Test 1 - International Rules 2011

Action from Limerick last year

There isn't much excitement or hype around the International Rules this year. The media spotlight has mostly been focused on the Presidential election and the recent flooding. Also the Dubs aren't ready to move to the next challenge. They still want to bask in their All-Ireland victory. Last year, the failure to generate hype could be partially blamed on the fact that the Daily Mail was the official sponsor. Obviously other newspapers aren't eager to put a competitor's logo on the front page. What's the problem this year?

All-Ireland Final Preview

Sam is headed back to Kerry.

It all comes down to this. Dublin. Kerry. 70 minutes for a lifetime of glory. The buzz from Dunquin to Dublin is second to none. The banter and the predictions are everywhere - who's going to stop The Gooch, Cluxton's kickouts will be the difference, Kerry's experience will see them through and on and on. Today is my favourite day of the year.

In All-Ireland Finals, poise and polish win the day and Kerry have both in droves. Kerry have been to the Final in 9 of the past 12 years. They know what it takes.

A Mother's Love...for Tickets

by guest author Maria Shanahan

3 days before the match, Dublin is enjoying its own mini Indian Summer while the rain is threatening ruin on the Listowel Races. My mother is walking around Dun Laoghaire with a Kerry scarf around her neck, a stash of All Ireland tickets in her handbag, and casting furtively suspicious looks at anyone who walks too close to her. You could leave them in your safe at home, I point out helpfully. “They’re safer on me than in the house! What if we got burgled?!”, she scoffs, completely rational.

My formidable mother has hunted and gathered no less than 7 tickets this year, 2011, the Kerry Dublin final for which we anticipated all manner of beg, borrow, stealing and little reward. Now that (mum‘s) hard work is done we can abandon the usual annual anxiety and look forward to the match. A rare luxury for this family, and one that doesn’t sit too well.

All-Ireland Ticket Madness

2 tickets in exchange for your soul

I've been far too busy to post to the blog. What have I been doing you ask? I've been scouring the island trying to find a ticket to the All-Ireland Final. I haven't slept in days and haven't bathed in weeks. However my quest is over. I'll be going to the Final.

In truth, I did nothing but enquire meekly around my work. Despite this sorry effort a wonderful Kerry supporter took pity on me and yet again will be bringing me to the Final. As a group of four tickets sold for nearly 2 grand as mentioned here, I wonder how I'll ever pay her back.