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'I thought it would make the team special' - a papal blessing with a difference

Ashleigh SwanBBC News NI
News imageVatican Media photo Pope Leo on the left shaking hands with Eoghan, a boy Auburn hair, wearing a Tyrone gaelic football jersey. Vatican Media photo
Eoghan said he hoped the Pope seeing the jersey would help Tyrone to win an All-Ireland football title

Wearing a special jersey on the day of the big game, sitting in the exact same seat match after match, or maybe donning some lucky underpants.

These are just some of the rituals sports fans believe can help their team win.

But 10-year-old Eoghan decided it was time to step up his fan game.

For him, the best chance to ensure success would be to wear his Tyrone GAA colours while meeting Pope Leo XIV.

"I was wearing the jersey because I thought it would make Tyrone special."

Eoghan, along with his older sister Áine and mum Edel Quinn, met the Pope in August after a friend arranged tickets to one of his weekly public audiences.

Áine says they did not realise how close they were going to be to the pontiff until they arrived at St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.

"They led us up to the very front, we were gobsmacked."

The Castlederg family were even more surprised when they found out they would have a chance to chat with Pope Leo.

Eoghan says he shook his hand first, then Áine's and then their mum's.

"He was looking at the jersey wondering where it was from."

Áine says the Pope then acknowledged how far they had travelled.

News imageÁine Hanna Inside St. Peter's Basilica. The picture features the Swiss Guards, they are wearing yellow and blue stripped uniforms. Behind them is a large crowd of people in front of them. Áine Hanna
The Pope holds public audiences every Wednesday in Vatican City

Eoghan thinks the Pope may have recognised the jersey, as this was not the first time he came into contact with one.

In November 2025, Aidan Gallagher tossed a Tyrone jersey with 'Leo 14' written on the back of it to the pontiff outside the Vatican.

And the Tyrone connection did not stop once the meeting was over.

After receiving a blessing from the Pope and rosary beads from one of the guards, Áine says they were escorted down an aisle where hundreds of people were watching them from behind barricades.

From out of nowhere, someone in the crowd shouted "up Tyrone!".

"I could not believe it walking down seeing all those different faces and then someone says up Tyrone."

News imageVatican Media photo Pope Leo wearing all white is shaking hands with Eoghan and Áine's mum, Edel. She is wearing a pink flowery top and has long fair hair. The pope is looking at her and smiling. Vatican Media photo
Áine and Eoghan's mum Edel meeting the Pope

Besides the excitement of meeting the Pope, it was also an emotional day for the siblings, as Edel has Multiple Sclerosis

"Our faith is important to us, we always went to mass every Saturday or Sunday and my mum has MS, so the trip was very special for her," says Áine.

The family still cannot not believe it really happened.

Eoghan says his friends have all been asking him: "How do you shake hands with the Pope?"

While Áine says people have grabbing the hand the pontiff shook: "Being just two ordinary people from Castlederg, sitting inches from the Pope and meeting him, it was surreal."