Come the final whistle after today’s All Ireland quarter final, the respective Walsh households will be a difficult place to live for certain members of the family.
Donegal women Roisin and Caroline Walsh just happen to be married to Kerry brothers Justin and Diarmuid Walsh.
But they have refused to follow the Kingdom and will be proudly wearing the green and gold of Tir Chonaill today.
Justin and Caroline (nee Sweeney) both work in Letterkenny IT while his brother Diarmuid and wife Roisin are both teachers in Inishowen.
Both families have just returned from holidaying in the Kingdom but will be travelling to Croke Park today to support their teams.
While in Kerry, Caroline, who is on the Committee for Relay for Life Donegal, met up with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Donegal Association of Kerry, who are keen to offer their support for Relay for Life by promoting and selling the Daniel O’Donnell’s CD (I’ll see this journey through) on the committees behalf and are also putting plans in place to organise a fundraising event for Relay for Life Donegal 2013.
The Association was founded in March 2011 by Sean Gallagher.
Living in Killorglin with his wife Mary, the Inver native is having great sport with the people of Kerry. With over 100 members the Donegal Association of Kerry is enjoying the tribal banter in all corners of the county this week as today’s showdown looms.
“I think it is any team’s game and it is going to be tight. We are a farly tight-knit community here in Kerry alright, we’d have to be in a week like this, but the craic is mighty,” said Sean.
Included in the picture are Sean Gallagher (back row – second in from right hand side), Kieran Boyle (back row on left hand side), Bridget Moore (formerly McElhinney, Creeslough) with her husband John from Causeway, Co Kerry. Bridget’s nephew, Martin McElhinney is on the Donegal panel for Sunday which makes it all the more exciting but although John would love to see Martin getting a medal, he will definitely be cheering for Kerry on the day! Also included of course are The Walsh families – Justin and Caroline with kids Sarah and Darragh (wearing Kerry Jerseys!!) and Diarmuid and Roisin with kids, Donal, Aoife and Michael (wearing Donegal Jerseys).