They’ve been behind Galway GAA on all fronts for decades, sponsoring the county teams before sponsorship was even officially an option – so it was fitting that the organisation’s President should mark that support in style last weekend.

GAA President Jarlath Burns was in Galway as Pearse Stadium officially unveiled its new floodlights before the footballers gained some measure of revenge against All-Ireland champions Armagh – and he used his visit to Galway to acknowledge the longstanding commitment of Pat and Una McDonagh to the Galway cause.

Because it was back in 1990 that Pat McDonagh, together with his wife Una, began sponsoring Galway GAA, marking the start of one of the longest relationships in modern sponsorships.

This year represents 35 years of Supermac’s sponsoring Galway GAA – but Pat and Una actually began sponsoring Galway hurling a few years earlier than that, when the late Phelim Murphy asked several businesses in Galway if they could give some assistance even though, at that time, he wasn’t able to offer them their logo on the jersey as the GAA only allowed that from 1991 on.

So, the McDonagh’s have been involved since the very start.

Some of the milestones along the way were when Supermac’s began sponsoring Galway football as well in 2013 when then chairman, Noel Tracey coined the phrase one crest, one jersey and one sponsor!

While there were many underage successes throughout those years, the holy grail of an All-Ireland senior title was achieved when Micheál Donoghue led the senior hurlers to Galway hurlers’ first All-Ireland since 1989.

Pat and Una are not only sponsors but they are huge supporters as well and you will find one or both at Galway, Kiliomardaly and – in Una’s case – Cappataggle games.

They also sponsor hundreds of clubs and teams throughout the country – and it is fair to say that, when games are being played throughout the country, there is at least one team somewhere wearing a Supermac’s jersey.

Pictured: Pat and Una McDonagh being presented with a piece of crystal by GAA President Jarlath Burns in Pearse Stadium on Saturday evening in recognition of the couple’s 35 years sponsoring Galway GAA.