Spirits lifted as Thomond lights up the night

THE recession was given a rest in Limerick last night as thousands of Irish and French rugby fans saturated the city for Munster’s first Heineken Cup game at the new €40 million Thomond Park.

The home of Munster rugby opened its gates to a full capacity 26,000 having had two warm-up games with restricted crowd numbers.

French side, Montauban’s fans gave an international touch to a truly international venue.

Thousands more without tickets to the game — which Munster won 19-17 — thronged the city’s famous rugby pubs to enjoy Limerick’s heady rugby cocktail.

And at half-time Cork soprano Cara O’Sullivan got the crowd rocking with a heartfelt rendition of Stand Up and Fight.

Limerick Chamber of Commerce president Sean Lally said: “Thomond Park tonight stands like a magnificent beacon amid all the doom and gloom.”

He said the game will be worth as much as €7m to the city.

The first team into Thomond Park yesterday were the 250 Master Chefs catering staff.

Master Chefs managing director Pat O’Sullivan said: “Tonight we are catering for all the fans including 1,300 corporate guests in 20 boxes and five function rooms where tables of 10 sold out quickly for €3,000. We had 18 chefs working in the great kitchen here in Thomond Park.”

The thirsty ordinary mortals rucked into the 20 bars and 18 food kiosks located in the ground.

Superintendent John Kerin who was in charge of the traffic plan said a wet Friday did not help.

Gardaí reported tailbacks as long as 10 kilometres particularly from the Dublin Road side, with the result that many fans didn’t get into the venue on time. Supt Kerin said 40 gardaí were on special traffic duty.

“Tonight we have 26,000 coming to Thomond Park, double what it was. To some extent it will be trial and error and next week we will have a big review.

“Tonight is very important for the economy of Limerick and we have been working with the IRFU and Limerick City Council to do everything we could to help a great occasion.”

A further 40 gardaí were deployed in the ground and its precincts. The cost of their presence was borne by the IRFU.

Hotels in the city were fully booked last night.

After the game the Munster players headed for the Clarion in Steamboat Quay where they stay for big home games.

But before retiring for the night there were a few pit stops including one at Jerry Flannery’s pub in Catherine Street.