnacalley were whoopin' it up in the Ma Molloy saloon … recalls An Fear Rua …

Well, not really whoopin' it up, more like welcoming in the New Year and looking back in wonder on the highs and lows of the past year in Gaelic Games… And - with all due respect to the accomplished Canadian rhymer Robert Service and his 'Songs of a Sourdough' - not even a couple of 'laarghe' bottles of Phoenix Ale could transform the buxom charms of Ma Molloy into 'The Lady that's known as Lou'…

The Ugly:

The Millennium Hurling Team selectors' incomprehensible decision to omit the Bould DJ Carey Himself.

The GPA / Marlborough deal … bad for the GPA and for Marlborough … an amazing, though not too surprising, double 'whammy' from Dónal O'Neill.

Waterford's Tony Browne discovering more use for his mouth than for his hurley in the year 2000.

The Clare County Board's decision to drop Pat O'Donnell and Martin Donnelly as sponsors of the county teams and replace them with Eircell.

The discourtesy shown to the visiting Scotland shinty team by the Croke Park authorities.

The Ireland team's performance against Australia in the International Rules series.

Galway's sacking of Mattie Murphy… After all, he'd only led them to a League title and a defeat of Tipp in the championship. Now, if Gerald McCarthy had done that, they'd have given him the freedom of the City of Waaaaaterrfurrd and a lifetime's supply of 'laaarghe' bottles …

The death of the Oireachtas tournament.

The scoreboard cracking up at Croke Park during the All Ireland senior hurling quarterfinals.

Now for something really ugly … Australia's Jason Akermanis …

The Bad:

Derek Savage's selfish failure to pass the ball to a screaming Padraig Joyce in the dying moments of the drawn senior football All Ireland. One touch, and the Sam Maguire would now be resting West of the Shannon.

Dublin's failure to put away Kildare in the second half of the Leinster senior football final and the half time dressing room row that was … or wasn't … depending on who you talk to …

Waterford's Ken McGrath doing in his ankle in the Munster championship game against Tipp, an injury that had a profound effect on the destination of the Liam McCarthy Cup in 2000.

Gary Kirby's decision to retire. Limerick could have treated him more honourably and he is a great loss to the game.

Mount Sion's appalling performance against Sixmilebridge in the AIB Munster Club hurling final.

Ger Loughnane's decision to step down as Clare manager. Ní bheidh a leithéid ann arís …

Pat Fleury's decision to step down as Offaly manager. He did nothing wrong and deserved another year.

Jimmy Barry-Murphy's enigmatic decision to step down as Cork manager.

Páidí Ó Sé's ridiculous substitutions in the drawn final against Galway which almost cost the Kingdom the match.

The Good:

Tommy Dunne of Toomevara and Tipperary … his astonishingly skilful goals against Cork in the Munster senior hurling final

Meath County Board's decision to appoint Martin Donnelly as sponsor of their rising hurling team. (See 'The Ugly' above).

Kildare's amazing second half recovery against Dublin in the Leinster senior football final. (See 'The Bad' above).

Declan Meehan's superlative All Ireland goal against Kerry.

Every breath DJ Carey drew in 2000, off the field as well as on it. We are privileged to be living in the same times as him. (See 'The Ugly' above).

Longford winning the O'Byrne Cup

Cian Murphy and Mike McNamara's great account of the Clare revival - 'To Hell and Back' and the parties that went with it.

The uncompromising Dunshaughlin v Rathnew saga in the Leinster Club championship with the better team finally coming through.

The Kerry v Armagh senior football semi-final replays … especially Maurice Fitzgerald's goal.

Limerick Under - 21's multiplied by two … The U-21 hurlers for their groundbreaking All Ireland success … the U-21 footballers for their exhilarating passage to meet Tyrone in the All Ireland final.

Waterford's defeat of Kilkenny at Nowlan Park in the NHL on 26 March 2000. The only team to have dented 'The Cats' triumphal progress in 2000.

Ollie Murphy's goal for Meath against Kerry in the NFL semi-final.

Offaly's minor and U-21 successes in Leinster.

Brian Cody

Crossmaglen - for their three-in-a-row Club Championship victories and for maintaining a great club in such adverse circumstances.

Tipp's camogie team for their stellar success against Cork in their senior final.

Antrim ending an eighteen-year long famine by beating Down in the Ulster senior football championship.

Well, thankfully, as always in matters of the GAA, 'The Good' outweighs 'The Bad' and 'The Ugly' and long after the bad and bitter memories have gone, the good ones will remain.

Now, we look forward to what the year 2001 will bring.

For now, the slate has been wiped clean. In terms of the record books for this year, the hurlers of Leitrim today stand on a par with Kilkenny … the footballers of the great metropolis of London stand equal to Kerry… At this time of the year, anyone can aspire to winning their championship. It all lies in the mystical power and mystery of these wonderful Gaelic games of ours. By the end of the year, we will know the answers to these perennial questions once again. And names that today are unknowns, by the end of the year, will be stars in the GAA firmament …

For the players and mentors involved, these will be monumental mountains to climb. For us the fans, it will be a privilege just to observe …