FORMER LIMERICK HURLER Ciarán Carey says that watching his county end a 45-year wait for All-Ireland glory was a ‘beautiful journey’ for him.
Ciarán Carey alongside his nephew Cian. Sportsfile
Sportsfile
Limerick stunned defending champions Galway earlier this year to win the Liam MacCarthy Cup with a dramatic one-point win, an incredible result which Carey says was ‘an early Christmas present’ for everyone in the county.
“Definitely by the time they got to Croke Park you could turn around and say, yeah, it was a huge, huge emotional journey. Even for past players, I’d imagine.
I haven’t met a whole pile of them but for myself personally it was spiritually and emotionally a beautiful journey throughout the year.
“As it got to the business end of the year, emotions would have been huge for most past players I’d imagine. If it wasn’t, they mustn’t be that human.
“Being honest, watching the game it was the type of game you could enjoy. I was enjoying the match because I felt that we were in control in a lot of areas in the field, really.
Thankfully they held out and it was just a flood of emotion then, really. I’d be telling lies if I didn’t say I cried and shed a tear when I saw Tom Condon coming out with that last ball.”
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Cian Lynch celebrates with his mother Valerie after winning the All-Ireland. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Carey’s nephew Cian Lynch has been a revelation for Limerick in 2018, playing an integral role from midfield throughout the season on their way to glory.
The three-time All-Star didn’t get to witness the poignant embrace between Cian and his mother Valerie on the pitch after the All-Ireland final, but having that family connection in the Limerick team makes the achievement all the more significant for him.
“I suppose we’re lucky in Patrickswell,” Carey outlines, “we always had a fairly strong representation from our club with Limerick. From that point of view it would have been extra-special for the club.
But, as you rightly point out, when your own nephew is playing it obviously brings the emotion to a seriously high level compared to if you hadn’t blood involved.”
Outside of sport, Carey is heading for an exciting chapter in his life.
He took some time out from coaching last year to focus on his studies in psychotherapy counselling with addiction, and he will be graduating with a full BA Honours Degree next month.
He has been working in the Cuan Mhuire Residential Treatment Centre for the last few years and plans to open his own clinic in Limerick city which will facilitate one-to-one and group therapy sessions.
Ciarán Carey in action for Limerick in 2002. INPHO
INPHO
“It was a tough journey because I went back in 2010/11 and I did my diploma at that time. I got heavily involved with the hurling then so I parked up the academic side of it. I went back there again then last year, thank God.
“It was a fair struggle. The learning part of it was fine, but where it pinched for me really was, if someone wants to drive a car they have to be given a provisional licence. I hadn’t my provisional licence for a lap-top or a computer!
“That was the big stumbling block, but thankfully I got plenty of help. My son and daughter were still in College and a very good friend of mine so I had plenty of help around that.
“I’ll be honest, getting this was equally as important as if I could have won an All-Ireland title. That’s how much it means to me.”
Ciarán Carey was inducted into the Gaelic Writers Association (GWA) Hall of Fame at a gala dinner on Friday night in Dublin’s Woolen Mills, where a number of current and former players were honoured at the 2018 awards.
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Limerick's 'beautiful' All-Ireland quest, a proud uncle of a key midfielder, and opening a counselling clinic
FORMER LIMERICK HURLER Ciarán Carey says that watching his county end a 45-year wait for All-Ireland glory was a ‘beautiful journey’ for him.
Limerick stunned defending champions Galway earlier this year to win the Liam MacCarthy Cup with a dramatic one-point win, an incredible result which Carey says was ‘an early Christmas present’ for everyone in the county.
“Definitely by the time they got to Croke Park you could turn around and say, yeah, it was a huge, huge emotional journey. Even for past players, I’d imagine.
“As it got to the business end of the year, emotions would have been huge for most past players I’d imagine. If it wasn’t, they mustn’t be that human.
“Being honest, watching the game it was the type of game you could enjoy. I was enjoying the match because I felt that we were in control in a lot of areas in the field, really.
Carey’s nephew Cian Lynch has been a revelation for Limerick in 2018, playing an integral role from midfield throughout the season on their way to glory.
The three-time All-Star didn’t get to witness the poignant embrace between Cian and his mother Valerie on the pitch after the All-Ireland final, but having that family connection in the Limerick team makes the achievement all the more significant for him.
“I suppose we’re lucky in Patrickswell,” Carey outlines, “we always had a fairly strong representation from our club with Limerick. From that point of view it would have been extra-special for the club.
Outside of sport, Carey is heading for an exciting chapter in his life.
He took some time out from coaching last year to focus on his studies in psychotherapy counselling with addiction, and he will be graduating with a full BA Honours Degree next month.
He has been working in the Cuan Mhuire Residential Treatment Centre for the last few years and plans to open his own clinic in Limerick city which will facilitate one-to-one and group therapy sessions.
“It was a tough journey because I went back in 2010/11 and I did my diploma at that time. I got heavily involved with the hurling then so I parked up the academic side of it. I went back there again then last year, thank God.
“It was a fair struggle. The learning part of it was fine, but where it pinched for me really was, if someone wants to drive a car they have to be given a provisional licence. I hadn’t my provisional licence for a lap-top or a computer!
“That was the big stumbling block, but thankfully I got plenty of help. My son and daughter were still in College and a very good friend of mine so I had plenty of help around that.
“I’ll be honest, getting this was equally as important as if I could have won an All-Ireland title. That’s how much it means to me.”
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Ciarán Carey Liam MacCarthy Cup Limerick Hurlers Taking It All In