Tralee cemented its reputation as the centre of celebrations this week following the momentous homecoming of the victorious Kerry Senior Football Team
As soon as the final whistle blew in the All Ireland semi-final against Dublin, Tralee stood to attention, the Chamber began making calls to businesses to colour their shop fronts putting out the green and gold. Tralee MD rallied by erecting flags and bunting across the streets, local press began distributing posters, going door to door to make sure every business had one.
On the day itself Tralee MD provided a large screen in Pearse Park, where several families despite the inclement weather gathered to watch the match together as a community.
The hours following the win in Croke park, Tralee ramped it up again and began planning the homecoming of all home comings, every agency coming together the Kerry County Board, Kerry County Council, Tralee Chamber Alliance and most importantly the people of Tralee and Kerry who turned out in their thousands across the town centre on Monday.
Crowds began gathering shortly after 3pm to get the best spot before our heroes arrived into Denny Street at 6:30pm. What can only have been described as an electric atmosphere, the noise and excitement was quite simply off the charts with an estimated 30,000 people in attendance, it was a day and night that Tralee will never forget. What shone through as much as the Kerry team was the community pulling together, Tralee is fortunate to have such cohesiveness between all the agencies and businesses, where there is a strong wiliness to put the shoulder to the wheel when needed.
Following a very difficult two years, the boost that this has given businesses and the community cannot be underestimated. The only way is up and as is always the way in Kerry after an All Ireland win, the talk now is very much on the “2 in a row” Homecoming!