Cork team homecoming may be different ‘to what we’re used to’

As the countdown continues to the All-Ireland hurling final, talks are ongoing about the possibilities for a fan zone to watch Cork take on Clare on the big screen, as well as a homecoming event — win or lose — on the Monday after the Rebels’ decider rematch with the Banner County.

The city’s Lord Mayor, Dan Boyle, told The Echo that issues such as the likely cost and how it would be borne, as well as stewarding — which is very often carried out by volunteers — were all being discussed in negotiations involving the city council, the Cork County GAA Board, and An Garda Síochána.

Mr Boyle said he hoped there would be an update regarding arrangements for a big-screen fan zone, as well as the homecoming event, by the end of this week.

“Early decisions have to be made because, at the end of the day, you need a period of run-in to put in place whatever you do agree, so I think that requires a fairly firm decision by the end of this week.”

Due to ongoing works on Patrick St and elsewhere in the city centre, the Lord Mayor suggested that SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh might be a more logical venue for All-Ireland final-related events.

Fellow councillor Peter Horgan welcomed the implementation of suggestions he had made for City Hall to be illuminated in Rebel red until the day of the homecoming, as well as the flying of the county flag.

“The match was on Sunday, this is Wednesday, the city council didn’t say no and that’s positive as there was a bit of scepticism in some quarters that they would say no for health and safety, they haven’t, they are engaging positively on the matter and it is an issue for the executive to handle,” he said.

He also pointed out that the homecoming might be somewhat different to what has happened when Cork teams, whether they had won or lost a final, returned home to the city on previous occasions.

“We have to acknowledge that there’s a lot of roadworks and footpath work happening in the city centre at the moment, so maybe that doesn’t bode well for it to be a city-centre homecoming, perhaps,” he said.

“It might be a different homecoming to what we’re used to, when the streets of Cork were thronged and people chasing the open-top bus, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad homecoming.”

The Labour Party councillor also noted that the Cork County Board were upping their preparations for a final appearance that had seemed unlikely after Cork lost their first two games in the Munster Championship.

He pointed to the One Cork ‘warm-up’ event geared towards the corporate sector to be held in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh next Wednesday.

This event, for which tables of 10 to 12 guests are for sale starting at €2,500, will include a drinks reception, a four-course meal, and an appearance by Cork legend and dual code All-Ireland winner Jimmy Barry Murphy, as well as other All Stars, has been billed as a fundraiser for “team development”.

Cork County Board officials have previously pointed to the escalating costs of preparing inter-county teams to compete for championships.

While Cork GAA has sponsorship from Sports Direct, the Rebel County — along with other county boards across the country — have looked on in envy at the support Limerick GAA enjoys from billionaire JP McManus.