The Irish in the AFL have never had a season like this

In July three Irish players played together for the first time, Geelong’s Zach Tuohy, Mark O’Connor and Oisin Mullin. The same day Tuohy broke Stynes' long-standing Irish AFL appearance record. 

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - JULY 23: Callum Brown of the Giants celebrates a goal during the round 19 AFL match between Greater Western Sydney Giants and Gold Coast Suns at Manuka Oval, on July 23, 2023, in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/AFL Photos/via Getty Images )

Before Limerick’s triumphant four-in-a-row, former Kilkenny minor All-Ireland winning captain Darragh Joyce took a moment and looked around him. The Brisbane Lions defender is one of 11 Irish players currently in the AFL. He realised they had subtly scaled a new peak.

His heart would be in Croke Park, yearning as Kilkenny’s challenge came up short. His head was coming to terms with a new Australian reality. One where ‘the Irish experiment’ is dead.