Olivia Kelleher
The Mayor of Limerick has penned a cheeky response to his counterpart in Cork, who had sent him a letter asking him to get the Liam McCarthy cup ready "for collection" at 5.30pm on Sunday at the conclusion of the All-Ireland hurling final between Cork and Limerick.
On Monday, Cork Mayor Cllr Colm Kelleher told Cllr Daniel Butler that the cup's rightful home is in Leeside. He made queries about how he might facilitate its return to Cork by bringing it along to Croke Park on Sunday for collection about 5.30pm.
“I believe that you have something that belongs to us. He’s about 16 inches high, silver and goes by the name of Liam. Sadly, Liam was lost to us back in 2006 and after many years of searching, we almost found him again in 2013.
Many thanks for looking after him. It won’t be forgotten
“Down the years, there have been sightings of him in Kilkenny, Galway, Tipperary, Clare for some reason and now I believe Limerick.
“One can only imagine that he has found it quite distressing not being back on Leeside in over 16 years. As I’m sure you are aware and understand, there is no place like home and there’s certainly no place like Cork!”
“Can I ask you, as Mayor of Limerick, to arrange to bring Liam to Croke Park on Sunday for collection? I will arrange for him to be picked up around 5.30pm and rightfully returned to Leeside. Many thanks for looking after him. It won’t be forgotten.”
He added that Liam McCarthy had family who hailed from Ballygarvan in Co Cork and that it was “distressing” for the cup to not be in Leeside.
Letter in response
However, Cllr Butler has now composed his own witty letter promising Cllr Kelleher that he will give him a look at the cup before it returns to Limerick.
He said that the letter from the Cork Lord Mayor had contained "a number of inaccuracies" that cannot be left stand, some which "may be difficult for a Corkonian to accept."
“To begin with, Liam MacCarthy was a native of London whose mother Bridget hailed from the hurling heartland of Bruff in County Limerick,” he said.
“Bridget was a huge hurling fan and, as you know yourself, mammies are always right and there is no supporter like a Limerick supporter.
Liam is indeed so comfortable that he stayed for two of the past three years
“Far be it that we would take something belonging to someone else but I must point out that Limerick was the very first recipient of the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 1923 (for the 1921 All-Ireland) so Liam is back home and is very comfortable on Shannonside.
“Liam is indeed so comfortable that he stayed for two of the past three years.
“While I can imagine how anxious you are to see Liam again, I am certain that we will give you a very clear answer on Sunday unless you have a look at him before he returns to Limerick."
For the taking
Meanwhile, Cllr Kelleher has told a Cork radio station that the cup is Cork's for the taking. In an interview with the Neil Prendeville show on Cork's Red FM he said that locals "will be getting the polish out on Sunday to bring Liam home.”
He added that traditional homecoming celebrations are out of the question for whoever lifts the cup.
"The traditional homecoming, none of that will be on the cards unfortunately. But everything is being looked at. Something will be done albeit in a different manner. As of what it is, as of yet I am in the dark."
He said to bring the cup back during what has been the tough dark times of Covid would be a tremendous boost to the city, and urged the public to savour the moment after the turbulence of the last year.
