‘There’s music every Thursday, and has been for years’ – City club with that tight-knit country vibe

Na Fianna are preparing for their first Dublin senior football final in 17 years but for Alistair Fitzgerald, it actually feels like he's been waiting his whole life for this day.

Sunday can't come quick enough. Born in '96, Fitzgerald was perhaps too young to vividly remember the glory days, when, between '99 and '01, Na Fianna won three Dublin senior football titles in a row, but it's funny the things that stick with you. And why does the bad often outweigh the good? His childhood heroes, from Jayo to Geezer to Dessie to Seno were all playing that day in '01, when Na Fianna were stunned by Rathnew in the Leinster final and even though he was only a gossun, Fitzgerald still remembers the heartbreak. "I remember tears coming out of my eyes, and being supported by my mam," he recalls. Na Fianna haven't played a Leinster championship game since. But as the team's captain, and even though it's all eyes on Kilmacud Crokes for now, he'll be hoping to lead them into a provincial campaign very soon. "Even being four, five, six years old [when Na Fianna last won Dublin titles], I have the memories of being back in the club after games, meeting players like Geezer, and Dessie, and Jayo - club icons, national icons. "The likes of Senan Connell, Steo McGlinchey, Tommo Lynch, all these lads are huge supporters. They're not directly involved with the team this year, but have been in the past. The likes of Dan McGowan.  "They are always around. Seno will chat about anything. If you gave him the opportunity, he'd be in there chatting. You'd see them after games, see them in the bar. They are always giving words of wisdom - sometimes a lot of words of wisdom! "That's great, it ties back in with seeing those lads when you're younger, and looking up to those lads. Those boys are still a huge part of the community and the team now," adds Fitzgerald. "You always think back to those days when you're in the nursery, coming up through the ages, or even at senior level. "That was always the Na Fianna team that you want to be like - you wanted to have something like that for your own team, for yourself. You think back on their stories, and hope that in 20 years time, that there will be somebody else sitting up here talking about our team." It's easy to see why Fitzgerald, who made minor and under-21 Dublin panels, is the captain of this team. He admits that, being a Dublin club, having so many members and so many teams, it can be hard to foster a community spirit but that's why he's so proud of what they have. The hurlers have also made it to the county senior final, as have the camogie team and Fitzgerald says that, in Na Fianna, they're all as tight as could be. [caption id="attachment_274239" align="alignnone" width="1000"] 26 September 2021; Alistair Fitzgerald of Na Fianna in action against Conal Keaney of Ballyboden St Enda's during the Go Ahead Dublin Senior Club Football Championship Group 1 match between Ballyboden St Endas and Na Fianna at Parnell Park in Dublin. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile[/caption] But for now, it's all about themselves. It's tunnel-vision and, for many of them, it's one of the biggest days of their lives.