Sporting stars come to defence of Limerick as Mayor writes to influential magazine over ‘gratuitous’ story

LOCAL sporting royalty have come to the defence of Limerick after a controversial article on an influential business magazine’s website.

Hurler of the Year 2020 Gearoid Hegarty, All-Star hurler Shane Dowling, Irish hockey player Roisin Upton, and Treaty United soccer boss Tommy Barrett have all criticised the Forbes magazine piece, by contributor Stephen McBride, which portrayed Limerick as a war-zone, and suggested the billionaire Collison brothers had been lucky to “escape” the area.

Following on from the controversial article which was lambasted on social media when it first came to light, Mayor Michael Collins has written to Forbes magazine’s top brass to urge them to offer a “more appropriate re-telling” of Limerick’s story in their pages.

The story –  described as a “body blow” by the first citizen – was removed from the Forbes website within an hour, with the publisher later saying it “failed to meet our editorial standards”.

This followed a widespread backlash, including from Patrick Collison who said: “We are who we are because we grew up where we did.”

Like the two Collison brothers star Limerick hurler Gearoid Hegarty went to Castletroy College, and said he was “disgusted” with the “ridiculous” article, adding it “touched a nerve” with a lot of locals.

“I am incredibly proud to call Limerick my home and even more proud to be able to represent the people of Limerick every summer with the county’s hurling team. Those same supporters are widely renowned as some of, if not the most passionate supporters in the country,” said the St Patrick’s clubman, who also praised the reaction from Limerick people to post so many pictures in response.

Indeed, following the publication, the hashtag #LimerickandProud started trending in Ireland and across the world, with some beautiful videos and imagery of the Treaty City lighting up the internet.

All-Star hurler Shane Dowling echoed his former county teammate’s sentiments, saying: “Social media can actually be the devil at times. It can destroy people very quickly. But when it’s used for the right reasons, it can be a very powerful place. To see the people of Limerick take to Twitter and various social media boards the other night, was great to see. I’m very proud to be from Limerick, and that’s never going to change.”

The Na Piarsaigh man had earlier took the Forbes contributor to task on social media, describing Mr McBride’s story as “tripe”, and suggested he ought to be “ashamed”.

Raheen’s Roisin Upton international hockey star and current Limerick Person of the Year, said: “I love Limerick. It’s an incredible sporting county. Limerick people have played a huge part in my life. I wouldn’t have achieved what I had without them.”

Treaty United soccer manager Tommy Barrett, who grew up in Moyross, said:

“My advice is that it’s best to ignore the noise and nonsense. We know any other person that has had the pleasure to spend time here knows we are the sporting capital. But most importantly a welcoming, friendly and supportive community.”​

Mayor Collins has written to Forbes’ chief content officer and editor Randall Lane saying he was “appalled, saddened, surprised and deeply shocked” when he read the article. “I have rarely seem such lazy, sloppy and gratuitous journalism, all the more surprising that it emerged from such a globally respected publication as Forbes.”

“While you can’t legally defame a city, you can do lasting damage. After an admittedly very difficult period two decades ago when we had a breakdown in law and order among a minute percentage of our population living in socially deprived areas, Limerick has painstakingly and assiduously rebuilt its reputation.”

The mayor said the portrayal in the write-up has “undoubtedly impacted” our reputation, not least internationally. And it has also been a morale body blow to all those who  hold Limerick dear”.

“An entire city has been denigrated along with all the myriad of achievements and progress which we are so proud of over the last 20 years,” he added.

Elsewhere, Knockainey's Padraig O’Callaghan, 10, the star of ‘Paudcast’ weighed in on the controversy through a regular video he posts each Monday online.

Posing in front of the newly unveiled Dodo Reddan mural in Limerick city, he voiced his unease at the article.

If you are from Limerick, you will know. If you're not, apologies! This week in #Paudcast #24, Pádraig defends his home city, after a @Forbes article 'failed to meed its own editorial standards'.#mondaymotivation #fabcity #limerickandproud #limerick #fusionfighters #treatycity pic.twitter.com/511FPnHj8z

— EcoStraws.ie (@EcoStraws) April 12, 2021