‘It was an honour and privilege - I was lucky to experience covering Donegal'

Highland Radio was on air for a matter of months when Donegal won its fourth Ulster SFC with victory over Armagh, in the Ulster final of 1990, in Clones.

Two years later, when Anthony Molloy climbed the steps of the Hogan Stand to declare to the world the Sam Maguire Cup was for the Hills, Charlie Collins, Highland Radio’s commentator, had become the voice of the GAA across the northwest.

Sunday after Sunday, Charlie Collins and his co-commentator Michael McGee relayed blow by blow from very early in the life of the fledgling new station all Donegal games.

“They were great times and exciting times and the launch of Highland coincided with a golden era for Donegal football and football in the northwest, including Derry and Tyrone,” Charlie says as he looks forward to Sunday’s All-Ireland final meeting of Donegal and Kerry.

READ NEXT: Where are they now? The first Donegal panel to take Sam to the Hills in 1992

“I always say that the GAA and the coverage of its games and activities played a huge role in the success of Highland Radio and all local stations. But equally, I think Highland Radio and local radio in general were good for the GAA too. It was a two-way street.

“And proof of that is how the listeners flocked to the station in great numbers and made Highland the number one local station from very early on.

“Our coverage of the 1992 included previews and the build-up to the final. The coverage of the final on day and the homecoming on Monday night was recognised with a McNamee Award - Annually awarded by the GAA to honour excellence in the area of communications, public relations and journalism.

“1992 was special. The build-up, the level of expectation facing into the county’s first All-Ireland and going toe to toe with a fancied Dublin in the final. It is a time and a game I will never forget. I felt privileged to have the opportunity to relay the game along with my commentator Michael McGee and then with Packie Keeney on technicals to the people back home in Donegal.

“Donegal had been knocking on the door for a number of years. Highland had been with them every step of the way from 1990 and had watched them win Ulster.

“And they then gave a good Meath team and one of the top teams in the game at the time a run for their money in the All-Ireland semi-final before losing 3-9 to 1-7.”

After beating Donegal 0-14 to 1-9 in the Ulster final, Donegal stumbled past Mayo with Manus Boyle coming off the bench to kick a couple of late points to seal the win and book a place in the county's first All-Ireland final.

“Dublin went into the final highly fancied,” Charlie's adds of 1992. “But when we led by three points, 0-10 to 0-7, at half-time I began to think we could win this game. I felt Donegal had grown into the game and given the way the game was going, three points was a significant lead.

“Donegal won 0-18 to 0-14. Eighteen points was a big score back then. Manus Boyle scored nine points, in a man of the match performance Declan Bonner scored four points, Martin McHugh three and James McHugh and Tony Boyle one each.

“It was very emotional at the final whistle as Croke Park erupted and all of a sudden Croke Park was a sea of green and gold as if the whole crowd were from Donegal. Winning an All-Ireland is special, no matter how many you have won before. But the first is extra special

“I had my emotional moment when I met my father Charlie and mother Bida outside Croke Park, after the game. .

“My father was on the Donegal team defeated by Cork in the 1952 National Football League semi-final in Croke Park. And now 40 years later we were after winning a first All-Ireland. My father was emotional and could hardly believe and I was emotional too as was my mother. It was another special moment for me in what was a very emotional day.

“Of course, we had the homecoming on Monday night. Myself and Packie Keeney travelled to Sligo to meet the team as they got off the train.

“And then and Packie and I were travelling back on the bus with the team and reporting live into the Brendan Maxwell programme on the Monday night as the team crossed the Drowes river into Donegal and on into Bundoran, Ballyshannon and Donegal Town.

“It was local radio at its best as people all over the county and further afield tuned in to hear what was a big historic occasion.”

Charlie was back in the Croke Park commentary box for the 2012 All-Ireland with this time one of the heroes of 1992, Declan Bonner, alongside him on co-commentary.

“2012 was similar in many ways to 1992 in that again we had a hard core of seasoned players such as Rory Kavanagh, Colm Anthony McFadden, Christy Toye, the two McGees, Neil and Eamon, Karl Lacey along with inclusion of U-21s Michael Murphy, Mark McHugh, Paddy McGrath, Martin McElhinney,” Charlie adds.

“Jim McGuinness was the manager and they had run Dublin close in the much criticised All-Ireland semi-final the year before. The expectation was higher than in 2012 and after we hit Mayo for those couple of early goals. There was an inevitability about the outcome very early in that game and we could not wait for the final whistle.

“This win was special for the older group of players because they had gone through so many disappointments and had hit such a low with the defeat to Armagh, in Crossmaglen in 2010.
“Once again, I felt privileged and lucky to get to commentate on my own county winning and another All-Ireland. Those are memories that will live long in my memory.”