
Thousands pack Tralee streets as Kerry heroes return home with Sam Maguire after All-Ireland victory against Donegal
thousands of fans
packed the streets of
Tralee
to celebrate their latest triumph.
Fresh from their
Advertisement
6
Kerry captain Gavin White with the Sam Maguire Cup during homecoming celebrations in Tralee for Kerry
6
A car decorated in team colours with a celebratory registration plate is seen during homecoming celebrations for Kerry
6
The open top bus carrying the winning team drives through the streets in Tralee was mobbed by fans after their win over Donegal
6
Kerry manager Jack O'Connor couldn't stop smiling as they celebrations got underway in Tralee
6
Thousands of Kerry fans littered the streets of Tralee to celebrate another joyous All-Ireland triumph for the Kingdom
6
Kerry star David Clifford saluted the thousands of fans during the joyous occasion
The triumph and GAA HQ was their 39th t
itle after they put on a swaggering display of
to see off
Jim McGuinness' Donegal men put up a fight, but they simply couldn't cope with the
And after a busy but joyous 24 hours the Kingdom squad, they headed back home from Dublin on train before arriving to a massive party, with thousands celebrating another historic day in Dublin.
Advertisement
read more on gaa
Manager
The
Fans of all ages filled the streets hours before the team arrived, waving flags, singing county tunes, and reliving Sunday's magic in Croke Park.
There was also a slick car painted in the county colours that was fitted with a custom number plate to mark the title triumph.
Advertisement
Most read in Uncategorized
Breaking
And the celebrations look set to continue long into the summer night.
The game itself drew huge numbers as it averaged
Matthew Broderick reveals connection to Donegal GAA during RTE interview
The action also drew 378,000 streams on
Later that night, 'The Sunday Game' highlights show on RTÉ2 pulled in an average of 175,000 viewers with a 22% share,
Advertisement
It also drew 34,400 streams on RTÉ Player.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Irish Independent
7 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
World famous singer Anthony Kearns to open Fleadh – ‘It's great to be able to stand up in front of your own people and fly the flag for Wexford'
This year, Anthony will help open Fleadh Cheoil na hÉeireann, the largest annual festival of traditional Irish music, dance and song anywhere in the world which Wexford will again host. While he is most widely known as a tenor, this is an invaluable opportunity for him to reconnect with his roots. From Kiltealy, known as 'the most sign posted village in the county' he laughs, he first performed at the Fleadh decades ago. 'It's funny now. A friend of mine, Ed Rowsome dug up some information and found that I performed in the 1980 Fleadh in Sligo as an U'18. The trad was what we were reared on.' The Fleadh is a lot of things, and it can be different things to people. It will be an unprecedented tourism opportunity, invaluable to businesses across the county, but at its core is music. For boys and girls and men and women who have put in countless hours of practise to master their trade, this is their All – Ireland Final. 'People shouldn't underestimate that, it is about the competition. It's an All – Ireland, from every parish and county. It's very competitive, and it hasn't changed. The kids today are just phenomenal… It's like being in the field, throw in the ball and blow the whistle.' The singer owns Rackard's pub in Killane. Yes, the same place where John Kelly, 'the boy' was from, immortalised in the Patrick Joseph McCall song made famous by The Dubliners and he is struck by the crowds that come out for trad sessions. 'We had 27 or 28 musicians at the last trad session in the lounge. You can spot young talent coming through. There is one chap in particular from Wexford who is just off the charts as a bodhran player. And if he doesn't make a career in this profession, I'll eat my hat.' John's love and pride for Wexford isn't artificial or a matter of convenience. It runs deep. In 2013, he joined his friend Michael Londra and 'half of Wexford', alongside the good and the great at Arlington Cemetery to mark five decades since President Kennedy's death. But unsurprisingly, the last Sunday in September in 1996 was pretty unforgettable for him. 'I didn't think we'd be waiting so long for our next All – Ireland, but that day was special. I came up from Kerry, I was singing at a friend's wedding. I got to Heuston Station and I couldn't get across the city. I was sitting in a Taxi going nowhere. 'I called a friend of mine, Jim who worked in The Plough bar on Abbey Street. Jim called John McCarthy, a former Dublin footballer and Garda who came over on a motorbike and escorted me out of the traffic and brought me to the gates of Croke Park. 'There, I entered with Michael O'Hehir, who was in a wheelchair at the time and went straight onto the pitch to rehearse with the Artane Boys Band. I still have my ticket with the stub attached because I was rushed in so quickly…. And the celebrations. Sure I suppose we're still celebrating.' By opening this year's Fleadh, Anthony will join President Michael D Higgins on stage. He knows what it means. 'It's wonderful to be back on home soil. I'm singing one song for them and of course that is Boolavogue. Eithne Corrigan is going to be accompanying me on piano, she's well known in the Wexford music scene. It's great to be able to stand up in front of your own people and fly the flag for Wexford. It's a full circle moment.'


RTÉ News
35 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Hannah Tyrrell still providing an exhibition in efficiency for Dublin
The former Irish rugby international out-half has been more than just scoring for her team, she's also provided her fair share of assists. She has assisted the impressive Niamh Hetherton for 0-03 - and together the duo are providing a serious aerial threat in the full-forward line. Those three assists came in the Leinster final, against Leitrim and then against Galway. Tyrrell also set up Rowe for a goal against Leitrim, and popped a pass for Chloe Darby to raise a white flag in the last eight win over Cork. From frees, play, scoring and creating, even off limited touches, the pace-setter in the race for the Golden Boot award is so hard to handle because of her remarkable efficiency. An FAI Cup, Six Nations rugby and All-Ireland football winner, Tyrrell has already done it all. But based on this season's form she's pushing for more.


RTÉ News
35 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Preview: Dublin and Meath hitting sweet spot ahead of another All-Ireland final day coming together
Who dares to talk of '21? Well many in Meath would, as the county celebrated its first TG4 All-Ireland SFC title when beating Dublin in that year's decider. This was a Dubs outfit chasing a five in a row, up against opposition who rose from the intermediate ranks in the previous year. On final day, nothing is a formality, but the team in blue were still warm favourites. The Royals, however, made light of their underdog tag, with Emma Duggan's first-half goal building the foundations for a famous win in a contest where they were never headed. A year later, they followed up, as Kerry had no answers in the decider. Meath's arrival as a force in the code was telling. Dublin regrouped and won back their crown in 2023, moving them on to six titles in the roll of honour. And now the Leinster pair will lock horns again on the biggest day, with both bringing a fair degree of latter momentum into this year's finale. The counties have already clashed three times in 2025, once in the league and twice in the Leinster championship, with Dublin victorious on each occasion. They last met in the provincial final at Croke Park on 11 May, part of a double-header with Meath v Louth in the men's final. The Dubs registered an unanswered haul of 0-08 in the closing 15 minutes to keep a firm grip on the provincial prize. Four points was the winning margin in the end but Meath were much improved from their league showing in March, where they went down by 16 points. And so to the All-Ireland group series. Yes, both topped their section, but were far from impressive. Dublin needed a last-gasp point to force a draw against Waterford. At the quarter-final stage, with key names returning to the fold, the Dubs hammered Cork by 17 points, while Meath had 14 points to spare over Tipperary. Glenisk O'Connor Park was the venue for the semi-finals. All-Ireland champions Kerry first up against the Royals. In many respects the spirit of 2021 was rekindled as Meath called the tune throughout. Kerrie Cole and Sarah Wall with goals in each half saw Shane McCormack's side through to a third senior final. Dublin v Galway ensured it was a long evening in Tullamore, with extra-time needed to settle that one. Looking back, the Connacht side will be disappointed they didn't seal the deal when ahead by a point and having possession as the clocked ticked towards 60 minutes. The Leinster champions, however, showed their tenacity when winning the ball back and a last-gasp free, converted by Hannah Tyrrell, earned them parity. Goals flowed in extra-time, the standout being Carla Rowe's back-heeled effort, and it was the Dubs who would prevail. Mick Bohan is no longer at the helm in Dublin, yet there is a sense of continuity, with Paul Casey and Derek Murray, part of his management set-up, stepping up to assume a joint-management role. The pair have used 30 players in Dublin's campaign so far, with key names like Orla Rowe, Nicole Owens, Kate Sullivan and Rebecca McDonnell overcoming injuries in returning to the fray as the All-Ireland series began. Tyrrell will no doubt hope her final season in the colours of Dublin will yield another All-Ireland. Her contribution to the cause can't be underestimated and so far has contributed 8-33 to her side's scoring return. Meath have more or less stuck with the same XV throughout the season and have been boosted by the return of Vikki Wall, with Shauna Ennis, who skippered the side to those All-Ireland wins in 2021 and '22 also back involved after a cruciate injury. Current captain Aoibhín Cleary will be heading Down Under after the final, after earlier this year penning a deal to join Richmond, so bringing the number of Irish players contracted for an AFLW season to 40. Dublin players Jennifer Dunne and Grace Kos did opt to miss out on the championship by returning early to Australia but Cleary was happy to remain at home for now, and glad that Richmond were accommodating in that regard. She told the press in advance of Sunday's final: "Before the offer was made, I was committed to Meath and I wasn't going to change," she explained. "From the start Richmond have been very accommodating, very supportive and very understanding of the situation, wishing me and the Meath team in general the best. "From their perspective they would have liked to have got me out there quicker but they also recognise the value in the season we are having. They realise how beneficial it is for me to be involved in a team that is back in an All-Ireland final." It looks likely that the back and forth from Oz will continue, with Dublin obviously delighted that their star defender Sinéad Goldrick returned in 2024. When it comes to calling Sunday's final, Dublin do possess the greater attacking options, with Carla Rowe, Kate Sullivan and Niamh Hetherton ably assisting the likes of Tyrrell, with the aforementioned Goldrick also likely to pop up with a goal or two. For Meath, Vikki Wall, her sister Sarah, Shauna Ennis, Marion Farrelly, Emma Duggan and exciting corner-forward Kerrie Cole will all need big games, but the side have certainly found their groove, starting with that quarter-final win over Tipp. They did not last the pace in the Leinster final and will now be keen to keep it going down the stretch if the game is there to be won approaching 5.30pm on Sunday. In team news, Orlagh Nolan returns to the Dublin starting XV for the first timer since since last year's group stage clash with Kildare in the All-Ireland series. Nolan's 2024 season was cut short by an ACL injury sustained before the quarter-final clash with Galway but she returned against the same opposition in the recent semi-final - coming on as a substitute. She comes in for Caoimhe O'Connor, who sustained a hamstring injury against the Tribeswomen. Meath are unchanged. Dublin: A Shiels; J Tobin, L Caffrey, N Donlon; S Goldrick, M Byrne, N Crowley; É O'Dowd, H McGinnis; N Owens, C Rowe (capt.), O Nolan; H Tyrrell, N Hetherton, K Sullivan.