WATCH: 'There's absolutely no bitterness on my part' - Seamus Flanagan on Limerick exit

FORMER Limerick senior hurler Seamus Flanagan has lifted the lid on his departure from the inter-county panel this year.

READ MORE: Two Limerick senior hurlers included in GAA.ie Team of the Week

It was announced last October that Flanagan would not be part of John Kiely's plans for 2026. 

The Feohanagh-Castlemahon clubman was speaking to Newstalk's 'Off the Ball' where the 28-year-old openly discussed his departure from the senior squad. 

The five-time All-Ireland winner says he had 'eight brilliant years' with Limerick, whilst also stating that he has the 'utmost respect' for John Kiely and co.

"I had eight brilliant years with Limerick. I have the utmost respect for John (Kiely) and Paul (Kinnerk) for giving me an opportunity that I probably didn't deserve back in 2018.

"Being brought into that team, I hadn't hurled with the 21s and I hadn't hurled well with minors. I was always in and around the team but I suppose he saw something in me that a lot of other people probably didn't and gave me that break," he said.

"I said that to him as well when we met. I have a lot to be grateful for, for him and Paul, they gave me the opportunity to be part of that team.

"I was only a small, minute part of that team but to be given the opportunity to be part of a successful team, I'll be forever grateful to the two of them for allowing me to and giving me that chance."

The five-time Munster champions says that departing from the inter-county panel wasn't something that 'was on his radar' this year. 

"We sat down at the start of the year, it wasn't something that was on my radar in terms of leaving the panel but it was on John's and I suppose it took me a bit of time to wrap my head around that, to understand his reasoning for it.

"It was a decision he made, it wasn't a route that I was looking to go down but he had to make those decisions and they're tough decisions for him to make too. I completely understand and I owe him an awful lot for what he did and the opportunities that he gave me," he said.

When asked if he was a 'comfortable viewer' looking on from outside the camp, Flanagan says that there's 'absolutely no bitterness' on the part of the 2021 All-Star winner.

"I suppose for myself, it's not a position that I wanted to be in. I did want to give it another crack and things didn't work out like that but one door closes and another opens. I'm over with Boherlan in Tipperary at the moment and I'm really loving that.

"There's absolutely no bitterness on my part because it was eight of the best years of my life. I'm 28 now and I'm getting into the coaching side of things quite young.

"Right now it feels like I have something to offer and coming from a high performing set up like Limerick was, getting into the coaching side right now, it feels like the right thing for me to do."

'There is absolutely no bitterness... it was eight of the best years of my life!'

'They gave me an opportunity that I probably didn't deserve in 2018... I'll be forever grateful'

Limerick's five-time All-Ireland winner Seamus Flanagan openly details his exit from John Kiely's… pic.twitter.com/AbaMA2F0r5

— Off The Ball (@offtheball) February 10, 2026