They say all roads lead to Rome but for one Italian family, there’s only one place to be this weekend and that’s Croke Park, where they hope to see their beloved Cork win the Liam McCarthy Cup for the first time in almost two decades.
For Riccardo and Cristina Rinaldi, and their son Roberto (22), the love affair with Cork GAA began when they saw Gaelic football on television during a visit to west Cork in 2009. Since then they have become fervent supporters of the Blood and Bandage in both hurling and football.
They were in Croke Park in 2009 when Kerry beat Cork in the football, back again in 2010 when the Cork footballers beat Down to win the Sam Maguire and they also came over in 2013 to see Cork lose to Clare in the hurling.
Speaking from his home in Mantua – or Mantova as it known by locals in Lombardy – Riccardo said was he was looking forward to cheering “forza ribelli” (let’s go rebels) at the weekend, which kicked off for the family when they flew into Dublin Airport on Friday.
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“We have been following the championship all summer – I was very disappointed after the Waterford match and they played a little better against Clare – I was only able to watch the Limerick game on replay because we have visitors but that was a thrilling win,” he said.
“Then my hopes diminished after the Offaly and Dublin games, so I was very cautious before the semi-final two weeks ago. I was pleasantly surprised when they beat Limerick again – I think everyone was. It was a tough match, but Cork deserved to win it in the end.”
Riccardo was a big fan of the late Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh and recalled seeing the hugely popular sports broadcaster dance a jig to mark his retirement after Cork won the 2010 All-Ireland. He said that “everyone will miss him – he’s a great loss”.
“I loved his commentary, and I also saw his video on how to make a sandwich for the game – he even made making a sandwich something pleasant to watch and listen to. I think he embodied Ireland more than many other people. I would really have loved to have shaken his hand.”
A chemical engineer, Riccardo acknowledges his passion for Gaelic games is viewed with more than a little bemused curiosity by his work colleagues and friends but he’s unapologetic, saying he now prefers hurling and football to soccer despite being a Fiorentina fan since childhood.
“I don’t think there is a person in Mantova who hasn’t been bored to death by my stories of Cork football and hurling,” he jokes.
As for soccer, Riccardo recalled that back in 2021, he sent text messages to his friend in the Cork County Board, then chair Tracey Kennedy and her predecessor, Ger Lane, saying he would have traded Italy’s win in the 2020 Euros for Cork winning the All-Ireland.
“I said before the 2021 All-Ireland that I would trade Italia winning the Euros for a Cork win and I’m still of the same opinion and I’ve played my part because I have kept my side of the deal when we lost in Germany last month [in Euro 2024] so it’s up to Cork now to make good on the promise,” he said.
“I’m confident for Cork – I am not going any further than that, but I think we have a chance even though I’m still having my Shane O’Donnell nightmares from 2013 when he scored three goals against us. If [Cork] play the same as they played against Limerick, they have a real chance.”
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