What will it take for GAA to suitably tackle brawl culture?

On Monday evening just past, probably after a few of them would have seen footage of a brawl below in Kerry on their Twitter feed on their way out the door, the 2018 Clare senior county hurling champions Ballyea returned to the Local Inn, where for the second consecutive night they were welcomed by a special constituency of people.

On the Sunday evening, it was their own neighbours and families congregated outside the village green and bar that came out to salute them. From children like my own two decked out in their black-and-amber jerseys, thinking that between this team and their sister club Clondegad in football that every October there’s a county final homecoming, just as every December there’s Santa; to men in their 60s, as Tony Kelly’s father Donal turned last weekend, who not that long ago would have settled for just one October as glorious and joyous as this.

On the Monday, the gathering in the Local Inn was a smaller, more sedate affair but no less heartwarming or life-affirming.