Actor James Nesbitt has described last Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC final as ‘astonishing’.

The Antrim man, who was part of the BBC’s coverage of the game, was captivated by the skill on show, saying it was as good as any sporting event he was ever at.

"I was invited first of all two years ago to my first hurling match - an All-Ireland semi-final between Limerick and Galway - by Neil McManus, the great Antrim hurler," Nesbitt said on The Ray D'Arcy Show on RTÉ Radio 1.

"And then the BBC, dare I say it, were doing it this year and they were covering it in Britain and he asked me down again. I was there along with people like Dara Ó Briain and David O'Doherty and Siobhán McSweeney just to kind of like... well, A) to go and watch it, but maybe also to cast a wee eye on it and try and make some comments for those that were watching across the water.

"And it was astonishing. It was as good a sporting event as I've ever been to in my life. I grew up watching Ballymena [United], so I've been to some good ones and some bad ones! And then I supported Coleraine for a few years when they were doing a bit better!"

He added: "I've been to the San Siro. Obviously, I've been to Old Trafford a lot. I've been to the Nou Camp. But it was amazing - you almost have to see it twice to really get imbued with it.

"And, you know, it didn't take an eejit who was from a different background to understand what he was witnessing was something rather special. And not only the fact that there were young boys who were going back to work on a Tuesday, but also that the skill and the stamina and the speed - the completely non-let-up of the thing, you know?”

Tweet

Most Read Stories