Limerick have got their just reward, says Barrett

Even Daniel O’Connell was celebrating on Friday night when a Mervue United winner sent Limerick FC back to the Premier Division for the first time since 1994.

The O’Connell monument at the Crescent in Limerick City centre bore a scarf and a cape celebrating the Super Blues triumph on Friday night, and it was still keeping the famous nationalist warm against the October rain and wind on Sunday evening, as the victory was still only setting in.

It’s a moment the club’s head of youth development, Tommy Barrett has been waiting to see for a long time. Barrett, a former Limerick player and FAI Development Officer who rejoined the club after retiring from playing in July, says promotion is a just reward for the years of disappointment Limerick fans have endured in the past 20 years.

“There’s a good core of a few hundred who have stuck through thick and thin for years, and I think they’ve been partying all week and will be partying this Saturday again,” he said.

“It’s great for them, and there’s been such an outpouring of emotions for the last few days. I’m especially thrilled for the guys who have been involved in the club for the last 30 years, the likes of Michael O’Sullivan, who kept the club running. He deserves a mention because he kept this club going when it was on its knees.”

And while there will be celebration in the days and weeks ahead, Barrett says the club have major ambitions to make Limerick FC a team not just for a city, but for a whole region. “I think it’ll be a huge boost for the city and the region, in general, considering there’s Clare and Tipperary, as well as parts of Cork and Kerry untouched, so I think we have to see that this is for the whole region.

“We have to be careful. We want to become an elite club, without being elitist. This will help us get more kids involved. If you look at our U19 team now, we have youngsters from Moyross, from Weston and other parts of the city. They’re integrating with lads from Tipperary, from Cork and down around Kerry, in Castleisland, and we’ve a lot of lads from Ennis.

“So it’s really about integrating lads from the region, it doesn’t matter where they’re from.”

Limerick FC can also take advantage of a vibrant junior soccer scene in the city, and Barrett stresses the importance of combining the historical successes of junior clubs with a Premier Division side intent on growing further.

“Junior soccer has been so strong, but now young lads can push themselves on and think about playing in the Airtricity League.”