Gaelic Games

Limerick gets ready for ‘spectacular’ All-Ireland homecoming

All 40,000 tickets for the event at the Gaelic Grounds on Monday have sold out

Limerick team members celebrate their victory in the GAA All-Ireland senior hurling final, Croke Park, Dublin. Photograph: ©INPHO/James Crombie

David Raleigh
Mon Aug 20 2018 - 14:58

The ticketed homecoming event planned for the newly crowned All-Ireland hurling champions Limerick on Monday evening has sold out.

The event, which will celebrate the county’s first win in the hurling championship in 45 years, will get under way at the city’s Gaelic Grounds from 4pm.

Organisers have advised people not to arrive at the Ennis Road sportsground if they do not have a ticket.

Forty-thousand tickets have been snapped up after being released through www.eventbrite.ie. The tickets were free.

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Organiser Joe Clarke, of event management company CWB, said: "The homecoming celebrations at the Gaelic Grounds is entirely sold out. The 40,000 tickets are gone.

“We could have sold it out 10 times. It’s going to be a spectacular show.

“The entertainment kicks off at 4pm and we’ll go on until it’s late.”

Local music legend Denis Allen is to appear on a specially built concert stage with the champions to sing what will be a rousing version of his 1979 number one hit Limerick, You're A Lady.

Shortly after its release, the song became a hurling anthem Shannonside, and it can finally be sung with deserved gusto as the county welcomes Liam MacCarthy back to Limerick.

“Limerick City and County Council and Limerick GAA are encouraging supporters to get to the stadium as early as possible to soak up the atmosphere,” said a council spokesman.

Award-winning Irish group Beoga, fronted by Limerick woman Niamh Dunne, will get the party started before The Blizzards continue the entertainment.

Health and safety

In the interests of health and safety the last admittance to the Gaelic Grounds for supporters will be 6.30pm.

The squad are expected to arrive at the stadium between 7pm-7.30pm .

“There will be widespread traffic restrictions around the Gaelic Grounds. Supporters planning on going to the homecoming are urged to use public transport or park in the city centre and walk the short distance to the Gaelic Grounds.

“There is no parking available at the grounds,” the council spokesman said.

Bus Éireann is to provide additional frequency on the city’s network to cater for the expected crowd.

The team will arrive into Colbert Station on the 5.40pm train from Dublin.

From there they will travel through the city in an open-top bus with the Liam MacCarthy Cup, before making their way to the homecoming ceremony at the stadium.

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