Thousands turn out in Kerry to welcome All-Ireland champions home

Kerry captain Niamh Carmody at the team homecoming in Killarney on Monday night. Picture: Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD.

Thousands gathered across Kerry to welcome the victorious Kerry Ladies home to the Kingdom on Monday evening, with a large crowd packed into the Glebe Car Park for the official home coming in Killarney.

Speaking on stage joint manager Darragh Long was blown away by the crowd gathered in Killarney. “This is amazing. I don’t think we expected this, we are very humbled. These girls are fantastic role models, everything we have done over the last couple of years is down to them, myself and Dec just pointed the ship in one direction and these girls put the wind in its sails."

Long and his partner in crime Declan Quill remained tight lipped when asked about their future. 

“Tonight is about this group, it’s about what they have done for their county, 31 years is a long bloody time girls and boys, this group showed that dreams do come true."

Quill meanwhile spoke about the decision to stay centred mainly around the squad. 

“It’s hard to walk away from a bunch of girls that are so brilliant at everything they do, we know we weren’t far away, it’s just a privilege to be with this group of girls. They are role models and yesterday they got their just desserts, and got their reward. Brendan Martin’s home and we’re not letting it go.” 

Kerry captain Niamh Carmody also took the stage and heaped praise on the crowd in Killarney. “This is just phenomenal, we probably weren’t expecting this much of a crowd. This is just phenomenal and thank ye so much for coming out.” Carmody also reflected on the pain of losing two finals in succession prior to getting over the line on Sunday.

“The lows of the last two years was just such a tough situation to be in. Especially more so losing to Dublin last year. When we came back in December training, everyone put the shoulder to the wheel, we trained really hard and this is where it’s ended up.” 

One of the biggest cheers of the night went to the Kerry stalwart Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh as she was presented on stage. A player well known across the county and indeed the country, the West Kerry native was asked about the sacrifices players have to go through to play at this level, including Emma Costello and Louise Galvin who are currently expecting.

“Obviously we would love to have Emma Costello and Louise Galvin, they’ve very special moments ahead of them and we are very excited for them as a group as well. We are exactly the same as the men, we have the same training sessions and all that, and we put our lives on hold and we wouldn’t change that for the world on days like today, bringing the Brendan Martin home to the Kingdom of Kerry.”