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Mary Hannigan: Our natural grá for homecomings, no matter how we do

Louise Galvin on motherhood and playing for Kerry; James McCarthy lines out for Ballymun; Elizabeth Ndudi takes gold

Republic of Ireland's Katie McCabe during a public reception at O'Connell Street in Dublin. Photograph: Damien Eagers/PA Wire

Mary Hannigan's face
Mary Hannigan
Fri Aug 11 2023 - 09:52

Good morning,

“It makes me wonder what the reception would be like if we won something,” a bemused Jack Charlton famously noted back in 1988 when he saw the size of the crowds that greeted his Republic of Ireland team in Dublin after they returned from the European Championships.

Charlton would have been forgiven for believing that Ireland was a “nation of event junkies”, writes Johnny Watterson who ponders our “grá for homecomings”, even when there aren’t any actual medals or trophies aboard the open-top bus.

Kerry will hope that they’ll be accompanied by the Brendan Martin Cup when they have their homecoming after Sunday’s All Ireland football final, Gordon Manning assessing their prospects of ending a 30-year wait since their last title. And Joanne O’Riordan writes about what has already been a “whirlwind season” for Kerry.

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Louise Galvin already deserves a medal now that she’s combining motherhood with playing for Kerry. Cliona Foley talks to the midfielder as well as Caoimhe Harvey, who will play in Sunday’s intermediate final, the Clare woman who returned to action last year just a fortnight after having a baby. Athlete-mothers, writes Cliona, are “logistical ninjas”.

Also in Gaelic games, Gordon was in Donnycarney on Wednesday night to see James McCarthy line out for Ballymun just 10 days after captaining Dublin to their All Ireland triumph, despite his ankles being “as supple as the rigid legs on a walnut coffee table”. He was one of several Dubs who returned to club action this week, “back down the mine, endlessly digging for gold”.

Speaking of gold: take a bow, Elizabeth Ndudi. On Thursday, the long jumper became the first Irish athlete to win a field gold in the 53-year history of the European Under-20 Championships. Ian O’Riordan writes about her success in Jerusalem, and also profiles the young Dubliner for whom the sky would now appear to be the limit.

Sonia O’Sullivan, meanwhile, looks ahead to next week’s World Athletics Championships to which Ireland is sending its largest ever team (24), among them Ciara Mageean and Rhasidat Adeleke who Sonia believes offer our best medal hopes.

Katie George Dunlevy has so many medals now she must be losing count, the cyclist adding another gold to her collection when she teamed up with Linda Kelly to win the tandem time trial at the World Paracycling Championships in Glasgow. And Shane Stokes tells us she’s not done yet – she’s back in action tomorrow for the road race.

When he returns from France in October, Cian Healy will hope to have a medal draped around his neck too, the 35-year-old currently limbering up for his fourth World Cup campaign. And Johnny Watterson, who talks to Healy, will hope he’ll be writing about a homecoming that features the Webb Ellis Cup at the front of the open-top bus. The latest edition of our rugby newsletter, The Counter Ruck, will be published this afternoon. Sign up here to ensure you don’t miss anything from France.

Telly watch: There’s a good chance you’ll never leave your TV today. Deep breath: after watching this morning’s quarter-finals at the World Cup, your menu for the rest of the day includes the Women’s Open (Sky Sports Golf, 11am-6.0) and St Jude Championship (Sky Sports Golf, 6.0-11.0), the Dublin Horse Show (RTÉ 2, 1.45-6.0), St Patrick’s Athletic v Bohemians (RTÉ 2 7.45) and Burnley v Manchester City in the opening game of the Premier League season (Sky Sports PL, 8.0). Try to find time to walk the dog.