Legendary Tony, who attended Dublin matches for decades, was synonymous with Hill 16 where he would dress up as Molly Malone and ring his bell as he cheered the team to glory
Legendary Tony, who attended Dublin matches for decades, was synonymous with Hill 16 where he would dress up as Molly Malone and ring his bell as he cheered the team to glory.
Tony passed away in September 2020 but his legend lives on, and his son Terry has since taken up the mantle and dresses up as Molly for the games.
A tribute night to Tony and celebration of 50 Years of Heffo’s Army will take place in Naomh Fionnbarra in Cabra on Friday with all welcome.
Dublin players and superfans will be in attendance on the night with food and live music from the likes of Tommy Carey and Billy Hughes.
Entrance is free but there will be fundraising on the night for the Capuchin Centre.
Terry said: “My da always looked after charity and gave to the Brother Kevin and the Capuchin Centre and we want to honour him by continuing that on. I’m keeping it going in my dad’s name. we’re not charging in but we’ll have buckets there for donations to Brother Kevin. My da always looked after them.”
He said it will be a great night for Dublin fans from all over to congregate and also celebrate the 50th anniversary of Heffo’s Army.
“We’re having a sing song and we’ll remember all the old people who passed away. We’re having a cabaret night and we’ll have some of the old supporters and a few players have said they’re coming.”
It was 50 years ago this year that Kevin Heffernan’s Dublin beat Galway in the final to secure their first Sam Maguire in 11 years. It was proclaimed at the time that the ‘Jacks are back’ and Heffo’s Army went on to great success in the following years battling it out with Kerry for supremacy.
Galway knocked Dublin out this year but went on to lose to Armagh in the final.
“Heffo’s Army all started in 1974,” Terry said. “I was hoping Dublin would get to the final this year for the 50th anniversary but Armagh brought a bit of colour to the hill this year.”
He said he had no doubt when his father passed away that he would continue on the Molly Malone legacy.
Sam Maguire cup at Tony Broughan’s grave
“I’ll be going as Molly Malone with the bell. I continued it on. I knew I was going to keep it on.
He said so many people have shared memories of his father with him since his passing.
He met former Dublin manager Jim Gavin in Finbarr’s in Cabra who had great memories of seeing Tommy as Molly Malone.
“Jim Gavin was there and he said ‘are you Molly’s son? Come and have a little chat.
“He said ‘I remember when I was a kid I used to go to the match with my father and I’d always be on the Hill and remember Molly’.
“I just thought it was great that when he was a child, he used to be on the hill. He started talking about my da and he was saying to the kids ‘When you hear the bell that’s this man’s father in heaven’.
“I thought it was nice. He told me stories I hadn’t heard about. He said how they’d look up on the hill and you’d need a few characters to get the crowd going. It was nice.”
Terry said plenty more memories will be shared on Friday.
“We’ll have great memories to share and music from Tommy Carey, Billy Hughes, Andy and Joanna from Tequila Sunrise and Brian Grace.”
The event kicks off from 6.30pm on Friday.
