All-Ireland fever takes off at Shannon

Clare and Limerick staff members at Shannon will today turn up for work togged out in their respective hurling colours as All-Ireland fever takes off at the airport.

The staff includes Alan Neville, part of the Clare All-Ireland winning squad of 1995 and member of the airport police fire service. “There’s great banter here at the airport this week,” he said. “We probably outnumber Limerick people in terms of staff but that doesn’t stop them being heard or flying their flags.

“There will be great fun and games here all the way to Sunday, but I don’t think supporters of the losing side will be looking forward to coming into work on Monday. There has to be a winner and I just hope it’s Clare.”

Alan has great memories of Shannon from 1995.

“We used to fly up for big games and I will never forget what it was like when we landed here after the final in 1995. There were never as many people crammed into the airport as there was on that night. It was amazing.

“But we have never had anything like this match back then at this stage of the season. Clare and Limerick meet regularly over the years but never with so much at stake in a game as next Sunday.”

Sandra Marsh, an Aer Lingus employee at Shannon, was PRO for Limerick GAA for much of the 1990s, including ’96 when the county played the second of its two All-Ireland finals in that decade, and says the rivalry is building nicely.

“There’s great respect between Limerick and Clare and you see that at the Airport. People will be slagging each other all week but at the back of it all there’s great respect.

“We live and work here together and share so much time at Shannon, but come Sunday afternoon you’ll know who’s supporting who.

“That’s the great thing about the GAA. You can have all the rivalry you want but at the end of the day you remain friends. The friendship will be all the better at our end if Limerick win on Sunday.”