Stop no. 7

 

Ballinderry Sportsfield

​

​​​Ballinderry Sportsfield is the home of the Shannon Rovers GAA club, of which Shane’s great-grandfather, John Lynch, was a founding member and its first president. Generations of the family have played for the club, and continue to do so today. John Lynch’s photograph appears on the sleeve of the commemorative Shane MacGowan Shannon Rovers jersey, which is displayed in the entrance of the clubhouse, as well as in the Nenagh Tourist Office.

​

Shane was very proud of his great-grandfather’s role in the founding of the club, a pride that was reflected on the day of his funeral, when a Shannon Rovers jersey was presented during the Mass as one of the symbols of his life.

​

Hurling remains the most popular sport in the area, with almost every child—boys and girls alike—playing the game at some level, either in school or with their local club. 

 

The memorable line from The Broad Majestic Shannon—“I sat for a while by a gap in the wall, found a rusty tin can and an old hurling ball”—captures the deep personal and cultural importance of the game to Shane.

​

To see hurling being played: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz101hhRnRY

 

 

You can view the commemorative jersey here:
https://shannonroversclubstore.myshopify.com/​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​