Rathmore Railway Station in Kerry was not the final destination for the newly-crowned All-Ireland champions on Monday. However, in keeping with tradition, the Kerry footballers stopped off there.
Fog horns blasted and roars of approval sounded as it was announced that the team’s train was pulling into the station.
The first two people on the platform were local heroes – Kerry goalkeeper Shane Ryan and wing back Paul Murphy.
Deafening cheers rang out and a sea of green and gold flags were raised as the team and management – wearing biscuit-coloured polo shirts – lined out for the crowd.
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“We are tired and a bit shook after the night but you have lifted our spirits,” manager Jack O’Connor told the crowd of several hundred who assembled from east Kerry and Sliabh Luachra.
The Rathmore contribution to Kerry football “goes back a long way”, O’Connor said. He recalled past victories with Declan O’Keeffe on the team of 2000, as well as Tom O’Sullivan and Aidan O’Mahony in the great Kerry team of the 2000s.
“This club has made a massive contribution to Kerry football and long may it continue,” he said.
Goalkeeper Ryan said both he and Murphy were indebted to everyone who had supported them in Rathmore.
It brought great joy to see all the young people and plenty of goalkeeper jerseys, he said, referring to the children in attendance.
Murphy recalled how, as a young boy, he welcomed O’Sullivan and O’Mahony home 19 years ago. He then spoke of his belief that some of the children present for the team of 2025 would star for Kerry in the future.
Football expertise is nurtured young in Kerry, as Patrick McDonnell from Rathmore shows. He may only be seven and in first class, but his football knowledge is already very impressive. Not only can he name the entire Kerry team by name, he correctly predicted Gavin White as man of the match. Patrick was also able to name all the Donegal players from Sunday’s final.
Rathmore’s claim to fame is about more than producing great footballers. Last Saturday night, the club’s bingo machine correctly predicted the 10-point winning margin for the Kingdom.
There was a busy trade in “25 KY Sam” number plates. At €5 each , the county board-produced plates were for a good cause. The funds are going towards the Kerry team holiday, as was announced by MC and chair of Rathmore GAA, Kieran O’Keeffe.
He thanked Irish Rail for continuing with the customary Rathmore stop on the victors’ way through Kerry.
The team received a massive cheer as the train pulled away following the 20-minute stop-off. The rain started on the way to Tralee but it didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits.
Led by a garda car, the Kerry players – now soaked to the skin – was paraded on an open-top bus through Tralee, as per tradition. Thousands of people came out to welcome them. Supporters gathered along Castle Street and packed out Denny Street all the way to the Ashe Memorial Hall. There, the players were introduced one by one to huge cheers.
Waiting in Tralee to welcome home Sam Maguire was Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley. Mayor of Tralee, Terry O’Brien, was also in attendance to celebrate the newly-crowned champions.
“Jack is going for President of Ireland – and we’d be in safe hands,” said O’Brien of the Kerry manager. His remark was greeted with warm approval from the crowd.
A special roar of welcome was reserved for local Austin Stacks hero Joe O’Connor.
Meanwhile, in Killarney, home of the Clifford brothers, David and Paudie, and team captain Gavin White, one of the town’s big car parks was cordoned off. The team made their way by open-top bus from Fitzgerald Stadium to the Glebe where huge crowds gathered.
