COLUMN: All-Ireland Sunday: It's more than a game - it's Ireland's game!

All-Ireland Hurling Final day, how can I possibly describe it? A sporting occasion? Hardly…. A day out? No way… A friendly puck-around? You’re having a laugh… It’s more than all that!

 It’s a piece of Irish history that we are fortunate enough to repeat on an annual basis. Hurleys swinging, sliotars being pulled and over 80,000 people watching on in euphoria and horror in equal measure. The thrills and spills unmatched by any other sporting occasion. 

So, again, how would I describe the All-Ireland Hurling Final? My answer, Ireland. Our little country summed up in 70 minutes of sport!

From Michael Collins throwing in the ball in 1922 to Limerick squeezing past Kilkenny in 2022. The showpiece event of the hurling year, and in my view, the sporting year, has delivered numerous special moments. In my lifetime, Kilkenny have been the kings of hurling, winning 11 All-Ireland titles since the year 2000. That’s half my age! So, how could I possibly not buy into the special moments created on and off the field? 

I think back fondly on Tommy Walsh sending a ball into a red Hill 16 full of Cork supporters to put Kilkenny in front in the 2003 final, Martin ‘Gorta’ Comerford rescuing Kilkenny in dramatic circumstances to secure the ‘Four in a Row’ in 2009 and who could forget the Cats’ 26-point annihilation of Waterford in the 2008 finale. Pure class! 

But as cherished as those memories are, they’re just 70 minutes of what we christen ‘All-Ireland Final Day’. As you wake up on what was traditionally the first Sunday of September, the aroma of sausages and rashers hits your nose like a kiss. Your senses begin to tingle as you awake and then, the realisation hits, the bog standard egg and toast has been upgraded to a full-Irish, why? It couldn’t be could it? Yes, it’s that day in the calendar again, D-Day!

You race down the stairs to black and amber central - flags, bunting and jerseys all on display. The pre-match analysis begins, ‘he’s useless’’, ‘remember his point the last day’, ‘ah god, is he injured?’ are just some of the discussions had around the table. All-Ireland Final day has begun. As the day progresses it gets more edgy, conversations become more cautious and the silences on the car drive are noticeable. What if, God forbid, we don't win this?

Once the car hits Dublin, things change! The festival vibes of ‘Hurling Mecca’ and its surrounding streets take over your consciousness. Friends and complete strangers unite through shared allegiances. The slagging on Jones’ Road is unmatchable! No other sporting occasion quite matches the combination of rivalry and mutual respect. 

No riots, no fighting. Fun, remember that? And that tone carries through to every stand in Croke Park. From the Wild West of Hill 16 to the comforts of the corporate box, the ability to be rivals and friends is a unique and special part of why the GAA is unique.

Win or lose, the day continues after the final-whistle. Laughs are shared or tears are wiped away. The celebratory drinks or sympathetic bag of chips are a must. ‘Do you want onions with that?’. ‘No, I’m teary enough’. 

But as the sun rises on the Monday after, perspective hits! Nobody died, it’s just a game and win or lose, they’re our heroes. I firmly believe 2022 optimised those feelings. A packed  Nowlan Park welcomed home our defeated but heroic Kilkenny hurlers after a valiant effort against an immense Limerick team. No Liam MacCarthy but hope for the future.

That hope has carried through and as part of our All-Ireland Final tour for Kilkenny Live, the unwavering Kilkenny support has been clear to see. Black and amber houses and housing estates dawning the Kilkenny colours are just some of the ways local Cats show their support.

Fast-forward 12 months and here we go again, a final clash with four-in-a-row chasing Limerick. Another All-Ireland Sunday sure to be one to savour. The fact the schools are closed and the build-up time has been shortened have unarguably taken away from the whole spectacle, but that’s a debate for another day. 

So, 3:30pm on Sunday, July 23, no longer means pina colada time at the pool or fish and chips in Tramore — no, pencil it in as the latest instalment of ‘Ireland’s Game’.