Sligo’s Number One Fan Niall Is At The Heart Of Every Match Day
Niall O'Driscoll was beaming with delight as Sligo held onto their Division 2B status thanks to a 12-8 home win over UL Bohemian earlier this month ©Sligo Rugby
Every club has its heartbeat, that one person who embodies its spirit, lifts its energy, and makes everyone feel at home. At Sligo Rugby Club, that person is Niall O’Driscoll.
For the past 14 years, Niall has been more than just a supporter. He is the team mascot, the matchday motivator, and affectionately the ‘unofficial’ club President.
At just 22-years-old, his love and passion for Sligo Rugby shines through in everything he does. Whether it is leading the team out onto the pitch or chatting with match officials and fans, Niall brings unmatched joy and enthusiasm to the club and its community.
Niall, who has Down Syndrome, has never let anything hold him back. A lover of all things sport, he plays a variety of mixed ability sports, including soccer with Sligo Rovers, basketball with the Sligo All Stars, and is a familiar face at Special Olympics events.
He even braves the chilly waters of Rosses Point for a sea swim at weekends. But it is rugby that holds a special place in his heart.
“I look forward to it during the week leading up to a game,” Niall says with a smile. “The excitement of meeting people is great. I love meeting the players, the referee and the officials, and the Presidents of the opposition teams.
“I always lead the team out, and I always cheer with the supporters in the stand to make a bit of noise. Friendships are a big thing. I know all the players in the team, and I know everyone across the club. I finish up a match day at home between six and seven.”
Match days are a full-day affair for Niall, starting early and often finishing in the evening. He suits up for pre-match functions, this year being especially significant with his father Fineen (pictured above and below with him) serving as Sligo’s club President, before changing into his matchday attire to lead the team out.
It has been that way since Niall was a child. He has been there both home and away with Sligo, as a vital member of the club’s travelling support on the ‘Magic Bus’. His pre-match routine has become part of the rhythm of the club.
“On a match day, I get changed to go for the pre-match lunch. We have lunch before the game, meet the President of the opposition.
“I’ll say thanks to the President for coming to the lunch, and I’m delighted to welcome the President and his team to come to the club. Myself and Dad give them a present of a bottle of wine and we get one back. I can’t (sneak a bottle for myself!).
“I always change into my gear when we get to the pitch. I have been leading the team out since I was eight or nine. I have missed a couple of games, but I am at nearly every game home and away.
“I parade near the stand to make sure supporters cheer on the team, and sometimes I give out to supporters if they say bad things, and some of them do say bad things often. My favourite memory is being the mascot, and I do like lifting the cups as well!”
Niall’s love of rugby began even before he could walk. His grandfather, Liam Molloy, was a well-known journalist in Ballina and a former President of the Ballina Rugby Club. Liam was also a referee, and that taste of rugby saw Niall going to matches from a young age. Those early experiences clearly left a lasting impression.
The 2024/25 season was a tense one for Sligo. A hard-fought 12-8 victory over UL Bohemian on the final day of the campaign secured their place in Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 2B for another year.
With Galwegians also doing their part to help the Strandhill-based side avoid the relegation play-offs, Sligo could breathe a sigh of relief. Their mascot and biggest supporter was right there in the thick of the celebrations.
In fact, Niall’s journey from spectator to mascot started with a bit of a vanishing act, as dad Fineen fondly recalls. “It all started with him leading the team out,” he explained.
“He actually used to join the huddle when he was smaller at half-time on the pitch. He just disappeared on me one day and arrived out in the middle of the huddle and this big arm came out and put it around him. And he was doing that for years.”
It is not just on the field where Niall leaves his mark. Off it, he is an integral part of club life, even leading the post-match sing-songs in the changing room when the team wins.
Now involved in post-match presentations, raffle draws, and club events, Niall’s contribution goes beyond matchday rituals. If there is a player-of-the-match award to hand out or a club tie to be presented, he is the man for the job.
As for the players, coaches, and supporters, they would not have it any other way. Niall’s infectious energy, quick wit, and genuine love for the game make him one of the most cherished figures at Hamilton Park.
Whether he is shaking hands with visiting club officials, leading the team onto the field, or telling a few cheeky supporters to watch their language, Niall O’Driscoll represents the very best of what club rugby is all about – community, connection, and passion.
With another season in Division 2B to look forward to come September, Sligo, who recently completed their second successive Connacht Senior League and Cup double, will be back on the road again in the coming months.
Niall will be just one of the loyal Sligo supporters following the outcome of the promotion/relegation play-offs, which take place tomorrow and on Saturday week, to find out the destinations to be confirmed for next season’s ‘Magic Bus’ road trips.
Leading them every step of the way, from the pre-match lunch to the final whistle, will be the young man who has been doing it for over a decade. Mascot, motivator, master of ceremonies and, most definitely, Sligo’s unofficial President. Fineen speaks with great pride about his son’s love of the club.
“I think Niall’s personality, he just went around to people and his personality kind of integrated himself into the club. And he just moved himself into all the little groups and everything, it just became the norm.
“Niall’s personality is very outgoing. He’s very, very chatty and social. Everybody just took to him, and he took to everybody in the club.
“He’s part and parcel of the club now. He’s as everybody says – he’s more the unofficial President or official President than I am! It’s been great for the last 14, 15 years and if they win, he’s in the changing rooms afterwards leading the sing-song.
“He’s also involved in the presentations now on match day. If we have to give club ties and stuff like that after the matches, or if we have a raffle or if we have awards to get player-the-match, and all that,” he added.
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