Listen up! Flanery the pick of our sporting tweeters
Jerry Flannery is our choice as Limerick's top sports tweeter
Steven Miller, or rather @steven_miller12 to give him his Twitter handle, compiles a list of Limerick’s best sports tweeters
The twitter revolution has taken the Irish sports scene by storm over the past 12 months and in Limerick it’s no different.
In a county where so many sports jostle for our attention, Twitter is just the same. You can ‘follow’ all the top local names in all the sports - from Munster rugby captain Paul O’Connell to Limerick hurling captain Gavin O’Mahony. From former Limerick footballer Muiris Gavin to tennis star Conor Niland. From world boxing hopeful Andy Lee to BBC soccer commentator Conor McNamara.
Some sports are quicker to adapt than others and some teams are more prominent on Twitter than others. A lot of the Munster rugby players are there but there’s hardly any of the Na Piarsaigh or Effin hurlers. The Kilmallock hurlers, however, are on Twitter in considerable numbers, as are a good few of the Monaleen footballers.
Some of the clubs have accounts that they use to send out results and score updates. Adare, Patrickswell and Claughaun are three of the local GAA clubs you can follow, Pike Rovers are the most high-profile soccer club. But our favourites are Young Munster and Shannon RFC.
They give blow-by-blow accounts of their games which provide wonderful entertainment. Utterly biased, and extremely exciteable, it’s a fun way to follow a match. “Scrum for us, in their 22, we need a score here,” is a typical example. Watching a game live, that is also being tweeted by someone like Shannon RFC PRO Andrew McNamara from the roof of the clubhouse in Coonagh, is also an enjoyable experience.
For those who aren’t familiar with the concept, here’s a quick Twitter lesson. You have a profile, like Facebook, or any other social media website.
You can follow people and be followed. The famous people follow a small number and are followed by thousands. The rest of us ordinary folk tend to follow a lot more than we have following us. Paul O’Connell, for example, follows 91 people but has over 46,000 following him. I follow 667 different people but have 335 followers. I must add that I’m very proud of that number even if I’d like to see it increase substantially.
If someone decides to have something to say, they tweet it (in less than 140 characters) and all their followers can see it.You also have the option of sending a tweet to other people that everyone can see.
So you can send a message to an Andy Lee or a Jerry Flannery and if they’re suitably impressed, they might send you one back. Securing a tweet from a celebrity is always worth boasting about among your friends.
It’s also interesting to see the banter between the high-profile names and their opinions on matters you’d never think they’d be interested in. Flannery, for example, had quite a lot to say on the Irish presidential election while you’d be amazed at the amount of Limerick hurlers enthralled by American football.
Given the recent move towards the site, we’ve decided to compile the list of our 20 favourite local tweeters. And we’re not afraid to be bold either. Despite having all those followers, despite being Munster, Ireland and Lions captain, Paul O’Connell doesn’t make our list.
He simply doesn’t have enough to say. Instead we’ve gone for some of his current team-mates, a couple of his old ones, a local author, a boxer, a few supporters and - arguably the biggest call of all - a Tipperary hurler..
We’ve no doubt you won’t agree with our list but then again, when did these things ever meet with unanimous support?
1 Jerry Flannery - @jerryflannery
Flannery might be injured at the moment but his twitter account ensures we certainly won’t forget about him. Sometimes he’s slagging his team-mates, sometimes he’s promoting his pub but he’s always entertaining. Can be hilarious and can be outrageous. Nobody else out there is more worthy of a follow. First by some distance
Sample tweet: John Hayes on @todayfm now, I’d say it’s the longest conversation I’ve heard him have in over ten years
2. Henry Martin @HENRYMARTIN1
Martin has written two books on Limerick hurling, one on his club Galbally and is a regular on the An Fear Rua website. Twitter is his latest platform. Always thought-provoking, even if you don’t agree with him all the time
Sample tweet: Thomond Park was once a place of tension, unbridled passion and raw emotion. Totally Dead since AB game 08. Have fallen out of love with it
3. Gavin O’Mahony @GAVINOM6
Limerick’s hurling captain in 2011, O’Mahony is well able for the banter online. Sticking it to Joey Barton was one of his better moments
Sample tweet: Thierrs on his way back to the gunners #ReelingInTheYears hope he brings his #VaVaVoom
4. Sean Cronin - @SeanCronin2
He’s exiled in Leinster at the moment but Sean Cronin is another Limerick hooker well worth following. Seems to watch a lot of TV and shares his observations on Twitter which can often be good for a laugh
Sample tweet: Fergie needs 2 get rid of sum of these clowns, Carrick, Ferdinand, Park...and maybe grandpa Giggs aswell!
5. Alan Quinlan @ALANQUINLAN1
He might be a Tippman but he’s well adopted by Limerick at this stage. Retired from playing, he’s now on the punditry circuit.
Sample tweet: (to Welsh referee Nigel Owens) I’m on the mic tomorrow night I might slate you for all the penalties you gave against me over the years
6. Andy Lee @andyleeboxing
Limerick boxer looking for that fight that will make him the world’s number one
Sample tweet: I was pretty pissed about it but It won’t be forgotten. I’m ready for anyone in the top ten including Martinez.
7. Conor Niland @conorniland1
Ireland’s best tennis player keeps us updated with his travels around the world
Sample Tweet: Found myself in the stands, slow clapping, waiting for a hawk eye decision last night. #notmyfinesthour
8. Shane McGrath @SHANEYTWEET
The Tipperary hurler is a primary school teacher in Lisnagry so he qualifies for this list. A big Man Utd fan, he’s witty a lot of the time but he also comes out with some words of wisdom
Sample tweet: First day back at school all done and dusted. Fav story had to be how did Santa get away with drink driving all over the world #classic
9. CONOR MURRAY @CONORMURRAY09
At the start of last year, few knew much about him. Now he’s got thousands of followers on Twitter and seems well able for the slagging with in the Munster setup
Sample tweet: Checked into carton with a room to myself, time for an early night without noisy housemate
10. Kieran O’Brien @SportingLimk
Owner of the Sporting Limerick promotional brand, O’Brien is big into the American Football at the moment, but he has his say on all sports. Throws out a good tip every so often too
Sample tweet: the fun of sport is savouring wins for your team and savouring defeats for your rivals be it utd, Leinster, tipp, Kerry etc
11. DONAL O’GRADY @donalograda
THE Granagh-Ballingarry man was an All Star nomination last year and one of the first Limerick hurlers to take to Twitter
Sample Tweet: A nice tough session had tonight - weather only added! Running into a stif breeze on the clock is torture!
12. DAVID FOLEY @DAVIDFOLEY5
Not the busiest tweeter, but the Munster academy player and UL Bohs man can be quite funny
Sample tweet: @AlanQuinlan1 could I get a retweet for my mate @jerryflannery who is coming back from injury and trying to break into the Shannon team
13. Diarmuid Greene @Diarmuid_G
The outstanding Sportsfile photographer has a sideline view of every sport happening in the area. He tweets samples of some of his work too
Sample Tweet: I’d say I’ll be back to GAA basics next weekend. I’ve been at 5/5 Munster pool games til now. Hope I wasn’t the lucky charm
14. Conor McNamara @ConorMcNamaraIE
Limerick’s Conor McNamara has made it big as a sports commentator with BBC.
Sample Tweet: Not sure @RossOCK approves of a Munsterman commentating on his team? Denis Hickie is alongside me though to make sure everything is alroysh.
15. IAN KEATLEY @IanKeatley
Munster’s second-choice outhalf is a Castletroy resident now since his move from Connacht.
Sample Tweet: Thank you La Cuicina for helping me with dinner tonight. I was a bit lazy so it had to be done #goingdownatreat
16. Brian Tuohy @briantuohy14
The Kildimo man and former Shannon player is now with Connacht but his season has been ruined by a broken leg. The photos he tweets of his recovering leg are interesting to say the least
Sample tweet: 1 week down, 5 to go and there’s already is an imprint of me on the couch Any good suggestions on box sets?#brokenleg #boredoutofmytree
17. Liam Aherne @laherne95
Limerick’s Live 95FM Sports Editor is another avid tweeter worth following. One of two Newcastle West tweeters to make our list
Sample Tweet: Alexandra Burke is providing Pre match entertainment at a sold out Stadium Mk on Saturday.I will have a battle to be heard
18. Dave Mulqueen @DAVEMULQ
Big Munster fan whose business is in sports floodlighting. Not afraid to speak his mind
Sample tweet; Men against boys tonight.Totally deserved win for @UlsterRugby Munster 2nd XV simply not up to it again. Imagine if this NIE thing happens!
19. Martin O’Sullivan @therocketncw
Arguably Newcastle West’s most consistent tweeter. Has views on lots of sports. Particularly strong on rugby
Sample tweet: Think it’s time for english rfu to take power away from premiership. Average competition producing average teams.
20. OWEN WEBB O’ROURKE @owenwebborourke
The Kilmallock man and last year’s Limerick U-21 sub goalkeeper is one of Limerick’s most active tweeters. Has something to say on almost every subject
Sample tweet: Didn’t think they could do it but Chelsea have made their defense worse by signing Gary Cahill! #overrated
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