21. In your mind there was only one famine in Ireland…1971-1987
Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland
Richard Stakelum in the stand in Killarney after the 1987 Munster final replay. Lift that cup lad.
20. You know hurling people by their nicknames – Rattler, Babs, Viking, Skippy, Festy, Bubbles
Pic: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
Michael Keating. Or Babs. Whichever you’re having yourself.
19. You know a lad who works in Ballydoyle that gives you tips on Aidan O’Brien’s horses
Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland.
18. You follow the progress of West Brom because of this man
Pic: Alastair Grant/AP/Press Association Images
17. You saw him do tekkers like this back in the day for St Kevin’s and St Michael’s
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
16. And you’re nostalgic for the days when he was lining out in this jersey
Recognise the lad in the front row, fourth from right?
15. You’d rather not talk about the ‘tactics’ used in Croke Park last August
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
Jackie, Lar, Tommy and Pa get to know each other.
14. You have moonlighted as a backing vocalist for Johnny B and the Boogie men
YouTube: johnnybmakesmusic
13. You remind people that Matthew Macklin is Premier through and through
Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan
12. And this lad bleeds blue and gold as well
Pic: INPHO/Tom Honan
11. Your organise your January family/work/socialising plans around the coursing in Clonmel
Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
10. Sometimes you don’t bother with boots while playing GAA
YouTube: dapos
Babs barefoot in Croke Park.
9. You’re not the biggest Gaelic football fan in the world but you know Deccie Browne was class
Pic: INPHO/Tom Honan
Celebrating with the Tommy Murphy Cup in 2005.
8. To the wider world these are rugby stars
Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan
But you know Denis Leamy as the lad from Boherlahan-Dualla and Alan Quinlan as an Arravale Rovers man.
7. It’s your job to start the chant of ‘Tipp, Tipp, Tipp’ on the terraces during the summer
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
6. And you know the lad in charge of the Slievenamon flag
Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer
5. You have ‘banter’ with Kilkenny fans from a young age
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
4. In your eyes this man can do no wrong
Nicky after winning Liam McCarthy in 1991.
Pic: INPHO
Nicky after winning the Liam McCarthy Cup in 2001.
Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan
3. You think this is the greatest sporting arena in the world
Pic: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
2. And the odd time you’ll allow events other than hurling to be played there
YouTube: KilkennyFootball
The day many Dubs missed the turn off at the Horse & Jockey. They haven’t left the capital since
Mick Hucknall and Bryan Adams loved the nightlife in Liberty Square.
1. Finally you give thanks every time you pass this building
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
Where it all began in November 1884.
Going by that top photo, looks like it was a pity there was nobody there to see it….
@Jumperoo: that stand was closed tonight and east stand had a big crowd in it. The people you can see under the clock are kids that played at half time.
@Eamon Maguire: Will ya stop, there was nobody there
That’s a shocking crowd (not blaming anyone) would it be better to have a game like that in an AIL ground and fill it with 3-4000 and the club does well. Surely there is no way this made money for the ground
@Scott Crossfield: does this not really expose our whole “stadia will be full” stance for RWC 2023? The media have played up the thinking that what sets Ireland apart from SA is that for also ran games – like, say, those involving Tonga v Namibia on a Tuesday night – provincial grounds like Thomond would be full. It would have helped our cause if 20.000 showed up for this game.
@Martin Quinn: of course it is different but in a week in which the CEO of the IRFU writes a detailed letter which partially focused on how our bid is different because we’ll sell out stadia for even the minnow games, a less than glamorous fixture in Limerick, one of rugby’s heartlands, attracts less than 10,000 people. Whether you agree or not isn’t really the point. I’ve absolutely no doubt there are people in WR who will be made aware of that. “Traditional rugby communities” is how Browne and the media have spun this. It doesn’t get more traditional than the Barbarians, against a recognised rugby nation. It looks bad.
@grandslamkbo: no it doesn’t, glory days are long gone for the baa-baa’s. they are a corporate group ,who gives a shit about them. It’s a mad panic even to fill a squad with them sometimes , it’s nice to be asked to play with them but I doubt there’s a player out there that aspires to be a baa-baa some day.
@grandslamkbo: the powers that be in their wisdom decided that a local AIL game between Young Munster and Garryowen would kick-off at the same time on the other side of the city.
That coupled with the very bad weather didn’t help. But agreed it is very poor optics in light of our arguments on stadia since S.A announced as preferred choice for 2023.
@Hardly Normal: i don’t care about the Barbarians either but that’s not the point. This was still a Friday night fixture in Limerick involving a world cup team and another with a long history. Arguing about the BaaBaas role is irrelevant. The stadium was about 20% full. It looks terrible.
@grandslamkbo: I think your argument is irrelevant, the barbarians are responsible for their own marketing. We just supplied a stadium. Weather played a massive aspect too! Someone else mentioned there was a local ail match at the same time! If it was important to have a full stadium they could have hyped it up, televised it and handed out free tickets if needs be.
@grandslamkbo: it takes brains to fix anAIL limerick derby the same night in the same city, also most junior rugby teams in the province have training on Friday nights
@Hardly Normal: that doesn’t make sense. The fact that it wasn’t televised means you’d expect more people to be at it. Do you think the attendance would have been bigger if it was live on tv?
Pretending the AIL fixture had any effect is nonsense. There were 250 at it tops. I know. I was there
@Martin Quinn: What are you on about? You want me to produce a photo to prove I was there? Fu<£ing clown. It's almost like you believe the attendance at the munster game was low because they were all watching AIL. Wake up.
Good man Donnacha. Proper order.
The unending tributes to Anthony Foley (deceased for well over a year now) are getting too much. He was a fine player, not a great coach.
@Paul K Murphy: Nope, because he’s dead over a year and it’s old. RIP but come on, please stop.
@John Reid:
K**b head
Was this on TV
@Charlie Brown: no but Pundit Arena had an online stream
@Charlie Brown: No thank God
Is it not 5 Irish debutants, or has Muldoon played for the Baa-baas before?