Chicago Post Tribune embraces Munster,Limerick and Croom

It is indeed an honour to see my post about the Munster Rugby Team Homecoming in Limerick appearing on the Chicago Post Tribune.

Croom,Limerick and Munster are now known about and seen by a greater audience as a result of this site which i set up myself back in November 2007.

http://post-trib.com/news/blogentries/index.html?bbPostId=BC3bsfkBKGBBB11NaoZU48aqBBKTb0klR1LsCz8TU2YrSN0Wg&bbParentWidgetId=B8j4te2LpaP5zF2wdOIaNTqV

To submit local news about the Croom and Maigueside District please send to

sean ryan

email address  croomcromadh at gmail dot com

MUNSTER THE HOMECOMING LIMERICK 2008

Munster the new European Rugby Champions 2008 received a Civic Reception at the Limerick City Hall to acknowledge their incredible achievement in winning the Heineken European Cup for the 2nd Time.They were greeted by the Mayor of Limerick Ger Fahey www.limerickcity.ie  and the Kevin Sheahan The Cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council www.lcc.ie

The Munster Team then boarded an open top bus which left the Limerick City Hall and then made its way through the streets of Limerick lined with people  via Athlunkard Street, King’s Island http://www.limerickcivictrust.ie/, across the Thomond Bridge and on to the symbolic Treaty Stone( http://indigo.ie/~wildgees/stone.htm )where there was a brief pause in the bus trip to raise the Heineken European Cup high in the air to tumultuous applause from the large crowd. A loud cheer transpired as it passed the Curragower Pub as several people raised their glasses in a toast to their heroes.
It was difficult to film at times as there were so many people who continued to follow the homecoming tour walking and running with the bus on its route, a joyous occasion to savour though.This is what Munster is about, its personal players and supporters know each other first name terms, the supporters are often referred to as the 16th man … this is what it makes this team so different to so many others in world rugby.Munster may not have the financial backing that some of the more illustrious club names in European Rugby have but when it comes to the supporters we have the greatest and the largest following of all the clubs.
The tour bus then made its way across Sarsfield Bridge, Henry Street before the team departed from the bus to go on stage to face 50,000 supporters, there would have been many more  on O’Connell Street ,Limerick reason being that  the supporters who attended the final in Cardiff were still trying to make their way back home to Munster .Due to I following the homecoming tour bus a price had to paid in been so far back from the stage on Limerick’s O ‘Connell’s street. Included are excerpts from the large video screen of the speech given by the Munster Captain Paul O Connell, Alan Quinlan man of the match in Cardiff been interviewed by Len Dineen and finally the thoughts of the great Jerry Flannery.

The video concludes with my  photos of the day to music.

Footnote:

I would like to thank and acknowledge the kind permission given by the Ryan Family for the use of their website http://indigo.ie/~wildgees/stone.htm  in the above post.This post is dedicated to the memory of sean ryan who suffered with Motor neuron disease (MND)who continued to work tirelessly with his interest in community and Irish history before he passed away in 2006.

Munster Homecoming Limerick 2008

Thousands lined the streets of Limerick City today to welcome back the European Heineken Cup for the second time in three years after their famous victory over Toulouse at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday .There was a civic reception at the Limerick Civic Hall ,followed by a victory parade on an open top bus which made it’s way through Athlunkard Street ,by King John’s Castle ,Thomond Bridge ,Clancy’s Strand ,over Sarsfield Bridge ,Henry Street and finally to the Stage on O’Connell Street. Up to 40,000 cheered on their heroes as they made they way on to stage to  conclude a remarkable journey from the group stages which had Clermont Auvergne ,Llanelli,Wasps ,a Quarter Final win v Gloucester away, a semi final win away to Saracens and to a final win in Cardiff  v the superpower of French Club Rugby Toulouse.

Presentations were made to the Munster Players who will leave the squad after this season ,Shaun Payne ,Jim Williams (who returns to Australia ),Shannon’s Mossie Lawler,John Kelly and Anthony Foley.

To conclude the day the large crowd was treated  to a rendition of the Haka  by the three All Blacks  Doug Howlett , Rua Topoki and Lifiemi Mafi,It was a joy to behold and received great applause to the chants of “Munster ” Munster”.

“Stand up and Fight” blasted from the larger speakers as the crowd drifted away and made for home ,for many others the parties would continue in the local pubs ,most notably FLA’S  owned by Jerry Flannery who would join in the celebrations…The next outing for the team is a welcome in the Southern Capital Cork on Tuesday night.

See The 2006 Homecoming in my videos …. 

Limerick 1-08 Tipperary 1-05 Munster Senior Football Championship

Limerick are through to to the Munster SFC semi-final to face Cork after a deserved win over Tipperary in Fermoy yesterday. Limerick will have to up on this performance if they are to match Cork in their next outing, but a win is a win, a much need one at that after a mediocre league campaign which promised so much.Tipperary led by 1-04 to 1-00 at half-time. Limerick’s greater experience told in the second half against a very young Tipperary side who seemed to depend so much on Barry Grogan who has taken over Declan Brownes mantle. Mickey Ned O Sullivan will be happy to have overcome this tricky fixture which allows him and his backroom team to concentrate on facing the rebel county in the semi final.

 

LIMERICK: S Kiely; D Carroll, J McCarthy, S Walsh; P Browne, S Lavin(0-1), P Ranahan; T Cahill, J Galvin; S Kelly(0-1), J Ryan, S Buckley(1-01); K O’Callaghan (capt), D Phelan, I Ryan(0-03).Subs used: G Collins for O’Callaghan (33 mins), M Crowley(0-1) for Collins (42), G Collins for Phelan (54), J Cooke(0-1) for Cahill (59), S Gallagher for Carroll (64).

TIPPERARY: P Fitzgerald; A Foley, M Peters, C McDonald; P Codd, R Costigan, N Curran; K Mulryan, E Hanrahan; P Johnson, B Jones, D O’Brien; S Carey, S Grogan, B Grogan.Subs used: L Coskeran for Curran (15 mins), P Austin for Jones (28), N Fitzgerald for O’Brien (44), G Hannigan for S Grogan (58), E Kearney for Johnson (69).

 

Magnificient Munster European Rugby Champions 2008

Paul O Connell with the Heineken European Cup at Shannon Airport 2am

Munster captain Paul O’Connell added: “I think it is more satisfying than last time. “We have an incredible bunch of people and you feel a pressure when you wear the jersey which is so special to all of us.”It was tough campaign and it is just incredible.

Video : Munster in Shannon Airport returning with the Cup.

Munster are the 2008 Champions of Europe after an epic battle with Toulouse in Cardiff yesterday with a 16-13 win over the European Superpower of Rugby Toulouse.

Paul O Connell Croom Connection for Munster

Paul O Connell Munster

This weekend the Maigueside and the Croom District will have a major interest in the Heineken European Rugby Final, it will be a proud day for the Quilty family Donoman when their nephew Paul O Connell will be leading the Munster Squad on the grounds of the Cardiff Arms Park  hoping for a Munster win over Toulouse . Paul O Connell is the son of Shelia Quilty a daughter of the John Joe and Moira Qulity and sister of the Quilty brothers Sean,Donie,Bobby,Patsy,Martin ,Tom ,Carmel ,the Quilty’s were an outstanding sporting family  and many might say where the sportsmanship might have come from ,

Sean the eldest of the Quilty family donned the colours with Croom Gaa in the 60’s and would have played both hurling and football with his native Croom.Sean was based as a Lieutenant  and Captain in the Irish army at the army barracks at Letterkenny in Co.Donegal .Sean would travel the 500 mile round trip to wear the Croom jersey either in hurling or football on a Sunday Afternoon, with no showering facilities available where they would have to dress and undress under the shelter of the whitethorn bushes or the evergreen trees .Following either a victory or a defeat  Sean would immediately return to his army base in Donegal. It wasn’t in the era of the mileage allowance, it was the period of Sporting dedication .

This weekend we will see that sporting feature emerge when we will  see Paul O Connell the captain of the sporting Munster side taking the field on television, and what an honour for the O’Connells and the Quilty Family, and hopefully Paul will be receiving the cup that will crown them the champions of Europe .

See the video of the Song “Stand up and Fight ” By the Three Tenors

and listen to TodayFm Breakfast Show Gift Grub Mp3 of Jerry Flannery

CROOM/CORK ROAD SCHEME

The Croom /Blarney proposed road development and design team are now planning the Croom/Cork road development plan.  The scheme involves 37 Km of Dual Carriageway including Bypasses of Buttevant and Charleville extending from North of Newtwopothouse and the Southern end of the Croom Bypass linking with Patrickswell.  The forty strong engineering team with its headquarters in Mallow are busy formulating the preliminary design for one of the largest road developments ever undertaken in the South of Ireland.  Hopefully the design team will take into account the serious road crossings at Anhid Cross in the construction of the Croom Bypass.  The crossing to the Granagh road is unlit during the winter months and dark evenings.  The turn off point for Granagh is poorly marked and signed and hopefully that this dangerous stretch of he Cork/Limerick road will receive immediate attention and ensure safety for drivers who frequent this daily.

To find out more about Ireland’s National Development Plan (NDP), 2007-2013 – Transforming Ireland….see the link below

http://www.ndp.ie/viewdoc.asp?CountyID=18&search.x=18&search.y=6

BANOGUE FIRST COMMUNION

The young children from Banogue national school receive their first holy communion on Saturday last in St. Peter and Paul’s Church, Banogue.  Those who received holy communion Lauren Corrigan, Casey Dillon, Kathleen Dore, Chloe Laffan, Michelle O’Connor, Sabrina O’Donnell, William Quilligan.

HISTORY OF BANOGUE

The small parish of Banogue are initiating the publication on the history of Banogue
And a meeting of past pupils of Banogue will be held in Banogue School on this Thursday evening 22nd May at 8.00 p.m. with a view to writing a book on the history of Banogue.  Anybody who feels that they would have an input are all welcome to attend. Banogue is a great historic Parish.  It is one of the smallest parishes in the county and great credit is due to those parishioners who intend to take up the pen and document the historic events of the happenings of the Maigueside parish.  The old parish took in Ballybanogue, Croom, Dullas in the nineteenth century.  Famous names came from the parish and the parish had two former County Chairmen and county Secretaries of the GAA County Board the late Jackie O’Connell and the late Jimmy Hickey.

CORPUS CHRISTI

The Corpus Christi procession will take place on Sunday next May 25th. after the 11.30 Mass the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.  The procession of the Blessed Sacrament takes from the church to St. Mary’s Meadow (the Well Meadow) there Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will conclude the ceremony.  The liturgy group and paschal council are putting the final arrangements to one of the most important church events in the parish. People normally decorate their houses as a mark of respect for the occasion.