Johnny Watterson: A photo of my Dad playing in Croke Park in 1946

This piece is a deeply personal reflection, sparked by the rediscovery of a cherished photograph. The image, showing the author's father, George 'Geordy' Watterson, playing Gaelic football for Antrim in 1946, serves as a portal to a bygone era. It's more than just a snapshot; it's a tangible link to a period when Antrim football achieved a notable victory in the Ulster Senior Football Championship, a feat not seen since 1913.

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That makes some sense as Antrim that year beat Cavan in the Ulster Senior Football Championship final and would go on to be beaten by Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final in August.

The author uses the photograph as a springboard to explore memories and family history. He recalls his mother's recollections of his father's shop on the Falls Road in West Belfast, a hub where teammates and friends gathered. The contrast between the camaraderie of that time and the subsequent arrival of the British army in Belfast, with soldiers setting up 'sangers' (bunkers) outside the shop, paints a poignant picture of the shifting social and political landscape.

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My dad, who captained the team, ran a small shop on the Falls Road in west Belfast and players of the era such as Kevin Armstrong, Harry O’Neill and Sean Gibson were regular visitors.

There's a palpable sense of nostalgia and a quiet contemplation of how life might have been different. The author wonders if his father, a county footballer, would have been caught up in the internment that followed in 1971. The article tenderly bridges the gap between a moment of sporting pride in 1946 and the turbulent years that would later define Belfast. It's a powerful reminder of personal histories intertwined with broader societal changes, viewed through the lens of a single, evocative image.

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Dad was a gentle man and would not have enjoyed guns at the door, even less when the soldiers ripped up the Falls two years later in August 1971 after internment was introduced.