A LIMERICK hurling fanatic believes his hurling heroes will have God on their side when the battle Cork in Sunday’s All-Ireland hurling final.
Last year, great grandfather Paddy “Ide” O’Halloran paryed for a vaccine to keep him safe to see his beloved Limerick bring Liam MacCarthy home.
Now, Paddy, 77, is praying to a life-sized statue of the Virgin Mary in his front garden for Limerick to win two years on the trot.
The Covid-friendly 2021 final will be played out in front of socially-distanced 40,000 fans, less than half of what Croke Park’s 82,300 seater can hold, due to public health guidelines.
“Tickets are like gold dust most years, but this year its nearly impossible to get your hands on one because of the rescued capacity,” Paddy told this reporter for an article in today’s Irish Mirror.
“I’m over 50 years following Limerick, I remember when they won the final in 1973 and Eamon Grimes gave me the Liam MacCarthy cup to hold when the team came back to Limerick after beating the mighty Kilkenny “Cats”,” said the Thomondgate native.
Paddy, whose family is steeped in handball, and who in his own heyday made it to an All-Ireland Handball Semi-Final, will proudly don his green hurling jersey on Sunday to watch the final, alongside his wife Mary-Anne, their 14 children, 48 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren.
With his hand’s clasped in prayer, and a hopeful glance up at the holy statue, Paddy sought divine intervention for a Limerick win: “I pray that Limerick beats Cork, I pray, I pray to Our Lady to intercede.”
Recalling past victories down the years, he went on: “I can go back to the days of watching the legends, the great Limerick hurler Mick Mackey, and Cork star Christy Ring, they were the best of the lot.”
“But, we’ve had great celebrations, me and all the old stock, going back the years, great memories.”
Looking towards Sunday’s final, he was sure Limerick would bring “Liam” home: “I’ll be honest with you, Limerick will earn it this Sunday, I’m hoping they’ll win but they’ll earn it, Cork are no joke.”
“Sunday should be a good game, but I’d say Limerick will do it; they’re a young team and they have what it takes.”
Paddy, who went to school with Limerick hurling legend Mick Mackey’s son, John Mackey has been a loyal Limerick supporter for decades.
“I’d give my life for Limerick hurling, and in all the years I travelled to watch them play, I deserve a ticket, don’t I?,” joked the former docker.
The talk around town is all about Limerick making history by wining back-to-back titles for the first time ever.
The city’s hurling anthem “Limerick, You’re A Lady” beamed out of pubs and shops, and the city’s die hard GAA fans believe it will be Limerick’s year again.
Many believe Lady Luck and the moons are aligned for a Treaty victory, with Sunday marking the centenary of the first All-Ireland SHC final when the Liam MacCarthy Chip was presented — and the winners on the day were Limerick!
The 1921 Championship final, with Limerick defeating Dublin, wasn’t played until 1923 due to the Irish Civil War.
Admission to Croker on the day was one shilling for adults and 6p for schoolboys, but those lucky enough to get their hands on a golden ticket for this Sunday’s final will have forked out an eye-watering €90.00.
Local landmarks have been lit up green and a giant Limerick flag has been draped across King John’s Castle, to inspire the green and white army.
While hopes are strong for victory over an improved Cork team, many here believe Limerick will need to have all their armoury to quell the rising red tide that threatens to spoil the party on Shannonside.
They say ‘an army marches on its stomach’, and Limerick’s own army of green and white army are preparing for the route to Croke Park on a winning diet of green ice-cream and cocktails.
Staff at Bobby Byrnes pub, restaurant, and adjoining shop, kept supporters heads cool with green deserts, cocktails, milkshakes, and creamy green pints, as the hunt for match tickets reached fever-pitch.
“We are keeping the heads calm and cool, there’s loads of chatter about the game and people are really looking forward to it,” said proprietor Robert Byrnes.
Like almost every other pub in the city and county, Byrnes’s tables are fully booked up for matchday.
“We have eight televisions in the pub so everyone should have a good view of the match — We’re ready to go, we’ve dyed all our ice cream and milkshakes green and customers also have the option of having a green pint of Guinness and the staff are all dressing up for the game,” Mr Byrnes added.
Following a spirited exchange of letters, the First Citizens of both participating counties met on the border in a raise of hurleys at high-noon today.
Limerick Mayor, Daniel Butler, said locals were “witnessing a golden era of Limerick hurling” as the Treaty appear in their third final in four years.
“The team’s drive, commitment, grace under pressure and self-belief has made them one of the greatest hurling teams, who we are all confident will win out on Sunday,” said Mayor Butler.
Earlier he told his Cork counterpart, Lord Mayor Colm Kelleher Liam MacCarthy was going nowhere near Leeside.
He joked: “While I can imagine how anxious you are to see Liam again, I am certain that we will give you a very clear answer on Sunday, and let you have a look at him before he returns to Limerick.”
The green and white party continues online at #LuimneachAbú and #LimerickVCork
