Final Countdown: Businesses Turn Bridge Street Green And Gold

Posted by
kerry_abbey_inn

Danny Leane Jnr and Snr have The Abbey Inn decked out in green and gold. Photo by Dermot Crean

SOME streets in Tralee might be slow in getting the colours up for the big match, but in Bridge Street they’re really gone all out to support the lads.

Businesses from Shaws down to Sean Og’s have pulled out the flags and the bunting to give a real carnival feel to the street.

“We put up the bunting on the shop and across the street last week, because the town looked so bland and devoid of colour,” said Gerald O’Shea of New Yorkers Restaurant. “We wanted to do our bit for Bridge Street to inspire the rest of the town, to put up the colours to support our boys,” said Gerald.

Over in Sean Og’s the front window is bedecked in green and gold, although there is a smattering of black and amber inside the bar too, due to the bar manager, Niall Hayles, being a Kilkenny man.

“There’s not half enough black and amber around,” joked Niall, “but I will be supporting Kerry. The two ‘K’s for the All-Irelands, in minor and senior.”

Across the road, the Leane’s in The Abbey Inn have had their colours up all along for the two semi-finals.

“Every business should get the colours up and support their county, more so now with minors and seniors in the final,” said Danny Leane.

Bar manager, Niall Hayles, outside the green and gold window of Sean Og's. Photo by Dermot Crean

Bar manager, Niall Hayles, outside the green and gold window of Sean Og’s. Photo by Dermot Crean

His son Danny agreed. “We were always brought up supporting Kerry with the sign in the bar ‘There are only two kingdoms, the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Kerry’. We’ll live and we’ll die by it. I’ve three lovely daughters at home and only one of has been pictured inside in Sam. It’s been a while but we want Sam back to get the other two in it!” said Danny.

So can Kerry win it this year we asked Danny Snr?

“We should win it by about three or four points, the younger legs in the second half should tell. Donegal are inclined to run with the ball, while Kerry use the kick-pass so that should tell in the second half,” he said.

Above in Dowling’s Shoe Shop, Karena Dowling Keane, mother of Kerry star Barry John, was also urging businesses to get the colours out.

New Yorkers Gerald O'Shea and Mark O'Shea go all out in support of the Kerry teams. Photo by Dermot Crean

New Yorkers Gerald O’Shea and Mark O’Shea go all out in support of the Kerry teams. Photo by Dermot Crean

“We want to see more colour around the place because it’s been a while since minors and seniors were both in the final. At the start of the year they said Kerry’d be lucky to get out of Munster, but here we are now in the All-Ireland. So we want to get everybody in town showing the colours from now on. They’re doing it in Killarney, we need to do it here. It gives a great boost to everyone to see it around town,” said Karena.

Can the lads do it in two weeks?

“We can. We have the youth coming through and the wise heads of the older lads, so the mix is very good. They say we’re a team in transition but we’re in an All-Ireland and you can’t ask for more than that!” she said.

rsz_6kerry_banner

Businesspeople on Bridge Street in front of the ‘Kerry The Kingdom’ banner. Front kneeling; Danny Leane Jnr (The Abbey Inn) and Mark O’Shea (New Yorkers). Back from left; Danny Leane Snr (Abbey Inn), Niall Hayles (Sean Og’s), Mary Farrell (Coin Off-Licence), Karena Dowling Keane (Dowlings Shoes) and Gerald O’Shea (New Yorkers). Photo by Dermot Crean

Bunting, banners and flags line both sides of Bridge Street. Photo by Dermot Crean

Bunting, banners and flags line both sides of Bridge Street. Photo by Dermot Crean

• TraleeToday.ie will be visiting streets around town in the coming week taking photos of the colour in the town’s shopfronts.

Comments are closed.

image