Bertie upstaged by Sam in the Kingdom

NEVER one to pass up a good photo opportunity, true blue Dub Bertie Ahern grasped the Sam Maguire Cup with both hands when he visited Kerry yesterday.

“Ah, it’s nice to see it. Mightn’t see it again for another year,” he said.

The Taoiseach, acknowledging that he was “not the most important visitor” to Kerry this week, said it was a pleasure to be following Sam into the Kingdom following the county’s All-Ireland success.

He was in Tralee to officially open an Education Centre, where more than 1,600 primary- and second-level teachers attend professional courses.

Given the downpour, it was also apt that he should open a e1.8m all-weather playing pitch and other facilities at the Institute of Technology, Tralee. However, the appearance of Sam Maguire and some GAA personalities grabbed most of the attention.

FF’s general election candidates in Kerry North, Thomas McEllistrim, TD, and Councillor Norma Foley, marked the Taoiseach as closely as the Kerry backs policed the Mayo forwards. Everywhere he went, the candidates stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him.