Jubilant scenes unfolded across Kerry as the county’s GAA fans celebrated the Kingdom’s All-Ireland triumph.
The party promised to carry on as the county’s supporters rejoice taking the Sam Maguire back home with them for the first time since 2014.
Kerry won the All-Ireland Final after a pulsating victory over Galway on Sunday.
County cathaoirleach Padraig O Suilleabhain told the Irish Mirror: “We hadn’t won it in eight years – but we haven’t forgotten how to celebrate winning it.”
He was with the victorious players as the team bus toured the county for Monday's homecoming – that even some Ireland soccer players celebrated.
Boys In Green defender John Egan, whose late father John Snr is a Kerry GAA football legend, tweeted: “Up the Kingdom. What a day at Croker.”
Fans in green and gold jerseys, hats, scarves and bells and whistles toasted the newly crowned All-Ireland champions as the team bus crawled home.
Before the Kerry heroes set off from Dublin to return home to the Kingdom, they took Sam Maguire to meet sick patients at Temple Street Children’s Hospital.
Joe O’Connor, Sean O’Shea and Gavin White posed for photographs with kids.
Gavin said: “Kerry supporters have been a massive addition to us over the year and they really got behind us.
“Coming here, to take the Sam Maguire to sick children is nice. It’s a new experience, but it’s certainly a nice one to do.”
Young patient Ellie-May Neylon said: “I wanted to go to the match, but I couldn’t because I was in hospital.
“Now that I see the cup, it is even better than going.”
Surgeon Dr Seamus Boyle, who happily wore a Kerry GAA jersey for the visit, added: “I’m Kerry by heart. This means everything to everyone here. There’s such excitement. It’s a big lift to everyone here.”
Joe, Sean and Gavin then took Sam home and were welcomed by thousands of ecstatic fans, including Kerry County Council cathaoirleach Cllr John Francis Flynn.
The former player for Kerry U16s and the Laune Rangers club in Killorglin told the Irish Mirror: “I’m delighted for the manager Jack O’Connor and all the players and the fans.
“We hadn’t won it since 2014 and that is a long time for Kerry to go without an All-Ireland, so we’ve waited a long time to bring it home.
“We’ll have a long week of celebrations now and then the Kerry ladies are in their All-Ireland Final next Sunday.
“I am encouraging the whole county to get and support them so we can win another one and keep the celebrations going for another week.”
He added: “I’d also like to congratulate Pat Spillane [the Kerry GAA legend who ended his RTE broadcast career on Sunday] and wish him a very happy retirement. He has been a great advocate for Kerry over the years.”
Pat’s glamorous daughter Cara shared a photo online with her dad and wrote: “So proud. It was a special day.”
The team toured Tralee in an open-top bus before going on to Killarney for a reception at Fitzgerald Stadium. The team then travelled to the Gleneagle Hotel for a celebration which the organisers described as a victory disco. Mr O Suilleabhain said: “We are absolutely delighted and we are going to celebrate and it may go on for a few days.
“I think that it is normal. It’s been a long time for us, but we haven’t forgotten.”
“There was massive support for the team with people lining the route to show their appreciation and say their congratulations.
“It’s great to see. It has given the whole county a lift. The people of Kerry are very proud of this team.
“As Pat Spillane said, this sport is more than a game to us – it is a religion. You can see that in the great crowds, everywhere we go.”
Kerry man and former GAA president Sean Kelly, who is now an MEP, joined the celebrations and tweeted: “At Kerry GAA victory function and Kerry manager Jack O Connor described the occasion as ‘heaven’. How right he was.”
A commemorative car reg plate sign 22–KY–SAM was proving popular in the county with proceeds going to the Kerry Players’ Training Fund.
There were also personal celebrations for star player David Clifford, who was yesterday declared by bookies to be the uncontested winner of this season’s Player Of The Year award.
A spokesman for BoyleSports said: “All bets on Clifford being named Player of the Year have now been settled. And Kerry are already enjoying the large bulk of support for next year’s Championship after being chalked up as 11/8 favourites to keep hold of the Sam Maguire at the end of next season.
“This is the earliest we’ve paid out on a Player of the Year, but such was David Clifford’s say in the All-Ireland that we’re certain customers who backed him throughout the season were on to a winner.”
Meanwhile, RTE revealed phenomenal viewing figures with 862,000 viewers tuning in for the match.
A spokesperson said: “Kerry’s triumphant win over Galway in final was watched by an average of 862,000 viewers. That is a share of 75% of those watching TV at the time.
“Viewing numbers on RTE2 peaked at 5.03pm with 960,000 people watching as referee Sean Hurson added five minutes of extra time. There were 131,000 live streams on the RTE Player.”
READ NEXT:
Shamrock Rovers are getting close to group stage regulars, says Sean Gannon
Next Kilkenny manager: The candidates to replace Brian Cody as Cats boss
Barcelona and Real Madrid stars clash during ill-tempered El Clasico 'friendly'
Colm O'Rourke can restore Meath football's DNA, says David Beggy
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
