THE Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Daniel Butler, has informed his counterpart in Cork, Lord Mayor Cllr Colm Kelleher, that the All-Ireland Hurling Liam MacCarthy Cup is staying on Shannonside, and will not be heading to Leeside, as requested by Mr Kelleher yesterday.
Mr Butler was responding to a letter sent by Mr Kelleher who thanked Limerick for looking after the cup, but that it was now destined for its true home in Cork, after the rival Munster counties clash at Croke Park in Sunday’s All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final to earn the coveted silverware as well as bragging rights for the next year.
Today, in a responding letter sent to Mr Kelleher, Mr Butler wrote: “Dear Lord Mayor, Thank you very much for your letter which I found very amusing…interesting! Unfortunately, there are a number of glaring inaccuracies in it, that cannot be left stand, and which may be difficult for a Corkconian to accept.”
“To begin with, Liam MacCarthy was a native of London, whose mother, Brigid, hailed from the hurling heartland of Bruff in County LIMERICK. Brigid was a huge Limerick hurling fan and as you know yourself, Mammies are always right and there is no supporter like a Limerick supporter.”
“Far be it that we would wipe your eye take something belonging to someone else, but I must point out that Limerick were the very first recipients of the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 1923 (for the 1921 All-Ireland), so Liam is back home and is very comfortable on Shannonside. #LuimneachAbu! Yours sincerely, Daniel Butler, mayor of the City and County of Limerick.”
Yesterday Mr Kelleher wrote a cheeky letter to Mr Butler trying to convince him that “Liam” was a Cork native and that it has been “quiet distressing” that he has not been back in the Rebel County in over 16 years.
“I believe that you have something that belongs to us. He’s about 16 inches high, silver and goes by the name of Liam…Down the years since 2006, there have been many sightings of him in Kilkenny, Galway, Tipperary, & Clare for some reason. And now, I believe, Limerick.”
“As Mayor of Limerick, can I ask you to arrange to bring Liam to Croke Park on Sunday for collection,” Kelleher added.
Excitement is building on both hurling mad counties as the 3.30pm Sunday throw-in at Croker draws nearer.
Cork is awash with red and white flags and bunting, while Limerick city and county is covered in a blanket of green and white ahead of the clash of the ash at Croke Park.
Tickets are like gold dust, moreso than ever with only 40,000 allowed into the maximum 82,300-seater stadium, due to public health guidelines around COVID-19.
