Limerick man recalls when Mick Mackey brought the Cup home in 1940

“YOU can see the history all around us,” declared John Meskell, MC, at Ahane GAA Club’s homecoming.

“You can see Willie Keane looking hale and hearty. I see the Mackeys - grandchildren of the great Mick and John. I see the Mulcahys - Niamh is the best camogie player in the country.  Willie Humphries is here.

​”I could go on with this forever. We are rich in tradition and rich in heroes. Now we have more heroes,” said John. The Herberts, Morans, Meskells, the list goes on and on. And now you have the Morrisseys. 

Both Willie Keane’s and Willie Humphries’ fathers – Jack and Jimmy respectively – won All-Ireland medals with Limerick in 1918. Willie had his dad’s Celtic Cross proudly pinned to his chest. He had just seen his granddaughter and Limerick ladies footballer, Siofra Keane, lift the West County Hotel Cup on stage. Then Dan and Tom came down to show Willie the Liam MacCarthy Cup.

The all-star nominated half back and half forward haven’t received their medals but it must have brought home to them, yet again, the enormity of the win to see a 100 year-old Celtic Cross still being displayed.

In the presence of sons John, a former Limerick footballer, and Mike, Willie said he was very proud to see the Cup in Ahane. He hurled with Limerick in the fifties and played against Christy Ring’s Cork.

“You would be all the time waiting for an All-Ireland and at my age you’re thinking is it going to come at all. A couple of years ago I came down from Croke Park and I said, ‘That’s it, there wasn’t going to be another opportunity,” said Willie, who will turn 87 later this month.

His sons John, Mike and Pat got specially made T-shirts for All-Ireland final day for themselves and their dad. On the front was pictures of the 1918 and 2018 Limerick teams and on the back was “C’mon Ahane the spuds are boiling”.

“I remember the last time the Liam MacCarthy Cup came to Ahane in 1940. It is great to see it again,” said Willie.

It didn’t come in 1973 as amazingly Ahane didn’t have any players that year.

“I was nine. They brought it out to Castleconnell train station. They took it down to the Shannon Inn. I can remember Mick Mackey lifting it up. He was a big strong man,” said Willie, who attended the recent ceremony in Monagea where a plaque was unveiled to the 1918 All-Ireland winning captain Willie Hough.

At the mention of Mick Mackey who arrived on the scene only Hannah Keane, daughter of Mike. She has two great claims to fame – Mick Mackey and Jack Keane are both great grandfathers. As John Meskell said at the start, “You can see the history all around us”.