The Sam Maguire Cup was hoisted in triumph inside Parliament Buildings at Stormont for the first time last night.
The Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, hosted a reception for All-Ireland Gaelic football champions Armagh, whose manager Joe Kernan declared: "We are an Ulster team and it's great to be acknowledged in this way." Mr Murphy said: "Sport can break down many barriers."
The doors at Stormont, once a citadel of unionism, revolved open as Mr Kernan and his captain Kieran McGeeney led their team into the marbled hallway.
Armagh defeated Kerry in Croke Park last month. With the Derry minor side also winning an All-Ireland title, it was decided special recognition should be given to the achievements of the two Ulster teams.
Below the stairs leading to the life-size statue of Lord Craigavon, Northern Ireland's first prime minister, the jubilant teams swapped stories.
The reception was held on the eve of another ground-breaking sporting event, the inaugural Gaelic football match between the new Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Garda Síochána. - (PA)
