Tradition is part of the big match day

DAYS like All-Ireland final Sunday don’t come by very often for most people.

They have been few and far between for most hurling fans, Limerick in recent years and Kilkenny in the few years previous being the obvious exceptions.

Both got another day out on Sunday.

Being from Tipperary originally, our big rivalry was with Kilkenny in the last 20 years, but I have to admit shouting for the Cats on this occasion.

It would have been quite something to stop the four-in-a-row. But, credit where it’s due, Limerick 100% deserved the win.

As they say, ‘nothing beats being there’ though, and everyone loves a match day, regardless of whether there is silverware on the line or not.

It got me thinking about when I started going to inter-county games as a young child. I’d always go with my family, even as I got older. Depending on who was available it could be my dad, mam, sister, uncles, grandad, aunts, cousins, and sometimes friends would tag along (generally not all in the same vehicle).

Match days are special. Everyone has their own traditions. We had specific rituals depending on the ground we were going to.

Those of us travelling together would meet in my grandparents’ house when we were young. My grandad would come to the games, a Tipp man, and my granny, a Limerick woman who always had a Limerick flag out the front of the house, would have sandwiches made for all of us, specific to all of our particular tastes.

We’d load up in the car, but before we hit the road, Granny would insist on dousing the car in holy water.

If it were to Semple Stadium in Thurles we were going, we would park in the field by Dr Morris Park and stroll over to the stadium. After the game we’d go down to the square for a drink, get some chips, and head off home.

In Limerick, we’d park in the city centre (‘could we park any further away?’ was always the argument had) and we would walk out to the Gaelic Grounds, stopping en route in the Woodfield.

I always enjoyed a trip to Cork because it was a bit further from home, so we’d be gone all day. We’d park in Blackrock GAA club — before they had a second pitch — and head into the clubhouse for a drink.

Grandad would, without fail, get me a ginger ale and packet of cheese and onion Taytos. Afterwards, we’d stop in Wimpy in Fermoy for a snack box.

Croker was the really big day out. We’d be up at the crack of dawn, all meet at the grandparents’ house, and set off for Dublin. Ritual dictated we would park at the top of Jones’ Rd on the grounds of St Patrick’s College. Myself and my friend or sister would be sent down to the nearest shop for some fizzy drinks for everyone and we’d sit around the carpark with our sandwiches, chatting to other supporters as they passed.

Walking out of the carpark you’d get swept away in the sea of county colours all the way down Jones’ Rd on the way into the stadium. As we got older, some of us would head off to the Big Tree for a pre-game pint.

As I mentioned, I started going to games as a child. Things have changed since then. I don’t live near home anymore so if I’m going to a game I usually make my own way — and my own sandwiches!

Even throughout my years of living at home my match day experience changed. Motorways to Cork and Dublin weren’t all there when I was young, and traffic could get hectic. We went from Granny making our sandwiches, to our Mam making them, to us making them ourselves.

I went from being allowed in the pub as a child with my ginger ale and crisps, to being banned from premises as an under 18 after 9pm, to having a pint before games and going out after them.

Another of the changes was the calendar. All-Ireland final Sunday used to be the night before the new term of college began. When we were younger, we’d have school the next day — there was definitely no bedtime that night. It seems strange that July isn’t over yet, but the biggest game of the year is.

It’s hugely impressive what Limerick have done in their four-in-a-row this year, but it’s time to give other counties the All-Ireland final day experience once again.