"Maurice Noonan from Ballingarry, our vice-captain, cut over two sidelines in the All-Ireland final. If he could walk, he’d be walking onto the Limerick team right now."

‘You really have to see it to believe it. There is no pulling back just because someone is in a wheelchair. I remember one lad got taken to hospital for concussion because he got bashed against a wall. Another went through a fire escape because of the pace he was going at when challenging for the sliotar.

The Queen didn’t do a parachute jump, but Limerick yesterday exuded a spectacular summer glow for the opening of the Special Olympic Ireland Games.

Thousands will line the streets of Limerick this evening to greet torch bearers drawn from An Garda Síochána and the PSNI to herald the opening of the Special Olympics Ireland Games.