The Kingdom explodes in colour and celebration as Sam makes his way home
Jack is back, Sam is on his way home, and Kenmare — a town which contributed so many players to Kerry’s 38th All-Ireland football triumph — is a riot of colour.
They were talking about the homecoming in Killarney even before the players took to the pitch in Croke Park, such was the confidence in the Kingdom. But there were nervous moments until the 67th minute on Sunday.
An eerie silence hung over the town for much of the game as the equalisers see-sawed and the unthinkable was contemplated over quiet pints: That Sam might be “stolen” or “lost”.
Not so.
The roof rose in K-Town on New St in the final minutes as Galway missed a point and Kerry were on the home stretch.
Among the first to celebrate were Conor Hennigan and his wife Caroline. Although originally from Cork and Waterford, they are both now Fossa people like the Clifford brothers David and Padraig.
Nearby, the tension had spilled out on Main St from The Grand, Paddy Sheehan’s pub, where US visitors joined the large crowd trying to catch the big screen.
Jimmy McNamara, originally from Boston, proudly sported a Kerry jersey. He was not familiar with Gaelic football, but his grandmother was a Fleming from near Farranfore. He bought the jersey and wore it with pride.
“The atmosphere is so good. Everyone here is so friendly,” Martin, Jimmy’s father, remarked.
Outside the home pub of football in Killarney, The Tatler Jack — the premises of Kerry County Board chairman Patrick O’Sullivan, another Cork man — Gary Moore from Kilshannig was shouting for Kerry.
The atmosphere was a little tighter here: could it be a draw? A replay?
All nerves were settled when a pivotal point by Killian Spillane sent the crowds out into the street in celebrations.
Thousands of people had travelled up for the day and back down, with the high cost and lack of availability of hotels in Dublin driving fans onto every available bus, coach and train.
Massive crowds were expected back in Kerry on Sunday night to celebrate Kerry’s 38th win in style. A major logisitics operation of traffic and safety is already underway in Tralee and Killarney for the team homecoming on Monday.
There will be a departure from tradition, this year, with the team coming home from Dublin by bus, not train.
More than the 10,000 who turned out in 2014 are expected for the traditional parade of the footballers and manager on top of a double-decker bus to the front of the Ashe Memorial Hall with Sam in hand.
There will be no parking on Denny St, Tralee’s main street, from Park Lane to Ashe Hall from 8am on Monday.
All parked cars should be removed from Denny St and around Ashe Hall by 3pm on Monday.
Any cars left parked on Denny St after 3pm will be at risk of being removed, the council said.
In line with tradition, the Kerry team will travel down Boherbee and Castle St, before arriving on stage at the Ashe Memorial Hall on Denny St, Tralee at around 6pm.
The team is due to hit Killarney around 9pm for a massive welcome home party at Fitzgerald’s Stadium, home of the GAA, a departure from the usual Glebe town centre.
Kenmare is likely to be the location of similar celebrations later in the week, with the parish fielding six senior players, more than the big towns of Killarney and Tralee.
On-field captain Sean O’Shea and Stephen O’Brien are members of Kenmare Shamrocks club, while nearby Templenoe has Adrian and Killian Spillane, Tadhg Morley, and Gavin Crowley. Also there is neighbour Donal O’Sullivan from Kilgarvan.
Last night Kenmare was a riot of green and gold with every street and every shop and bar in the town is putting out bunting and flags.
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