'Pull on it Davy' - Familiar GAA face pulls a few pints in Kilkenny clubhouse

It was standing room only in the Railyard GFC clubhouse as Davy Fitzgerald dropped in on the North Kilkenny club. - PICTURES BELOW

The well-known former Clare hurler and manager was in the county for a flying visit to meet the two winners of a national competition.

Davy brought Ireland’s Fittest Farmer and Ireland's Fittest Sports Team to the Ploughing Championships this year. Located at the Zurich Insurance stand, this was an opportunity for all to test their fitness with his Hang Tough challenge, with a prize of €5,000 on offer for the successful club.

Railyard duo Harry Roche and Dara Dunne stepped up and swept all before them to scoop the top prize. It was Harry who hung tough, while Dara was on step up. On the night Davy was quick to recall how he remembered them, in his words, ‘those two bucks’.

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Railyard chairman Paddy Ward welcomed all to the event while Joe Nolan of Zurich Insurance was delighted to continue the firm’s support to rural GAA clubs.

Davy mingled with both young and old, signing all and sundry that was presented to him. The current Antrim manager and former Clare custodian chatted and joked how when he embarked on his inter-county career the training commenced with 20 laps around Cusack Park — and that was only the warmup.

He related how, as a young boy in primary school, he was bullied and made a plea to all the youth to be kind to one another.

He was delighted to be in a GAA club and didn’t mind whether it was football or hurling. Involvement is the key, no matter the age profile as he reminded there is plenty of the other stuff going around.

As he waved goodbye to the Colliery, the trip was the start of another busy week for Davy, who had a training session with Antrim on the Tuesday evening while, on Thursday, it was off to the Sports Surgery, Dublin for a hip replacement.

All wished him well and a speedy recovery.

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