Editorial: No easy acts to follow; new Kilkenny boss deserves our faith - and patience
From this week’s Kilkenny People
The American comedy duo Key and Peele have a well-known sketch involving a (fictitious) reverend whose turn it is to address the crowds in the 1963 March on Washington, following the speech by Dr Martin Luther King.
The I Have a Dream speech, widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, unsurprisingly leaves the unfortunate cleric daunted, and he wonders aloud, ‘how is anyone supposed to follow that?’ There’s no doubt, no matter how strong your credentials, a predecessor regarded by many as the greatest is a hard act to follow.
When Brian Cody retired in 2022, after 24 years at the helm, the feeling of ‘what next?’ was all-consuming. Who could possibly fill the man widely regarded as the Greatest Of All Time? It was also a time when Limerick were in their pomp; lest we forget, when Cody stepped away, the Treaty men had just won their third All-Ireland in a row.
So, while not a poisoned chalice by any means – given the achievements of before, a Kilkenny team in transition, and a new hurling superpower at the peak of its achievement – it was not straightforward. In Kilkenny GAA circles, as various names were mooted, there was a sense in some quarters that it might be better for people to bide their time – let this one go, don’t be the first one in after Cody.
Derek Lyng, a highly-decorated former hurler, who had achieved considerable success in his post-playing management career, took on the role when duty called. It could not have been an easy decision, given the glare of that spotlight.
Few other fanbases have as high expectations as Kilkenny people have for their hurling teams. They are weaned on success and All-Irelands; anything less is often met with fierce criticism.
We owe Derek Lyng a debt of gratitude for his contributions to the black-and-amber, as both player and manager. The hunt now goes on for his successor, who will deserve our full support – as well as our patience and good faith.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Eamon Langton on receiving the Freedom of Kilkenny City.
It’s a fitting honour for a man who has done so much for Kilkenny, its hospitality sector and the broader business community. Well earned.