Swatragh full of pride as Jude McAtamney makes historic NFL debut

It was a loss for the New York Giants - but a win for the village of Swatragh in Co Londonderry - as former Gaelic footballer Jude McAtamney made his historic NFL debut.

The 24-year-old became the first Irish-born placekicker to feature in a regular season NFL game since 1985 when he was introduced late into the second quarter of Sunday's match against Washington Commanders.

And while the New York Giants were beaten 27-22, McAtamney landed both of his kicks in front of more than 80,000 spectators at the the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The news has put the quiet village of Swatragh onto the international stage.

"It was very surreal," Michael O'Kane from Michael Davitt's GAC in Swatragh told UTV.

"A lot of people watch the NFL every week and to have one of our own doing so well last night for the New York Giants, it's surreal - but it's also not unexpected.

"Jude would often have been up here practising from whenever he was 12 or 13 years of age, he was doing over 45m kicks, which is a big distance for a boy that age.

"And he's been practising ever since - he represented ourselves, St Pat's Maghera, Derry under-20s, and he would have had a big future in Gaelic football.

"But again, his talent showed that he was capable of playing anywhere, and NFL is one of the biggest sports in the world and to have a Swatragh man playing at that level is unbelievable for everybody."

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