NO town does homecomings better than Skibbereen. To be fair, it has had more practice than most.
The highlights are traffic-stoppers. Olympic gods in 2016 and 2024. All-Ireland winning O’Donovan Rossa football teams, the men in 1993, the ladies in 2023. St Fachtna’s De La Salle Hogan Cup heroes of 1991. And now the trailblazing Skibbereen Community School ladies’ football team will be added to the list.
Just hours after winning their first-ever All-Ireland schools’ senior A football final at Nowlan Park in Kilkenny, the Skibbereen team enjoyed a heroes welcome in their hometown, as family, friends and fans all poured out onto the streets that night to celebrate another magical sporting moment for Skibbereen.
With many local clubs involved, this is a triumph that will be celebrated across the region, as footballers from Ilen Rovers, Castlehaven, O’Donovan Rossa, Clann na nGael and Tadhg MacCarthaigh combined to win the biggest football title in schools’ football.
As the double decker bus embarked on laps of Skibbereen on Thursday night, captain Leah Carey held the All-Ireland cup high for all to see, with the Square in downtown Skibb packed with supporters taking no notice of the falling rain – they were here to salute the town’s latest sporting heroes.
Each homecoming is special in its own way, and the latest was no different, as a group of young West Cork women put their school and town on the map.
All-Ireland winning captain Leah Carey at the homecoming in Skibbereen(Photo: Anne Minihane)
Waiting for their All-Ireland winning daughters to return home were proud mums Josephine and Patricia Carey.
Ellie and Paudie Hurley in Skibbereen to welcome home the All-Ireland champions.
Delighted Skibbereen Community School goalkeeper Tara O'Regan with her mum Nora O'Regan at the homecoming.
Kathlyn McCarthy, Drimoleague, with her delighted mum Helen, and brothers Daniel and Gearoid.
Eilymay Connolly, Finuala McCarthy and Maureen O'Regan turned out to welcome home the All-Ireland champions.
Victoria Haffner, Holly O'Flynn, Saoirse Rose and Annabel O'Connell cheered on the victorious Skibbereen Community School team at their homecoming.
Waiting at the Square in Skibbereen for the return of the newly crowned All-Ireland champions were, from left, Amaya Lee, Carla Harte, Saoirse O'Driscoll, Clodagh White, Milly O'Donoghue and Amy Kearney.
Aoife McCarthy, Cara O'Donovan, Maeve Gough, Róisín Hamilton, Lily Allan, Elena Tobin and Orlaith McCarthy cheered on the All-Ireland winners at their homecoming.
The newly-crowned All-Ireland champions Skibbereen Community School were delighted to be back in town.
Skibbereen Community School All Ireland Champions got a guard of honour at the school on Friday morning. Photo; Anne Minihane.
There was a fantastic crowd in Skibbereen to welcome home the victorious Skibbereen Community School team. (Photo: Anne Minihane)
