Recorded 2012, Lanzarote Writer(s) Rory Gallagher | Length Variable | |
"Jimmy's Winning Matches", originally called "Jimmy Selling Watches", is a song performed by Rory and the Island—and the anthem of Donegal's march towards the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. Considered an Internet and YouTube sensation, "Jimmy's Winning Matches" hit number one on the iTunes chart.
Contents
With the title referring to Donegal manager Jim McGuinness, the song has been compared both to the legendary sports anthem "Put 'Em Under Pressure" as well as the iconic song "Give It a Lash Jack".
Morning Ireland, normally a conservative public service programme on RTÉ Radio 1 dealing with formal issues such as politics, played the song on consecutive days after Donegal won the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. Numerous alternative versions have emerged on YouTube, including one by a "four-year old kid" and one from an "accordion-wielding band".
Video
The song is performed on a Lanzarote beach by Rory Gallagher, formerly of The Revs, and features Jimmy who's "not from Donegal, he comes from Senegal". The pair are perched against a rock upon a Donegal flag lying on the sand with the sea in the background. When Jimmy was prevented from entering Ireland due to a visa issue the hashtag #LetSenegalJimmyIn became a top trending tag on Twitter. After Donegal secured the Sam Maguire Cup, Ireland West Airport Knock—situated in the territory of beaten All-Ireland Final opposition Mayo—offered to fly Jimmy into Ireland for free.
Notable performances
The song was sung by Karl Lacey on the Croke Park pitch at the end of a post-match interview following the semi-final win over Cork. When questioned about Donegal's prospects in the final Lacey paused, glanced into the sky and sang "Jimmy's winning matches, Jimmy's winning games..." before running off down the Croke Park tunnel.
After the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final victory over Mayo, Donegal's team captain Michael Murphy completing his speech by breaking into his own version of the complete chorus, "Jimmy's winning matches. Jimmy's winning games. Jimmy's bringing Sammy back to Donegal again".
Murphy sang it again in Pettigo as the team entered Donegal territory.
At the team's homecoming in The Diamond, Donegal, a visibly hyperactive Mark McHugh duetted with a delighted Rory Gallagher on stage as the rest of the team watched on.
At the Letterkenny homecoming on 25 September 2012, Rory Gallagher finished the night with a rousing rendition of "Jimmy's Winning Matches".
Following the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, winning Kilkenny captain Eoin Larkin sang his own version of "Cody's Winning Matches", referring to manager Brian Cody.
Notable fans
The song has met with the approval both of crooner Daniel O'Donnell and Irish international soccer goalkeeper Shay Given, two of Donegal's most famous international exports.
When Donegal won the All-Ireland Final, Scotland issued the following statement which quoted the song, "The Parliament congratulates County Donegal on winning the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, defeating what it considers was an impressive County Mayo team by 2–11 to 0–13 in front of a crowd of 82,000 at Croke Park in Dublin; congratulates coach Jim McGuinness and staff on ending a 20-year wait to take the Sam Maguire trophy back to the county, and notes that Jimmy is indeed "winning matches and bringing Sam back to Donegal again."
Legacy
Rory Gallagher, who wrote the song, is a bit mental.
I was playing four-hour gigs to drunken tourists and I just wasn't getting anything out of it. I was broke, playing horrible cover songs, drinking cheap booze and downing uppers. I just knew it couldn't go on.
Senegal Jimmy has been the victim of imposters who pose for photographs with unsuspecting tourists.
The title of the song was alluded to in the documentary Jimmy's Winnin Matches, first aired on RTÉ One on Thursday, 3 January 2013 at 9.35 pm, concerning Donegal's Championship success. It is also continuously referenced in headlines, whether the team win or lose.