LEGENDARY Limerick hurler Declan Hannon was celebrated by Limerick City and County Council this week with a Civic Reception to mark his contribution to Limerick sport.
Declan was joined at the reception in the Council Chamber in Dooradoyle last evening (Wednesday, January 28)Â by family members, including parents Bridget and Joe and brother Jody.
The Limerick Senior Hurling Team were represented by Manager, John Kiely, and William O’Donoghue, freeman of Limerick, JP McManus, as well as other friends and supporters.
The event reflected on a remarkable sporting journey and celebrated the enduring impact of a true Limerick legend, who announced his retirement from inter-county hurling in October last year.
Born in Adare, Declan Hannon enjoyed a glittering 15‑year career with the Limerick senior hurling team, winning five All‑Ireland Senior Hurling Championship titles and seven Munster Championships.
In 2018, he famously captained Limerick to their first All‑Ireland triumph since 1973, a watershed moment that ignited celebrations across the county.
Declan’s foundations were laid early: he won back‑to‑back Harty Cups with Ardscoil RÃs in 2010 and 2011, helped Mary Immaculate College secure their first Fitzgibbon Cup in 2016, claimed a Limerick Senior Hurling Championship with his club Adare in 2009, and secured a Munster Under‑21 medal with Limerick in 2011.
Addressing the Civic Reception, Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, said: “On behalf of the people of Limerick, I want to thank Declan for the moments of joy, pride and unity that he has overseen as captain during our most successful era on the hurling field. Celebrating his legacy with a civic reception like this is not only a fitting way to mark the medals he has won and the many trophies he has lifted, but it honours the values he has lived and breathed throughout his hurling career.”
Declan Hannon described the Civic Reception as a ‘massive honour’ and feels he is in good company: “I was looking up the previous recipients and there is a lovely group of people there so, it’s a massive honour for myself and my family. I feel like I’m representing the Limerick Senior Hurling Panel really here, so it’s a huge honour and I am absolutely over the moon.”
Declan also paid tribute to all his former teammates and managers, saying: “The whole lot of them have played such a crucial part in my life, not just on the field but off it as well. They are some of my best buddies, I miss them hugely, we have such an amazing bond.”
In a message read out at the reception, Uchtarán na hÉireann, Catherine Connolly described Declan Hannon as “a pivotal figure in a golden era for Limerick hurling.”