It’s just all business when you reach the other capital

Everything is different in Dublin. When you’re in Thurles, part of the attraction is that the whole town seems to have been built for the games. You nearly feel special.

When you reach Dublin, however, the influx of provincial folk barely makes a ripple. You nearly feel cold. It also makes it much more tense.

The sense of occasion is replaced with a sense of dread, a fear of the finality of it all. It’s not just the place though. The hurling is different too. It’s just all business when you reach the other capital.