I rolled out of bed the morning after the 2019 all-Ireland hurling final and felt like a champion. Isn’t it hilarious how we take ownership of the victory when we’ve done naught but cheer on the magnificent teams? In my case it was the victorious Tipperary hurling men. Who could blame me really when some of my lovely friends around the country were texting me their congratulations.

I sat on the edge of the bed and admired the view. The cows were in the plot next to the house. The cows in Tipperary were probably being turned in with enthusiasm to varied refrains of “Alone, all alone by the wave washed strand.”

Cartoon by Clyde Delaney.

Meanwhile the Kilkenny cows had to be milked too. But not a note of “How sweet ‘tis to roam by the sunny Suir stream” was carried on the morning breeze. I don’t mean to rile the Kilkenny folk but sure that’s part of the fun and they’ve had a fair share of glory. When Kilkenny beat us in the past, I’d be sure to bump into my Kilkenny cousins after the match and have to suffer their celebrations. Last Sunday, do you think I met one around the Croke Park stadium or on my return to the car? Not a sign of them! Just as cats would slip away and avoid human contact, there was no trace of them! They were gone back to Ballyouskill, Crosspatrick, Donoughmore, Geataban, Gowran, Galmoy, Johnstown, Urlingford, Smithstown, and Moincoin, probably to get a clowder ready for next year.

Ticket hunt

There is always a hunt for tickets. My benefactor this year was a Sligo man. We met on the small railway bridge down from Quinn’s. The tickets were exchanged with a big friendly embrace, a good luck message and a yellow poncho. The first few drops of rain had started to fall. It’s all part of the intrigue.

I became big bird choosing to obliterate my lovely Tipp jersey in favour of keeping dry

I regrouped with Tim and we took our seats in the Hogan stand, down low near the Nally end and right where the red card would be shown and the rain would fall heavy and wet.

I became big bird choosing to obliterate my lovely Tipp jersey in favour of keeping dry. I put my picture in the WhatsApp group. No sympathy came from my children. Pity about me in the place where Philip wanted to be, on the most Irish day of the year according to Colm.

Drips and drops and foggy glasses did not impede my enjoyment of the Tipperary display.

Congratulations to Liam Sheedy and everyone involved. It’s the unpredictability of events that makes the hurling championship so enthralling and this year Tipp’s luck was in too.

Nostalgia

I sincerely have the utmost admiration for Brian Cody and his squad. He is an excellent leader, coach and mentor. It is quite possible that no manager will ever again equal his achievements attained over the last 21 years with amazing players. I attended a lecture given by him in UCC years back and his thoughts on commitment, dignity, consistency, timekeeping, taking responsibility and leading by example often come to mind. Hence he has endured by following the tough principles he lays down for himself.

On the way up to the match the radio was full of nostalgia. There was talk of the 1959 all-Ireland final between Waterford and Kilkenny

Kilkenny are always a formidable force and beating them by 14 points was sweet indeed. On the way up to the match the radio was full of nostalgia. There was talk of the 1959 all-Ireland final between Waterford and Kilkenny. That was the year I was born and my late mother used to regale me with the stories from that year. It was a really dry year and water for washing nappies was terribly scarce. The dung pats were dry in the fields and the dust blew into my eyes in the pram.

On the way home, the radio was full of the new stories of all-Ireland 2019 that will become legends in the future. It’s so Irish, so brilliant and so magical

They travelled to Croke Park to see my uncle-in-law, the late Ned Power, win an all-Ireland medal for his prowess as goalkeeper for Waterford. We grew up with Ned’s passion for the game.

On the way home, the radio was full of the new stories of all-Ireland 2019 that will become legends in the future. It’s so Irish, so brilliant and so magical.

Up Tipp and thanks to the GAA and all the hurlers for a wonderful season of enjoyment. Now we turn to the under-20s. Can Tipp do the double? They can and they did!