BIRD’S EYE VIEW (OCTOBER 1986)

When Armagh beat Kerry in the All Ireland Gaelic Football Final in 2002, the defeated manager was asked how they’d lost. He told a reporter Armagh hadn’t beat them — thirty years of helicopters had beat them. I knew what he meant. Crossmaglen Rangers’ pitch was at the centre of a long-running controversy, because the British army occupied part of the ground. As I covered this match the chopper went straight up and right over the pitch. The players didn’t seem to notice.