Ten days ago, Ardscoil Rís staged an event to celebrate the career of Declan Hannon, their most decorated past pupil. One hundred and forty invited guests filled the beautiful new auditorium on the school’s campus and, on stage, Will O’Callaghan from Off The Ball interviewed people who had soldiered with Hannon and against him.
But there was a moment in the evening that spoke more eloquently than any of the special guests. Every cup that Hannon had lifted as captain of Ardscoil Rís, Mary Immaculate College and the Limerick senior hurlers was summoned from their current homes and carried to the stage by eight young hurlers from the school. Eight cups. Hannon led the generation that changed Limerick’s sky and revealed the sun.
Every empire reaches an end. For this group of Limerick players, that time is drawing near. When Limerick were upended by Dublin in the greatest shock of last year’s hurling championship, they fielded a team of All Stars and Hall of Famers. Of their starting team, 13 had appeared in at least four All-Ireland finals.
Of those, though, 11 are already in their 30s or will reach that age this year.
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