At Grand Parade homecoming, Cork heroes ‘inspire new generation’

The 2026 All-Ireland senior camogie champions were welcomed home to Leeside by thousands of fans on Monday evening — and there was no telling how many future stars were in the crowd.

The Rebels defeated Galway 2-14 to 0-19 in the final at Croke Park on Sunday.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin thanked the players for the lift they had given both city and county, and told them their victory would inspire generations to come.

There were close to 5,000 people on the Grand Parade, but some savvy supporters got a much closer encounter earlier in the day. Dozens of fans, many of them young girls, gathered at Kent Station to greet their heroes as they stepped off the train, with some getting the chance to shake hands and chat with the players.

Four-year-old Margot O’Hanlon from Cobh was waiting at the station with her dad. She said she was a big Cork fan, and her favourite player is Ashling Thompson.

Decked out in red and white, eight-year-old Seoige Lynch said she had jumped around when Cork won the final and was really looking forward to giving the team a big cheer.

Eve Keating, 12, was there with her sisters Nicole, 6, and Simone, 10, and their friend Ella-Rae Flaherty, 12.

Simone and Eve had been in Croke Park for Sunday's final and chimed in unison that Cork’s victory had been “amazing”.

The sight of Cork captain Méabh Cahalane carrying the O'Duffy Cup brought cheers and applause from the fans, and the team was greeted with hugs and tears.

“Forget the 2 Johnnies, we got the Two Amys,” read Róisín O’Connor’s hand-drawn sign. 

The 10-year-old northsider positioned herself by the door of the open-top bus, gathering autographs from the delighted players as they boarded.

The bus was driven by Rathcormac man Kevin Murphy, whose daughters Chloe, 14, and Mia, 11, play for Bride Rovers and had snuck onto the bus.

'Simply the best'

By the time the open-top bus reached the Grand Parade, the atmosphere was electric. The players danced on the upper deck, singing along as the crowd drowned out Tina Turner, bellowing: “You’re simply the best”.

Nobody was there to hear speeches — not from the dignitaries anyway, who decided it was best to keep their comments brief.

Lord Mayor of Cork Damian Boylan confessed that he barely had any fingernails left after the match.

Fngernails or not, he had the crowd eating out of his hand with the phrase “All-Ireland champions”.

“We went to Croke Park yesterday believing that these ladies would deliver, and by God did they deliver,” he said as the sea of red and white erupted in applause.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin had the blissful look of a man who could finally say he had seen Cork win an All-Ireland on his watch.

He thanked the players for all they had given both city and county, and paid tribute to captain Méabh Cahalane for her leadership, her sister Órlaith for her extraordinary goal, and their family for their commitment to Gaelic games down the years.

Praising the team for their sacrifice and hard work, he said their victory would inspire generations to come.

“To all the young children and young people here, if you practice and train as hard as all the players here this evening on the platform have done, you too will be up here some day as All-Ireland champions in your time in your generation,” he said.

County mayor Bernard Moynihan got a polite welcome until he said that a lot of things in life can be bought — “but not an All-Ireland medal”. That got a mighty roar of approval, and he barely needed to explain that those trophies can only be won on the field of play.

One of the biggest cheer of the evening— for the male speakers anyway — went to Bishop Emeritus John Buckley.

“I often say,” he mused, “if you want a job done, ask a woman.

“If you want someone to talk about it, ask a man.”