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08 Sept 2025
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08 Sept 2025
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AS 2022 draws to a close, the reporting team at Limerick Leader/Limerick Live has been reflecting on their favourite stories from the past 12 months.
A game of cat and mouse with a Tiger!
MY FAVOURITE story of the year involves a game of cat and mouse with a Tiger!
It was Independence Day, July 4, and Eldrick Tont Woods - or Tiger to the world - strolled up through the driving range at Adare Manor for the JP McManus Pro-Am.
His arrival was brilliant in its understatedness.
Having hoodwinked the majority of the media and spectators by travelling up through the centre of the driving range in a buggy, there was little fuss created by the man who knows nothing but fuss.
There to greet him at his bay was Mr JP McManus. In behind him, Mr John Kiely. And so began the game of cat and mouse.
The assembled media sensed an introduction was on the cards.
Was Tiger Woods going to get to meet the great man himself?
We watched and waited. And waited and watched, in a trance as Tiger did his thing, whipping balls over 300 yards for fun.
The golf reporters analysed him like David Attenborough would a Siberian Tiger in its natural habitat.
No introduction at the driving range. Tiger would have to wait until the first tee. The media pack traced Tiger's steps right up to the green.
When it did happen the meeting of the sporting gods was brief and packed some punch.
The Big Cat took the hand of King Kiely. And the earth shook, just a little. “There’s times we could do with him in Croke Park,” joked John Kiely to the Leader after touching the Tiger.
When asked if he'd consider giving him a run with the seniors, the school principal replied: “He'd have to work on his weak side!”
On occasion the stars align and they did so on Independence Day when two maestros of the small ball -one from California, the other from Galbally- shared a memorable handshake on Limerick soil.
Áine Fitzgerald, Managing Editor
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Limerick hurling heroes are still breaking records
SIMPLY reading the words: ‘Limerick three-in-a-row All-Ireland senior hurling champions’ still sounds lovely.
July 17, 2022, was another red letter day in the recent history of Limerick GAA.
Superlatives no longer seem sufficient to describe John Kiely’s hurling heroes, but the statistics and history books demonstrate just where this current group find themselves after winning the 135th All-Ireland SHC final... Champions four times now in the last five years and in July completed a historic hat-trick of Liam MacCarthy Cup wins.
The victory over Kilkenny also stretched Limerick’s unbeaten run in championship hurling to 16 games.
And, what a final it was.
Certainly not the physical battle many expected, this was a score-for-score, end-to-end battle with 24 different scorers accounting for 60 scores.
The final was level twice but Limerick were never behind and the impressive responses to two second half goals was key to securing this slice of hurling history. The opening half was an end-to-end thriller with 17 different scorers (nine for Kilkenny) and just nine wides - five for Limerick, who would finish with 10 wides, along with Brian Cody’s men.
Limerick scored 1-12 from open play, while Kilkenny had 0-9. It concluded with 1-27 from play for Limerick and 2-18 for Kilkenny.
It was a four point half-time lead and a two points winning margin with a final score of Limerick 1-31, Kilkenny 2-26. And, all that without 2021 All-Star duo Cian Lynch or Peter Casey - both out injured.
The aftermath would tell that the All-Ireland SHC final would be the final curtain-call for Brian Cody as Kilkenny manager. The quest now for Limerick is to continue on the trail of Cody's four-in-a-row team!
Jerome O'Connell, News Editor
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Scenes in Adare as Tiger Woods comes to town!
WHEN asked to pick my highlight of the past year, my mind immediately drifted back to the early afternoon of Monday, July 4.
The location was a sun-drenched Adare Manor which was buzzing with excitement and giddiness as tens of thousands of people tried to catch a glimpse of the world’s best-known golfer – Tiger Woods – who had arrived by helicopter less than 24 hours earlier.
As an accredited member of the media, I had the privilege of being allowed ‘inside the ropes’ during the two days of the JP McManus Pro-Am and I was lucky to get within touching distance of the biggest-ever star of the game.
Having spent some time watching Tiger warm up on the practice range, myself and my colleague (now managing editor) Áine Fitzgerald then made our way towards the first tee in the hope of securing a decent position.
I will never forget the walk and seeing the thousands of people (six-deep in places) outside the ropes along the path to the tee box. There were also crowds as far as I could see along the first fairway and everyone of them was there to see one person.
I was on the tee box as Tiger made his way through the crowds and when he arrived, I managed to capture the moment when he briefly posed for photos with JP McManus and Limerick hurling royalty John Kiely and Declan Hannon.
Then, it was down to business as Des Smyth introduced the American superstar and the other members of the playing group to the gallery.
Crouched down less than 10 feet directly behind Tiger Woods as he placed his ball on the tee I could feel a small gust of wind in my face from his driver as he lined up his shot and practiced his swing.
When he struck the ball, there were rapturous scenes and the shouts of “Go on Tiger” reverberated far beyond the first hole!
David Hurley, Head of Multimedia
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Ireland stun the All-Blacks
GROWING up watching Ireland suffer more than their share of unmerciful hidings from the All-Blacks, the very notion of beating New Zealand seemed like a pipe dream.
But after 111 years of one-sided results, the tide has turned in Ireland’s favour in the last six years. It is five wins out of eight for Ireland against New Zealand.
On July 16 last, Ireland secured a thrilling 33-22 victory over the All-Blacks in their third test meeting in Wellington to became just the fifth team to defeat the Kiwis in a Test series in New Zealand and the first to do so in the professional era. A real pinch yourself moment for sure.
Andy Farrell’s Ireland side made history against all the odds. The common wisdom was that Ireland’s hopes of securing a series win were scuppered in the wake of their 42-19 first Test loss.
After all, don’t the All-Blacks always get stronger as the Test series progresses? But to their credit, the Ireland players and management team dusted themselves down after that July 2 Eden Park reverse to level the series 1-1 with a hugely impressive 23-12 second Test success at Dunedin a week later.
And capping a history-making tour, Ireland recorded a thrilling 10 point win over their hosts in the deciding Test.
With their success, Ireland became only the second team, after the 1937 Springboks, to win a series away to New Zealand after losing the first Test. It was also the first time the All Blacks have lost back-to-back home matches to the same opposition since France in 1994. Remarkable!
Colm Kinsella, Sports Editor
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Liam MacCarthy is stolen!
IF I had €1 for every story I’ve written that involved gardai I’d be able to comfortably retire.
They are rarely what you would call favourite stories as they encompass road deaths, tragic accidents, serious assaults, burglaries, court cases, inquests etc. But they do say what is rare is beautiful.
In October, the Leader reported how Inspector Gearoid Thompson, of Bruff garda station, confirmed that the Liam MacCarthy Cup had been stolen.
Luckily for the inspector, four Little Blue Heroes were coincidentally visiting the station as part of a day of An Garda Siochana centenary celebrations.
We had Conn O'Neill, from Grange, Leah and Ellie Woulfe, Bruff and Mia Farrell, Meanus in their uniforms. As we were short-staffed on the day we asked them to help out,” explained Insp Thompson.
Garda Mia put the alert out to all patrol cars. Garda Leah and Garda Ellie had scrambled into a patrol car. The sisters saw a hooded and masked raider with the Liam McCarthy Cup running on Sycamore Drive where they apprehended him, pinned him to the ground and recovered the Cup.
The ‘perp’ was arrested and brought into the station where he was booked into custody by Garda Conn. He photographed and fingerprinted the accused and wrote him into the custody record. Garda Leah and Ellie interviewed him on camera where he confessed.
Great credit must go to Insp Thompson, Garda Mark O’Mahony (who we reveal for the first time as the masked raider!) and all the gardai in Bruff for going above and beyond the call of duty in making it a day to remember for Conn, Leah, Ellie, Mia and their families.
Donal O’Regan, Reporter
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Gift from Ed gave Tomás, 10, the ‘shivers’ of delight!
THERE was real excitement when Ed Sheeran played two nights in Thomond Park back in May.
And one Limerick boy was left kicking even higher after he managed to bag the runners the international superstar was wearing on his second night at the home of Munster!
Ten-year-old Tomás McGrath waited outside the stadium until the small hours of Saturday, May 7, when he approached the singer with a request which left him slightly dumbfounded! He asked for his Nike Zoom boots which he was jumping around in on the stage that night.
A surprised Sheeran laughed, agreed and handed the youngster a lasting memento of his two nights in Limerick.
And kind Tomás shared the love, handing his friend Darragh Leo, 11, one of the boots.
It was a case of second time lucky for Tomás, having missed his chance to say hi to Ed on the first night.
But he stuck to his guns, and after he had finished soccer training with Ballynanty Rovers, he headed for Thomond Park.
And his patience clearly paid off, with the Thomond Primary School student unlikely to ever forget his brief meeting with the star.
As a local reporter, I loved writing this story – communities in the city are full of special people, many of whom know when it’s right to show a bit of boldness!
That’s what Tomás did – while his mother Mary caught Ed’s attention, the youngster snuck through the barriers and approached the singer with his audacious request.
It was heartwarming too that Tomás gifted the other shoe to his friend Darragh, who had not been able to attend the concert.
Nick Rabbitts, City Reporter
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Tonnes of medical aid shipped from Limerick
THE BEGINNING of the war in Ukraine saw an influx of refugees in Limerick as government agencies scrambled to devise a means to support those worst affected by the invasion.
One woman, who not only showed enormous empathy but answered her own call to arms without hesitation, was Polish native Anna Mazeika, who was living in Limerick.
She, along with friends, organised the Help for Ukraine fundraiser in March.
After enlisting the help of UL, the Mayor, Limerick Twenty Thirty, local pharmaceutical companies and schools, it wasn't long before 44 tonnes of medical supplies were on their way to the very first victims of the war in Ukraine.
Many would have settled for that, but for Anna the story had only just begun.
A relentless drive to do right by those who had felt the brunt of the first invasion of a sovereign European nation since the second world war, was now fully set in motion.
I met Anna at the Sacred Heart Church in Limerick city, where she had designed a Zero Cost Shop for Ukrainians living in Limerick who had left all their worldly possessions behind.
Here, designated times had been drawn up for Ukrainian refugees to access the collection point, which included clothes, shoes, nightwear, duvets, medicines, toiletries and toys.
Picking up a Person of the Month award, or becoming a regular feature on local and national airwaves was never in her designs.
Anna just wanted to do right by those who had been wronged. She is an example to us all.
Cian Ó Broin, Reporter
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Toasting lifesaving heroes
IN OUR line of work we get to meet so many fascinating people who have done amazing things, and some of them are even lifesavers.
In September, I met Professor Barry Linnane, Dr Michael Shinkwin and vet Declan Gill. Three men who had never met before one fateful day in the shadows of the Gaelic Grounds last April.
Now, they are bound together forever by one experience in which they saved the life of a Limerick fan on his way to cheer on the would-be All-Ireland champions.
The consultant paediatrician, veterinary surgeon and doctor put their medical skills to the test when Tom Healy went into cardiac arrest just before the Limerick v Waterford game.
The three men performed chest compressions and rescue breathing for 20 minutes on the Adare man before paramedics arrived on scene.
Miraculously, after a team effort, Mr Healy started to improve and he was transferred to University Hospital Limerick.
The three heroes were then recognised for their lifesaving efforts when they received the Limerick Persons of the Month award.
At the time, Mr Healy said he was “absolutely delighted” to hear that the three men had received the award.
It is not often you get to meet someone who has performed such an extraordinary act, nevermind three at the same time.
But the men were humble in their acceptance of their award and said they did what anyone would have done in that situation.
Mr Healy spent some time in hospital after his ordeal but he is now almost back to his “normal self”.
Frances Fitzpatrick, Reporter
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Reminiscing on the great 1973 All-Ireland victory
In a year filled with sporting glory for the Treaty County, I think it’s only fitting that my favourite story of the year revolves around an All-Ireland victory.
It’s not about the glorious three in-a-row achieved by the current Limerick team - no this story took a look back at the 1973 Limerick All-Ireland victory almost 50 years ago, through the eyes of the spectators.
When I blissfully joined the Leader team in June, one of the first stories that came my way involved talking to those who travelled to the All-Ireland final in Croke Park that year by train - a pretty niche topic.
I didn’t expect much feedback on the topic - who really remembers that sort of thing, especially when it occurred half a century ago?
I sent out a call to action on social media and little did I know within minutes my messages were flooded with Limerick fans ready to reminisce about that glorious yet rain-soaked day.
I spoke to three lovely gentlemen, all with picturesque memories of that magical day.
Tom McGowan from Limerick city spoke about how he and his father shared a bike to the train station and witnessed a carriage filled with chat and cigarette smoke.
James Collins from Patrickswell spoke about how the hats the supporters wore at the time were made out of crepe paper, white and green, and when they got wet the green dye ran down across people’s foreheads due to the torrential rainfall.
And, finally, Seámus Walsh, a former umpire for several All-Ireland hurling finals discussed how he travelled on the bus which started from the late Jerry O’Dea’s pub on Mulgrave Street in the city.
Each of the three men recounted their memories of that day as if it happened only yesterday, showing just how much All-Ireland victories mean to hurling fans in Limerick.
Cathal Doherty, Reporter
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‘They told her it was normal’
WHEN asked to choose my most memorable story from 2022, I instantly thought of one story that hit close to home - and one that shouldn’t be told exclusively when it’s time for its awareness month.
Like many in this country, one Limerick woman was told her pain was normal. Even though it’s a condition as common as diabetes, it takes on average nine years to diagnose endometriosis in Ireland. For Sophie Lynch, it took over 10 years to get a diagnosis.
When we spoke, Sophie told me how her pain was dismissed for several years. “They told me that I was unfortunate, that I had bad periods and just put me on the pill and were like ‘off you go.’ The amount of pain was mad. I'd have pain in my stomach, pelvic cramps to the point where it felt like my whole body was burning up as if waves of pain were going through me,” she explained.
As part of her symptoms, the young woman experiences painful cramps, a bloated stomach that is “as hard as a rock,” and a lot of bleeding.
After going through three medical procedures, Sophie recently decided to stop taking the pill, because of the side effects. To manage her illness better, she had to look for a remote-working job.
Even though the condition impacts the day-to-day life of one in 10 women, it is still under researched and there is a striking lack of funding.
Manon Gilbart, Multimedia Journalist
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True meaning of Christmas
HAVING started at the Limerick Leader only a short time ago, I have only got a small portfolio under my belt. With that being said, the stories I have written so far have been very meaningful to me with one in particular standing out.
In a previous edition I had the pleasure of chatting to a young teenager who had taken his own initiative to start a Christmas market in his village of Murroe.
Billy Moylan thought of the idea after a business studies class in his secondary school.
On speaking to him it was obvious that he was very passionate about his venture. From stalls to choir singing and even a visit from Santa, the 15-year-old really gave the market his all.
His mother Siobhán expressed her pride and amazement at the efforts young Billy had put into the day.
After weeks of planning, the market was in motion and just as Billy had hoped, crowds gathered in support, shopping at the stalls and buying local products. As many of these events usually do, Billy organised a raffle with the proceeds of €1,500 going to the Neonatal Unit at University Maternity Hospital Limerick, where he himself was born prematurely.
This story not only showed the noble efforts of a young boy trying to kick-start himself in business, but showed just how important community is, especially in a small Limerick village.
Jasmin Griffin, Multimedia Journalist
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Welcome return of the St Patrick’s Day parades
WAY BACK in March 2020 before I had even heard the word ‘lockdown’ there was something very huge on the horizon.
I remember betting a former editor of this paper and website €5 that the 2020 Limerick city St Patrick's Day parade wouldn't be cancelled. No way, would they cancel the parade...
Well, I lost €5 that year and more importantly Limerick city and towns and villages across the Mid-West lost something larger.
St Patrick's returned in a huge way this year. An estimated 50,000 people lined the streets of Limerick city alone on March 17.
Large parades were successfully held from Castleconnell to Askeaton, from Bruff to Abbeyfeale.
It was great to see a return of an event that many people took for granted. And it certainly helped that the rain stayed away long enough for the parades.
St Patrick's Day is one of those events that helps bring everyone together. From the little camogie players to vintage tractor riding farmers, St Patrick's has a place for everyone.
And for many newly-arrived Ukrainian refugees it was the first big event that they got to witness in Ireland. A celebration that is uniquely Irish but somehow has spread to all corners of the world - the Limerick parade even welcomed a dance troupe from Idaho this year!
On a personal note, we took to the main street in Killaloe on St Patrick's Day. It was my son's Cathal first parade, he was born in January of 2020, and had to wait for a pandemic to end before watching the local Coast Guard struggle to pull a inflatable boat up a hill - his favourite bit.
Charles Prashaw, Community notes and layout
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