Outrage has been sparked, north of the border, after video footage emerged of the Limerick team singing in the dressing room after their All-Ireland victory.
The Treaty men defeated Galway this past weekend on a scoreline of 3-16 to 2-18 to secure their first Liam MacCarthy cup success in 45 years, and there was utter pandemonium in the aftermath.
Limerick’s celebrated like a team who had waited 45 years to win and shortly after the final whistle footage emerged of them singing ‘Sean South from Garryowen’ in the dressing room.
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The Belfast Telegraph has reported on public ‘fury’ over the singing of the song, which is described in many quarters as a ‘rebel song’. The song was written about Sean South, who was one of two IRA men killed during an attack on an RUC station in 1957.
The newspaper spoke to the widow of a murdered RUC member, who described the singing of the song as being hurtful.
“I have nothing against hurling, I don’t follow the sport, but I would congratulate them on their success. They have every right to celebrate their achievement, but this is a song that should not be sung in celebration. It’s hurtful.”
They also sought out the feelings of Kenny Donaldson, who is director of service at The South East Fermanagh Foundation.
“We cannot allow to go unchecked is the singing of an IRA rebel song in the aftermath of that victory by the very players who had just achieved such a sporting achievement.”
“Sean South and Fergal O’Hanlon, along with the others within that IRA column that attacked Brookeborough, were terrorists. They most certainly were not freedom fighters, and what are they martyrs of?” he added.
Both individuals obviously feel strongly on the matter.
‘Sean South’ is quite a well known song, which references the county of Limerick frequently and the senior hurling panel are not the first to have used it as an anthem.
One would suspect they were singing the song without any prior thought that they were stoking fires.
