A local business owner says Ulster Final day's in Clones are a huge economic driver for the area.
Ciaran Morgan from Lipton's of Clones says some businesses can achieve one month's trade in one day on Ulster Final day.
The 137th Ulster Senior Football Championship Final takes place tomorrow evening in Clones. Armagh take on Donegal at St. Tiernach's Park in the town at 5.25pm to a full 29,000 capacity, with thousands of people expected to be on the streets of the town also.
Monaghan County Council in partnership with Clones Town Team and Clones St. Tiernach's GAA Club are hosting pre-match entertainment on Ulster Final Day, commencing at 2pm and running until 4.30pm.
A family friendly zone will be located in Barry McGuigan Park with local artists in attendance along with a large screen in the park that will showcase the big game. The proprietor of Lipton's in the town says the big game tomorrow is of huge economic benefit for the wider Clones area. He believes the question of will Clones continue to host the annual event should not be up for debate.
“We are used to speculation, we have speculation every single year, Munster, know they're going to have their final in Munster next year, we don’t.
“It's crazy every year that the location is being questioned all the time. But economically for businesses, you will see that some businesses will do their whole one month's trade in one day, and other businesses tomorrow pays the rates for the year for them, it really is so significant to Clones. Is so significant to the businesses of the town, to be honest, it keeps a lot propped up as well.”
Cathaoirleach of Ballybay/Clones Municipal District, Richard Truell says the Ulster Final is the pilgrimage for GAA fans and It's a wonderful showcase, “If you stand on top of Fermanagh Street, where we're standing here at the moment, in the Diamond, you look down from Fermanagh Street, all you see is a sea of colour, and that's Donegal and Armagh colours along with the likes of Cavan and Monaghan colours too.
“Everybody will be here wearing their jersey of their home county, and it's just a spectacle that you can't imagine anywhere else, and you just have to be here to witness it, because it is a great spectacle.
“This is the holy grail of Ulster football, it’s the pilgrimage of Ulster and the Ulster finals should be kept here. And as I keep saying, it's the home of Ulster football.”
Meanwhile, local man Frankie Reavey says Clones will always be the real home of the Ulster Final. "A couple hours after the game, you wouldn't know there was a game in Clones. The county council do a fantastic job, but I remember living in Chicago for a number of years, a lot of guys used to give out about getting in and out of Clones.
"My point to the lads was, when you get to Clones it is for a big game, you're either in an Ulster semi-final or an Ulster final. So you can't complain. You've been there. You fought hard to get here. So when you get here, getting home on the losing side, yeah, it's not going to be good journey home, but the winning team, they'll stay on.
"There is really going to be a great buzz in the town, it is an absolute great benefit to our wee town of Clones and of course for County Monaghan."
Eamon McCaughey from Matthews of Clones said a wonderful day lies ahead for the many thousands that visit Clones this weekend. “It’s a great event, and Frankie was talking about the traffic there, that’s all changed, the busses are actually parking on the Diamond, and there's a good traffic management plan in operation by the Gardai and the local authority.
