All-Ireland club football final focus on Caltra: Sometimes in the last few weeks, Caltra folk stopped telling one another they could not believe they would be in Croke Park on St Patrick's Day and set about preparing for it. The last fund-raising push takes place tonight at the dog track in Galway city.

News of the imminent rail and bus strike has thrown travel arrangements up in the air. But the team homecoming will go ahead on Thursday night regardless. "All I can say for sure is I'm fairly hopeful the lads won't have to hitch a lift back," smiles club chairman John Kelly.

As happened for the semi-final against Loup of Derry in Markievicz Park, Sligo, the Caltra people will desert their village on St Patrick's Day. They are expected to lead a general charge from east Galway. The majority of the team went to school in Mountbellew and the principal, Mattie Kilroy, has four sons on the Caltra squad.

The nearby villages of Ahascragh and Castleblakeny, Castlefrench and Killasolan have also provided players for the squad. It all means the Caltra area is in for its quietest St Patrick's Day in living memory.

"There certainly will be no parade. There will be one or two people - probably from outside the town - left in charge of the shops and a few who just may not be able to go but I think it's fair to say that the street will be quiet," says Kelly.

"I suppose security is a concern for everybody in this day and age and I know that on the day of the Loup match, there was a fairly conspicuous Garda presence in the area throughout the day. So I think the village will still be there when we get back."

Caltra's gallant dash for glory has been a popular story across Connacht. Although they have a staunch history, Caltra never was and never will be a super club. Club records date back to 1899. Five different parish sides landed junior titles during the 1940s.

This week, 92-year-old Paddy Coffey spoke locally about the complicated travel arrangements that preceded Caltra's 1943 title. It was the height of the Emergency and cycling was the only way to get about. As captain, he took it upon himself to cycle to Ballinasloe to meet John Dunne, the godfather of Galway football in the period.

Assured that the game would go ahead in Athenry, he pedalled home again through Ahascragh and rounded up his team. The gang then set off for Athenry that night and beat Army the following afternoon. The first cheering they heard was when they landed back in Caltra late that evening with the cup.

Once, winning a Galway title was a mystery to Caltra. Now, there are close to emulating Corofin's 1998 All-Ireland winning feat. Prior to this, the 1970s were regarded as the golden era for Caltra football. Famously, they lost in their first final appearance to St Griffin's in 1975 but also lost three league finals during that period.

"We probably did not get the most out of that team," says John Kelly. "And a number of bigger clubs in the county were quite strong at the time. But one crucial difference is there are a lot more adults involved in the running of the club now. The youngsters are very well catered for."

As has been the case with An Ghaeltacht, the implementation of a cohesive underage structure laid the foundations for Caltra. In 1995, the club won an under-12 B title, a modest though significant success.

"But as well as that, we began entering our sides in A level so that even if they weren't winning, they were regularly competing against the best," says Kelly."

The result has been a generation of Caltra lads that emerged from just 20 houses to form the current senior team. The team is laden with brothers. There are six Meehan boys, the four Kilroy brothers and also sets of Killileas, Murrays, Keighreys, Costelloes and Kellys. As with An Ghaeltacht, this final is a family affair.

John Kelly has a family photograph taken outside Páidí Ó Sé's pub in Ventry after one of Kerry's All-Ireland successes in the 1980s. Páidí brought the cup out so they could pose with it. His sister, Ann Granville, is living in Dingle and will be heading to Dublin on Wednesday in the company of the Kerry supporters.

"There are many connections. Most people from this locality have been there for holidays. The team physio is married to a Dingle woman. But I don't think there will be any question of divided loyalties."

In recent weeks, team training has become an event in Caltra. Although some of the team members are studying in Dublin and Limerick, attendance has been unfaltering. There is a novel feeling about preparing for an All-Ireland in March and for miles across east Galway, houses are trimmed in the green and white colours of Caltra.

A long night is promised for Caltra next Thursday no matter how the gods spin it in Croke Park.

"Homecomings are something we have always been good at," says John Kelly, "and thankfully we have a had bit of practice this year."