Jimmy’s Winning Matches star hits visa problem

It might be the GAA song of the summer but one of the stars of 'Jimmy’s Winning Matches', Jimmy from Senegal, won’t be in Ireland to perform the song this week.

We have seen and heard countless songs during this summer’s GAA Championship but 'Jimmy’s Winning Matches' is still the one to beat. Performed by former Revs frontman Rory Gallagher and his sidekick from Senegal known as Jimmy on a beach in Lanzarote, the song in praise of Donegal GAA went from internet sensation to number one on iTunes.

As you might imagine Gallagher, a Donegal native, is back in Ireland this week to perform in the build-up and he is even booked to play at Donegal’s post-match dinner, so long as Jimmy McGuinness does indeed keep 'winning matches’.

But Gallagher will be performing solo as his sidekick in the now very famous video won’t be travelling here due to visa issues.

“After lengthy discussions with Pat the Cope, unfortunately with the time frame being too short it was not possible to obtain a visa in time for Senegal Jimmy to come to Ireland next week,” Gallagher said in the Irish Examiner.

“Jimmy flew to Madrid to the Embassy of Senegal in hope of being able to do the paperwork from there but was advised he has to return to Senegal to obtain the visa required. Jimmy hopes to get to Donegal by mid-October and hopefully the celebration might be still going!

“I am totally gutted but would like to thank Pat the Cope for all the effort and everything would have been fine on the Irish side but unfortunately red tape wins again! I hope everybody will scream Jimmy's reply lines at the gigs next week, but I still say we should sneak him on a fishing boat into Killybegs under a blanket!”

Aside from the covert operation to bring Jimmy in via boat, the hashtag #LetSenegalJimmyIn is the top trending item on Twitter in Ireland right now. Let’s just say the campaign to ensure 'Jimmy’s Winning Matches' gets the full treatment this week is well under.

Watch this space, Senegal Jimmy could be on Up For The Match yet…