Heads held high: Carlow hurlers honoured at emotional homecoming

The home coming on Saturday for the defeated Joe McDonagh Cup Carlow team outside the Town Hall turned out to be an uplifting occasion for players, the back room team and the small but enthusiastic crowd who turned up to welcome the senior hurlers back to Carlow.

Irish singer and songwriter, Dave O’Neill set the tone on the stage with his rendition of some well-known folk songs before Brendan Hennessy took over to welcome the players onto the stage.

In his own inimitable way, Hennessy, who is best known for his KCLR commentaries, made tribute to all the players as they took to the stage. Not forgotten was the manager, Pat Bennett, and his back-room team who were all given special mention by the Master of Ceremonies. It was heart-warming movement from the commentator who holds a unique position in not just the promotion of Carlow GAA but across all strands of sport in the county.

Both the Carlow County Board Chairman, John McDonald and Fianna Fail TD, Jennifer Murnane, paid tribute to the entire Carlow panel and the supporters.

Carlow captain, Chris Nolan, was clearly still hurting from the disappointment of the loss but he put a brave face on it.

“It is not the speech I had planned or wanted to say. I have a couple of thank you. I want to thank everybody who travelled up to Croke Park today. The support up there was unbelievable. We wish we could have given you more to shout about,” said the Mount Leinster Rangers man.

“Looking down there now, I see a fella (Skippy Kelly) who travelled 24 hours to be back from Australia to a game.

“So the support, it means so much to us. As well as the people in Croke Park but the people who showed up here tonight, that means more to us than you know. You follow us in tough times and in good times. So thanks very much for following us there.” Pat Bennett, the Carlow manager, alluded to the bond which cements the players to the followers who travel to all the games.

“If you see what they have to go through every week for the last seven months. These guys train for five nights a week. Anybody who does that, they need the support from you. To be honest, you are brilliant. Up in Ballycran which is not an easy place to go, in the field afterwards we beat Down the crowd of supporters were unbelievable. They really love that. You need to give them that support,” he said and urged the players and the supporters to keep the day in context.

“I told them they could walk out of Croke Park with their heads held high. They are a great bunch of guys and they represent you unbelievably.

“Carlow going forward, you are really in a good place. They are unbelievable. They have given it everything. Today it didn’t turn out. It didn’t go the way we wanted but that is life. I guarantee these lads will be back.”