Limerick legend crossing the border to help the Kingdom.
The Kerry county board have today confirmed that Limerick legend Ciaran Carey is set to take the reins of the county’s senior hurlers.
Carey is one of hurling’s most legendary figures, having claimed two Munster hurling titles as well as three All-Star awards and two league medals over the course of his 15-year career.
We’ve picked out eight things everyone should know about the famous hurler:
1. He is probably one of the best hurlers never to win an All-Ireland medal.
Twice the Patrickswell man came close, and twice he was denied on hurling’s biggest day. The half-back was beaten by Offaly in 1994 and then suffered another loss to Wexford in 1996.
2. He has experience of Kerry hurling already
The centre-back previously managed Lixaw and won the county title last year with the north Kerry outfit.
He was also on the line the day Paul Galvin was attacked by a hurley wielding Kilmoyley clubman with Carey anxious at the time not to make a big deal of it.
Paul Galvin attacked by a complete & utter f****** idiot during the Kerry Senior Hurling Final #GAA pic.twitter.com/loldPUq3aj
— UnOfficialGaa (@UnOfficialGaa) September 28, 2014
So its Bruff v Lixnaw in Munster IHC semi-final in Kerry on weekend of November 9. That's Gary Kirby v Ciaran Carey & Mark Foley. #legends
— Jerome O'Connell (@JeromeSport) October 26, 2014
3. Hurling is in the blood
His daughter Sarah is one of the best camogie players in the country for Limerick, while his nephew Cian Lynch was one of the breakout stars for the county at senior and Under-21 level this season.
Although Sarah doesn’t rate her father as her ultimate sporting hero, or even favourite manager
4. His exploits in 1996 almost caused his mother a major accident, as recalled by nephew Cian Lynch earlier this year.
“Back in ’96, the mother always tells a great story, Ciaran got a point against Clare to win the match. I was only born in ’96 and I was on her breast and she threw me up. She forgot to catch me! I don’t remember that!”
5. He’s trained to be an addiction counselor after well-publicised personal troubles.
Ciaran Carey is a self-confessed alcoholic but he’s used his public profile to help those struggling with addiction at various centres in his native Limerick.
6. He’s worked at inter-county level before.
Carey’s tasted senior inter-county management before as part of Donal O’Grady’s backroom team in his native county in 2010. He also was a county Under-21 manager but left the role after a major falling out with the county board at the end of 2014.
7. He scored one of the greatest, if not the greatest point of all time
8.His Laochra Gael is well worth catching
