Chrissy McKaigue is an influential player for Slaughtneil.
**By Cian O'Connell **
Slaughtneil’s thrilling adventure is about stories and accumulating silverware so Sunday’s AIB All Ireland Camogie triumph matters deeply.
Chrissy McKaigue, busy preparing for the St Patrick's Day Gaelic Football showpiece against Dr Crokes, was at Croke Park just under 24 hours following the Camogie win, and the versatile Derry dual star enjoyed the experience.
“The girls won yesterday, being down watching them, seeing what it takes is massive too because what they went through yesterday, physically and mentally was just inspiring,” McKaigue says.
“They have definitely shown everybody the way in Slaughtneil, they are the first team to win an All Ireland title in our club.”
A large Slaughtneil crowd witnessed the success over Sarsfields. “There wasn't one person from Slaughtneil who wasn't there yesterday,” McKaigue remarks about their spirit.
“Our club is fantastic at supporting our footballers, hurlers, and camogie players: all the same. Everybody goes to watch, no matter what code.
“The support is fantastic, our supporters are unbelievable. That is the way Slaughtneil is, GAA comes first in Slaughtneil, it doesn't matter what code it is, which is good. It is good to see because the girls deserve every bit as much support as our footballers and hurlers.”
McKaigue is keeping an open mind too about the new All Ireland Football Championship proposals which were passed at GAA Congress last week. “You have to, we have no choice, it is in for three years now,” McKaigue admits.
“We just have to see what happens. One thing I will say about Paraic Duffy is that he is an unbelievably intelligent man. He is a tremendous leader. The best leaders have to make tough choices, whether they have to go against the crowd or whatever.
“He has made the choice, he has been backed, it has been voted in, we just have to see. Sometimes in the GAA world we can be overly pessimistic anyway.
“Sometimes you just have to take it with a pinch of salt, to see what happens. As a player you have enough to worry about on your own without worrying too much about what happens at an administrative level.”
