Jack Anderson: There’s no such thing as a Limerick ex-pat for this All-Ireland, we all are at a distance

The connection to home that the GAA and its games give ex-patriates is wired into us far deeper than any network or broadcaster could ever hope to match

GAA training in full swing on a summer’s evening at Victoria GAA Club in Melbourne, Australia. The All-Ireland hurling final throws in at 2.30am on Monday December 14 — an ungodly hour but one that won’t be missed.

Last Sunday, after more than six weeks without a coronavirus case in either Melbourne or Victoria, it was announced that from midnight, Covid-related social restrictions would be eased further in both city and state.

Outdoor public gatherings can now have crowds of 100. Whereas previously wearing a mask was the default option if you stepped outside the door, now it is the opposite. Apart from public transport and some indoor retail settings, you do not have to cover up.