All-Ireland hurling finalists won’t stay overnight in Dublin hotel for first time this year

Fiona Frawley

Sure who could afford it?

Neither Limerick or Kilkenny are staying in Dublin this Sunday, All-Ireland hurling final night, in a notable break from tradition.

The Citywest and the Clayton, formerly the Burlington, have been staples of All-Ireland final nights on years gone by, with The Sunday Game generally broadcasting from the winning team’s hotel.

It is not yet clear if that feature will continue this year, with Limerick heading to Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel and Spa in Adare while, over in Kilkenny, the team are heading home to Langton’s first, before staying the night in the River Court hotel just down the road.

Looking back at the aftermath of last year’s All-Ireland camogie final, Marty Morrissey and co. did head Noreside, with Katie Nolan named as player-of-the-match to jubilant scenes at the team banquet.

Speaking on KCLR, Kilkenny GAA PRO Paul Fitzgerald explained that a ‘number of factors’ led to Kilkenny’s decision to return home.

Chief among them is the fact that, with Kilkenny hurling and camogie teams generally heading to the Citywest after their finals, the Saggart venue is out of action this year seeing as it is being used to accommodate Ukrainian refugees.

“We have a wonderful relationship with the Citywest Hotel but that option is no longer available,” said Fitzgerald.

The fact that Kilkenny player Cillian Buckley’s wedding takes place the day before the game may also be a factor in the team returning home, while the rising cost and low availability of hotel rooms in the capital are also reported by the Irish Examiner as having played a part.

Meanwhile, from a Limerick perspective, the team are set to board a train in Heuston Station at 8.00 on Sunday night and plan to be back in Limerick city by 10.00 for a team home-coming.

As a knock-on-effect of the team’s decision to return home, it means that there will be no visit to the Children’s Hospital in Crumlin, something which has been a routine in years gone by.