The 2 Johnnies honour Laois GAA fan ‘Jungle’ Joe with 2026 Portlaoise golden ticket

Laois GAA superfan ‘Jungle’ Joe Phelan enjoyed a night he will never forget on Saturday evening when he was brought on stage in front of more than 13,000 people at The 2 Johnnies’ sold-out Country Christmas show in Dublin’s 3Arena.

A cult hero among Laois supporters, Jungle Joe became a familiar presence at Laois football matches during the 2000s, famously arriving in O’Moore Park with his cockerel in tow and, on occasion, letting it loose on the pitch to the amusement of supporters in Portlaoise and beyond.

On Saturday night, The 2 Johnnies cleared up long-standing rumours that Joe was currently barred from attending matches in O’Moore Park.

Reaching out to the Laois GAA County Board ahead of the show, the duo confirmed to the packed arena that he was, in fact, not banned. To mark the moment, they presented Jungle Joe with a mock letter on stage, formally confirming that he was not barred and that he would be welcomed at Laois GAA matches in the future.

The letter, read aloud to huge applause, stated:

"A Chairde, this letter is to confirm that ‘Jungle’ Joe Phelan is not barred from attending matches at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise.

Laois GAA is also pleased to confirm that Joe is very welcome and formally invited to attend all Laois GAA home games for the 2026 season at O’Moore Park.

Laois GAA looks forward to welcoming him throughout the 2026 campaign and thanks him for his continued support.

Laois County Executive
Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, Conate Laoise."

As well as the letter, Joe was presented with a brand-new Laois jersey signed by Justin McNulty’s senior football panel, along with a 'golden ticket' granting him access to all Laois GAA home games in O’Moore Park for the 2026 season

Speaking on stage, Jungle Joe charmed the crowd with his stories, giving an insight into his life growing up in Laois, and where he got his nickname 'Jungle'.

"Because I live beside the forest near Abbeyleix in County Laois, a 300-acre forest. My mother looked after a railway line years ago, and she got a house, and now we're living there with my mother," he explained.

He also spoke about his unusual past as a pet owner, recalling a time when he owned a monkey.

"I got it in the pet shop in Portlaoise. It cost me £300. You could get anything; I could get a tiger. You could get anything if you had money," he said.

Joe even recounted an incident where he attempted to intervene during a robbery in Abbeyleix.

"I remember one time there was a robbery in Abbeyleix one time, and I was standing beside the robbers. I was going to chain their axle to the ESB pole, and what happened was I was afraid to do it because it might bring down the ESB pole, but the axle would come away from the car.

"I followed the boys out of Abbeyleix, out the Cork Road. Every time I was going faster, they were going twice as fast. That was that, they got away," he laughed.

To close his appearance, Jungle Joe delivered a heartfelt Christmas message that earned him a standing ovation.

"Listen, I want to wish everyone a happy Christmas and even the hospitals all around the world. Even the Mater Hospital in Dublin who looked after me since I was 12, and I’m still here," he concluded.

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