HAVING ruffled feathers all over the county by predicting that Down would win Sunday’s All Ireland semi-final clash, it seems Rocky the ‘psychic’ chicken has gone into hiding as Kildare supporters threaten to give him a roasting.
According to Rocky’s owner, Prosperous resident Elaine McDonald: “We’re lucky we live in the country so he can hide away. Even some of our own family want to put him in the pot at this stage!”
Rocky rose to fame after Elaine answered an appeal through a 2FM radio show, seeking an unusual animal that could fill a similar role to the World Cup’s Paul the Octopus, and predict the results of the season’s big GAA games.
“He was just a three-day old chick at the time. We got him from my uncle and he became a real pet,” said Elaine, adding that he would sit on her husband’s shoulder and would “nearly talk to you”!
The results are “predicted” by Elaine putting out three bowls with chicken feed and placing a piece of paper under each of them, with the names of each of the two teams and a third “draw/other” option. Then she, her husband Paul and daughters Ella and Hannah, along with an independent witness, wait to see which bowl Rocky will choose. The tally so far is five correct predictions out of six.
So how did Elaine feel when Rocky predicted last week that Down was about to cook Kildare’s goose?
“Devastated, of course. I was hoping he might be wrong but on the other hand, it’s just a bit of fun and it should be taken with a pinch of salt.”
Mmmm, but what about the people who now reckon that Rocky should be (literally) taken with a pinch of salt?
“Yeah, there were some postings on the internet suggesting that he should become ‘KFC’ – Kildare Fried Chicken. It’s a bit hurtful but at least, where we are living, we can hide him away,” said Elaine.
With Kildare supporters not exactly doing the Birdie Dance and building up to an ominous chorus of We Feel Like Chicken Tonight, perhaps Rocky should consider flying the coop altogether for a while?