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Damien Edgar

"I love my city like everybody else" - Derry man on travelling thousands of kilometres for FAI Cup Final

Kevin Delaney is a man on a mission and that mission is to watch his beloved Derry City in the FAI Cup Final in Dublin on Sunday.

So far, so so - until you realise that he's driving thousands of kilometres from Granada in the south of Spain to be there.

The lifelong fan may have lived in different parts of the world for the past 15 years, but he says the pull of his club is hard to resist.

Read more: Derry City boss seeking Damien Duff scalp rather than his autograph this time

"As a child I loved all things Derry City FC, my uncle Paddy and Hugh were die hard fans and they used to take me too the games as a child, as did my dad," he said.

"My neighbours where I lived in Foylesprings, the Raineys took me too games also, they were fanatic Derry fans and got me to apply to be a Derry mascot for a game.

"I won the chance to be a mascot and ran onto the Brandywell as a child with captain Stuart Gauld leading me out with the team behind me, it was a memory and feeling I never forgotten, imprinted in my brain and heart with pride."

He said those core memories he had made at an early age were something he has never been able to shake, nor would he want to.

"In Derry during The Troubles we had great pride in Derry City FC, as a child I remember the excitement of going to the games in the Brandywell, the release, the positive vibes of getting your head away from the bad news stories in the press and on the news of your home," he said.

"There was a certain feeling of walking down the streets of the Brandywell at the time.

"I have never forgotten those feelings and that connection to my city, my friendships and experiences which I share with my home, albeit after 15 years living around the world."

Kevin laid out the full extent of his journey, which he has undertaken in a camper van - he spoke to Belfast Live while on a 27 hour ferry journey home on Friday.

"I set off from Granada, Spain on Wednesday, a 900km trip from Granada to Bilbao Port, on Wednesday night arrived in Madrid city (four-hour drive) parked the camper up in the city and enjoyed a couple of stout before bed then 6am the following morning continued the drive to Bilboa," he explained.

"I reached Bilbao following some stops and rests at mid-day Thursday before boarding the ship that evening, currently I'm still on the Ferry to Ireland which is 27 hours, I will arrive in Rosslare port at 10pm Irish time tonight, sleep in Rosslare for the night in my camper.

"Then tomorrow I catch up with my good friend and Celtic Boxing Champion Oisin Fagan for some boxing training in the morning, all too keep the good vibes flowing as I look forward to the final in Dublin."

He said the decision to go to the final had been a snap one, but that he doesn't regret it.

"The trip is fine, I'm super excited about the final but I'm also missing my young daughter, my 11 month old sticking plaster as I call her, and my girlfriend who are in Granada, but it was just too far and too long a journey to bring them," he said.



"It is completely worth it though, I'm happy to reconnect with my home, my community to support our City in the final. I am always proud of where I come from."

He said he could not believe the reaction when people found out about his epic journey and that it has all added to the experience for him.

"The reaction to my trip to the final was completely unexpected, I posted a picture on the Derry Supporters page and the next thing it went viral," he said.

"I've had people from Derry and all over Ireland wishing me a safe trip and some Derry businesses have offered me dinners, gifts and other things for my efforts, its been amazing but I'm simply happy to be amongst good company."

The only thing left now for Kevin to tick off the list is a good result for Derry City and he can travel back top Spain with a spring in his step.

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