He may be from Botswana, but Brock will cheer Clare
Bus driver Brock Semahedi has been proudly wearing his Clare jersey to work and has decked his home out with flags ahead of tomorrow’s All-Ireland showdown in Croke Park.
Originally from Botswana in southern Africa, the 37-year-old fell in love with all things GAA shortly after he arrived in Ireland in 2002.
The father-of-two, who works for Bus Éireann, is married to Dubliner Siobhan O’Connor, whom he met when she was teaching in Botswana in 1999.
The couple live with their children Ciaran, 11, and Aisling, 8, in Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare, the home club of the county’s famous hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald.
“Both our children play,” says Brock. “Ciaran started playing Gaelic football in 2005 and he also plays hurling and I love helping out when they are involved in matches.
“Unfortunately, I am rostered to work this Sunday so I don’t think I will make it to Croke Park, but I will be listening on the radio. I have been wearing my jersey at work, much to the annoyance of my Limerick colleagues who were very disappointed after they lost the semi-final. I suppose I have been rubbing it in a bit.”
Tomorrow’s crunch match against Cork has massive global appeal, and despite the Clare GAA County Board receiving a second allocation from Croke Park, hundreds of dejected Clare fans are still exploring all avenues in the hope of securing that elusive ticket.
For those who can’t make it to Dublin, Ennis Town Council hopes to generate an electric atmosphere by broadcasting the game live on a big screen in Abbey St car park in the town. Entertainment gets under way at 2.30pm and will continue until 6pm.
The team’s homecoming on Monday night will be broadcast to audiences worldwide on the Ennis App and on www.ennisapp.ie.
The homecoming event is an initiative of Ennis Town Council and Clare County Council and will take place at Active Ennis Tim Smythe Park, also known as The Fairgreen.
The team is expected to arrive between 8pm and 8.30pm.
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