A rousing reception, songs and cheers, green and gold flags, jerseys and whoops of joy awaited sporting brothers and GAA heroes Paudie and David Clifford when they returned to their alma mater in their home parish this Friday.
The flags on the windows may be a little faded from the sun since July but the excitement certainly hadn’t waned and spirits were high in the Two Mile Community National School when the Fossa brothers – famous past pupils– walked through the gates holding the Sam Maguire cup aloft.
When Kerry last won the All-Ireland in 2014, half of the school’s current pupils weren’t yet in school and the other half hadn’t even been born.
The goalposts where the Cliffords once practiced their free-taking at break times still stand in the yard and today they are perhaps inspiring another generation of footballers, who are coached by Vince Cooper, and look to Paudie and David for motivation.
The school said it was wonderful to welcome parents and members of the community to share in the children’s excitement and there were flags, headbands and Kerry jerseys of nearly every generation.
The children queued patiently to have their snapshots taken with Sam and the Clifford brothers and they chatted eagerly to Paudie and David, looking for tips and the inside track on how they might follow in their footsteps.
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