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All Ireland Winners Speeches

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The acceptance speeches of all ireland winners are becoming more boring and bland as years go on. Not helped by having to thank individually the back room team with it's cast of 1000s. Also not helped by no crowd surging in front of Hogan stand. It got me thinking of my favourite acceptance speech. Many would go for John Connolly's. However my favoutire is Lester Ryan's brilliant one all in Irish in 2014. Amazing he practiced that on video when he was 10 Whats your favourite and why? Blackbog (Carlow) - Posts: 725 - 31/07/2023 09:04:53 2497918 Link
Replying To Blackbog: "The acceptance speeches of all ireland winners are becoming more boring and bland as years go on. Not helped by having to thank individually the back room team with it's cast of 1000s. Also not helped by no crowd surging in front of Hogan stand. It got me thinking of my favourite acceptance speech. Many would go for John Connolly's. However my favoutire is Lester Ryan's brilliant one all in Irish in 2014. Amazing he practiced that on video when he was 10 Whats your favourite and why?" Joe Connolly I presume you mean and that would be no. 1 for me. Dara O'Cinneide and Sean Og O Halpin were very good also. And Peter Canavan made a good one too … "we fought the British Army" !! Most are forgettable though and if you see a captain pulling out an A4 sheet like yesterday then it's time to turn off. Some brutal ones over the years. I thought some of the Kilkenny ones were dire. As good as Lester Ryan's might have been Eoin Larkin's was just cringeworthy it was desperate altogether not helped I suppose by the lack of passion in the 2/3 empty stadium as Kilkenny's wins had become boring to even their own fans at that stage. Onion Breath (Carlow) - Posts: 1434 - 31/07/2023 13:20:05 2498024 Link
Replying To Onion Breath: "Joe Connolly I presume you mean and that would be no. 1 for me. Dara O'Cinneide and Sean Og O Halpin were very good also. And Peter Canavan made a good one too … "we fought the British Army" !! Most are forgettable though and if you see a captain pulling out an A4 sheet like yesterday then it's time to turn off. Some brutal ones over the years. I thought some of the Kilkenny ones were dire. As good as Lester Ryan's might have been Eoin Larkin's was just cringeworthy it was desperate altogether not helped I suppose by the lack of passion in the 2/3 empty stadium as Kilkenny's wins had become boring to even their own fans at that stage." There was only 1 truly great acceptance speech and that was Joe Connolly's in 1980 followed by Joe McDonagh singing The West's Awake. I fall asleep listening to what I have heard since then! tommy k (Galway) - Posts: 3470 - 31/07/2023 13:29:43 2498028 Link
Peter Canavan 2003! What a speech.... bloodandbandage (Cork) - Posts: 356 - 31/07/2023 13:34:23 2498030 Link
Did Anthony Daly make a great speech in '95? Cbar (Mayo) - Posts: 332 - 31/07/2023 14:13:18 2498048 Link
I always thought they should do the staff thanking at the evening do. Then maybe talk to their county supporters a bit more personally like a few of the better speeches have achieved. SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2513 - 31/07/2023 14:26:47 2498055 Link
Replying To Onion Breath: "Joe Connolly I presume you mean and that would be no. 1 for me. Dara O'Cinneide and Sean Og O Halpin were very good also. And Peter Canavan made a good one too … "we fought the British Army" !! Most are forgettable though and if you see a captain pulling out an A4 sheet like yesterday then it's time to turn off. Some brutal ones over the years. I thought some of the Kilkenny ones were dire. As good as Lester Ryan's might have been Eoin Larkin's was just cringeworthy it was desperate altogether not helped I suppose by the lack of passion in the 2/3 empty stadium as Kilkenny's wins had become boring to even their own fans at that stage." It's become too much of a list of thanking people who would probably lose the plot if the captain didn't mention them! Its almost invariably a damp squib and Dublin have contributed greatly to that since 2011 when it was at least entertaining! BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3275 - 31/07/2023 14:28:44 2498056 Link
It makes sense not to allow the crowd on the pitch as it means everyone gets to stay in the ground longer including the players. The thing i notice is that there aren't as many flags as there used to be, All Ireland's used to be an epic sight with all the flags for example Armagh, Derry and also the 1999 final. It isn't so bad when Dublin fans are on the hill but you notice it with other crowds. Although Clones looked good in the Ulster finals but maybe that was because the terraces are smaller. PattyONeill (Derry) - Posts: 251 - 31/07/2023 14:41:40 2498060 Link
Replying To Blackbog: "The acceptance speeches of all ireland winners are becoming more boring and bland as years go on. Not helped by having to thank individually the back room team with it's cast of 1000s. Also not helped by no crowd surging in front of Hogan stand. It got me thinking of my favourite acceptance speech. Many would go for John Connolly's. However my favoutire is Lester Ryan's brilliant one all in Irish in 2014. Amazing he practiced that on video when he was 10 Whats your favourite and why?" It has to be 1961 Down captain Paddy Doherty, when he said Thanks Offaly,and hip hip hooray for them x3,, thats the entire speech Brilliant germac (Down) - Posts: 557 - 31/07/2023 15:00:15 2498074 Link
They are amateur sportsmen that have just come off the pitch Speaking live to potential millions.. it's a mine field now speaking openly in live media, one misjudged statement and you'll be crucified.. amateur lads shouldn't be risking their well-being They are absolutely right to keep it very simple and do what they have to do.. They do their entertaining on the pitch jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20699 - 31/07/2023 15:42:01 2498105 Link
Replying To PattyONeill: "It makes sense not to allow the crowd on the pitch as it means everyone gets to stay in the ground longer including the players. The thing i notice is that there aren't as many flags as there used to be, All Ireland's used to be an epic sight with all the flags for example Armagh, Derry and also the 1999 final. It isn't so bad when Dublin fans are on the hill but you notice it with other crowds. Although Clones looked good in the Ulster finals but maybe that was because the terraces are smaller." There is a notice outside Hill that "large flags not permitted." Obviously it is easy enough to hide a flag but it does stop the less ingenious from bothering. It is a great sight. BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3275 - 31/07/2023 15:55:59 2498113 Link
Louth captain Dermot O Briens speech in 1957. Ollie2 (Louth) - Posts: 946 - 31/07/2023 16:26:01 2498135 Link
Replying To PattyONeill: "It makes sense not to allow the crowd on the pitch as it means everyone gets to stay in the ground longer including the players. The thing i notice is that there aren't as many flags as there used to be, All Ireland's used to be an epic sight with all the flags for example Armagh, Derry and also the 1999 final. It isn't so bad when Dublin fans are on the hill but you notice it with other crowds. Although Clones looked good in the Ulster finals but maybe that was because the terraces are smaller." 1991 All Ireland final between Down and Meath. The hill was full of red and black flags. Ollie2 (Louth) - Posts: 946 - 31/07/2023 16:27:07 2498138 Link
Replying To BarneyGrant: "There is a notice outside Hill that "large flags not permitted." Obviously it is easy enough to hide a flag but it does stop the less ingenious from bothering. It is a great sight." They should be more concerned about letting drunken eejits into the hill than large flags and they mightn't have the problem of young lads brawling. MachaireConnacht (Roscommon) - Posts: 1000 - 31/07/2023 16:39:53 2498144 Link
Daly for all his speeches, Munster or all-ireland. cityman73 (Limerick) - Posts: 783 - 31/07/2023 16:42:17 2498146 Link
Cluxton's speeches were coma inducing. Made worse by the fact that he was making the same speech Every. Fecking. Year. I thought Dublin could have mixed it up a bit in those years, keep Cluxton as captain but give someone else a go at the speeches, like a Philly McMahon or Bernard Brogan. For a lad who doesn't like the limelight, you'd think he'd have been happy with that arrangement! ballydalane (Kilkenny) - Posts: 1256 - 31/07/2023 16:50:38 2498148 Link
Replying To MachaireConnacht: "They should be more concerned about letting drunken eejits into the hill than large flags and they mightn't have the problem of young lads brawling." Indeed. A few minor incidents yesterday related to same issue. Any Kerry young fellas near me were grand and I'm sure some of them encountered eijits on our side, Ironically, the fact that there are almost no groups of young fellas of same age following Dubs other than club members who tend generally to civilised and among older lads with a bit of cop on is the saviour here. Also not been drinking on the bus or train since early morning. BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3275 - 31/07/2023 16:57:42 2498151 Link
Joe Connolly's is hard to beat and Lester and Sean Og were also excellent but one of my favourites is Pat Fleury's one ! It's much better that fans are kept off the pitch as the players can enjoy and.mingle with their own team and opposition and match officials after the game. carlowman (Carlow) - Posts: 1852 - 31/07/2023 17:06:15 2498160 Link
One of the best speeches I've heard was Shane Walsh when Tullaroan won the All Ireland intermediate club hurling all Ireland. Brilliant stuff. Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2106 - 31/07/2023 18:25:42 2498197 Link
Joe Connollys speech easily the most iconic one of all time, everything about it, native Irish speaker, talking about immigration that effected the west etc the Wests Awake after it, calling up Iggy Clarke who missed the final, just so many great parts to it. I think a small thing that shows it out on its own is the fact its the only speech ever shown on the "Reeling in the Years" show. The other speech I think are in the next bracket, Martin Storeys "bridesmaids of hurling" speech, Martin Hanamys "we came in the baking door but were going out the front door" in 98, Anthony's Dalys 95 one, Sean Ogs in 05, Peter Canavans in 03. But for raw emotion, passion and delivery, think Joe Connolys will never be topped. Throughthemidfieldhewasstormin (Wexford) - Posts: 286 - 31/07/2023 21:48:34 2498239 Link