Carrick-on-Suir estate proudly shows off the Tipperary colours ahead of All-Ireland Final

Carrick-on-Suir’s Treacy Park is resplendent in a riot of blue and gold bunting, flags and banners this week as its residents live up to their reputation as the most fervent supporters of the Premier County’s senior hurlers.

The housing estate just down the road from Carrick’s Davin GAA Park always puts in a huge effort to produce a glorious show of the county colours when Tipperary reach an All-Ireland Hurling Final. And this time is no different.

A sea of blue and gold bunting stretched from house to house across every avenue in Treacy Park with many front gardens sporting Tipp flags and banners of all shapes and sizes when The Nationalist visited last Saturday afternoon.

One Tipp flag erected in a front garden was almost the height of its owner’s home.

Treacy Park resident Jackie Coady said the show of colour for the All-Ireland final was a real community effort by all the resident. She was involved in organising a door-to-door collection last week to purchase new bunting.

“We had to get all new bunting for the estate as the bunting we had was either gone purple and gold or blue and white,” she reported

“The best price we could get was at the Knick Knack Shop in Clonmel.”

Jackie noted the quantity of bunting they once paid just €2 to buy now costs €12 but the the man in the discount shop sold it to them for a tenner.

The Treacy Park residents were awaiting the arrival of the last batch of new bunting to arrive that will be hung from the roof gutters of their homes to the front garden walls. It was purchased online on Amazon.

Six-year-old Tommy Long and his three-year-old sister Raeya Long dressed in Tipperary and Davins GAA Club colours supporting the Tipperary hurlers in Treacy Park in Carrick PICTURE: MARIA TAYLOR

Wooden ornaments of two crossed miniature hurleys, one painted blue, the other yellow sat proudly on Jackie’s front garden wall and on the garden walls of her immediate neighbours.

A giant hurley over four feet tall with a huge bas covered in signatures was produced.

Jackie explained it was made by hurley maker Johnny B of the 2 Johnnies. The duo presented it to the residents of Treacy Park when they visited the estate to shoot scenes for a video to accompany their 2016 Tipperary All-Ireland final song.

The autographs on the hurley are those of the All-Ireland winning 2016 Tipperary hurling team, and, of course, the 2 Johnnies.

Noreen McGrath and Jennifer McGrath were sporting two large blue and gold coloured sombrero hats and ponchos emblazoned with the slogans “The Boys Are Back in Town” and “The Three Amigos – Up Tipp”.

It was very suitable attire for the hot sunny day.

Noreen said the sombreros were purchased in Mexico in 1989, the year the Tipperary Senior hurling team, captained by Bobby Ryan, won their first All-Ireland title in 18 years.

Some Treacy Park residents have been very creative with the Tipperary themed displays at their homes.

The front garden of Veronica Wall’s house boasts a mannequin dressed head to toe in Tipperary colours sitting on a blue and gold painted bicycle. A can of Bulmers cider in a yellow mug hangs from the bike.

Veronica said the mannequin has been displayed in her garden ahead of All-Ireland finals since 2010 – another successful All-Ireland year for the Tipperary hurlers.

Lilly Loughman, Lacey Loughman and Geraldine O’Neill sitting in Lilly’s front garden in Treacy Park with the little Tipp hurler model they call Eoghan Kelly, named after former Tipperary hurling star from Mullinahone, and Lilly’s crochet work in the blue and gold colours. Picture Maria Taylor

Just a few doors away, what appears to be crocheted blue and gold throws adorn the garden chair bench and table in Lilly Loughman's front garden.

A Tipperary banner and a t-shirt celebrating Tipperary’s 2001 All-Ireland final victory over Galway hangs from the house.
Finishing off the display is a model of a little Tipp hurler sporting a sombrero hat.

“They are all ponchos I made for the children,” says Lilly pointing to her crochet craft work on the seat and bench.

“And that is our Eoghan Kelly,” she jokes turning to the figurine.

As tickets to the final are so hard to get, many Treacy Park residents are planning to watch the match in the aptly named Sliabh na mBan Bar on Carrick-on-Suir’s Main Street on Sunday.

Win or lose the residents plan to end All-Ireland Sunday with a a post-match street party in the estate’s square. They have hired a band for the celebration.

“We will have the craic anyway, one way or the other.

“We’ll dance and we’ll sing and we won’t give a jot,” said Jackie Coady paraphrasing a lyric from the Two Carrick Smashers song.

“But hopefully Tipp will win," she added. 

Pictured left to right are Richard Keating holding a giant hurley made by Johnny B of The 2 Johnnies and signed by the 2016 Tipperary Senior Hurling team; Damien Butler, Noreen McGrath and Robert Butler in blue and gold Sombrero hats, Seamus ‘Skiggs’ Harris. The children in front are Lily O’Brien and Tommy Long. Picture Maria Taylor

Check out this article and more photographs of the show of Tipperary colour created by Treacy Park residents in their estate in this week's edition of The Nationalist now on sale in local shops.