Players, coaches, staff and a proud fanbase came together to give Anthony Foley a rousing, emotional send off.
Saturday at Thomond Park was a moving affair for all that attended. Commemorative ‘No.8’ match programmes sold out over an hour before kick-off and the queues to sign two separate books of condolence snaked around corners and down streets.
Munster’s players were then faced with the tough task of playing rugby the way Foley, their late coach, knew they could.
That they did so and put a very good Glasgow side away in under 50 minutes was truly remarkable. Greater scenes were to follow after the 38-17 victory.
The Munster squad invited Foley’s two sons, Dan and Tony, out into the centre of the pitch for a rendition of ‘Stand Up And Fight’ and the entire home crowd soon joined in. They then embarked on a lap of the pitch to acknowledge all those that had come out in such numbers to bid farewell to ‘Axel’.
There was a match ball and Munster flag presented to a Shannon RFC contingent down in the corner. Ian Keatley and Jerry Flannery proudly waved the flag of that Shannon club that Foley had represented with such pride.
Love this from the @Munsterrugby lads as they shake hands with applauding ball boys pic.twitter.com/1G0LKBtzLK
— Pat McCarry (@patmccarry) October 22, 2016
There were tears, embraces, laughter and, above all else, song.
Fields of Athenry rang out around the ground and carried into the heart of Limerick city itself. Munster Rugby’s on-pitch footage captures some of the emotion and passion of an unforgettable day.
The connection is real.
Colm Parkinson chats to Kerry GAA legend, and author, Kieran Donaghy in a special edition of The GAA Hour. Listen below or subscribe on iTunes
