Munster Team and its homecoming:
Courtesy of Ray Wallace
To write anything about this Munster Team and its homecoming is almost an impossible feat to do it justice.
Sheets of rain! One very long downpour that lasted all day. Still, we
stood shoulder to shoulder, soaked to the skin, by the majestic
Shannon. Shoulder to shoulder Treaty Stone et all. A red flag hung
appropriately from King Johns Castle reading “The Red Army”. And there,
almost like a mirage, majestically appeared three mounted police men
fronting the open top coach with the European Cup held high. Along the
side of the castle and proudly faced the historic Thomond Bridge. It
seemed a common thread of years gone by with today’s hero’s – our very
own Munster Team. Medieval to Millennium – Proud Munster!! Team &
Supporters Men, Women and Children of Proud Munster. Proudly they
marched over Thomond bridge – Mighty Munster on the move! The heritage
of “There is an Isle” soaked us to our skin as much as did the rain.
Thank God for the rain! Thank God lest others see us macho men with
tears on our cheeks. They marched over Thomond Bridge to the waiting
crowds converged by the Treaty Stone and cheers rang out. A pause by
the stone and our hero’s, Foley, O’Connell, Dowling, Stringer,
O’Callaghan and all the rest beamed the glee of approval at the crowds
of supporters – it was as though the bus was lifted shoulder high as we
galvanised behind it and followed it on down Clancy’s Strand.
Befitting the depth of core pride we all had in our city and this
exceptional band of men, came a deep purring which became deeper and
louder as the moments slipped by – out of the pouring rain high in the
sky overhead the open to coach – there was the Munster Flag holding
aloft the Sikorsky Search & Rescue helicopter and pulling it
through the air over the crowds. It seemed to seek a place to rest but
there was no such room with the swell of pride that emanated from the
ground up. It passed a second time as Limerick & Bunratty Search
& Rescue patrolled the river. We all knew, there and then, there
will never be a moment again the same as this. As Nelson Mandela put
it in his inaugural speech – We serve nobody by being small – Limerick
– Rugby – World Class – Spiritual (Ask the Augustinians or the
Franciscans) from Thomond Bridge to Sarsfield bridge to Henry Street to
O’Connell Street by the Grace of God we are at home, European
Champions! Home to the Sprit of Rugby that is Limerick. WE ARE HUGE
and there is more to come. The mighty rower’s of Shannon and Limerick
boat clubs befittingly saluted The Munster Team and Supporters as it
made its way into raptures of singing and applause into Limerick City
Centre. Champions of Europe, home at last. The raptures of singing and
applause will ring out throughout history. This was a feeling of where
the immortal met the mortal. Where our heavily forefathers smiled on us
gleefully. It is ok to die now. It now belongs to our children and
those that come behind us, to continue with this great tradition – roll
on Mighty Munster!!! The journey has just begun……….
