‘Clare is alive!’ says former priest-manager after famous win

Former manager of the Clare hurling team and priest, Fr Harry Bohan, delighted at the outcome of Sunday’s gripping All-Ireland Hurling Final, which saw Clare win the Liam McCarthy cup for the first time in 11 years, remarked that “Clare is alive” after “one of the best All-Irelands for years”.

Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Fr Bohan, who spearheaded Clare hurling’s revival in the 1970s, winning two National Leagues in succession between 1977 and 1978, admitted that many players would’ve been left wondering if they would ever taste success again if Sunday’s game had ended in defeat.

“I’m glad that they won it,” he said. “It was one of the best All-Irelands I’d say for years. They’re a team with a few great leaders. They’re a team that if they didn’t win this one, they’d be wondering to themselves if they’d ever win one. Clare is alive and they’re a fine bunch of lads that won’t get carried away.”

Speaking about the relationship between Clare and hurling, Fr Bohan recounted a childhood that was consumed with the sport and Faith, recalling that he never had to look to England for his formative sporting heroes.

“There was always a great tradition and love of hurling in Clare,” he said. “I grew up in the ‘40s and ‘50s in Feakle and hurling was at the very heart of life there. I was managing Clare one time and a great friend of mine used to say: ‘Sure we had nothing on the Sunday only Mass and the match’.

“I didn’t have to look to Manchester or Liverpool for my heroes. I saw them going to Mass every Sunday and because I was reared in a pub, they would come in for a few pints and a chat afterwards – they were my heroes,” he said.