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VIDEO: Lester Ryan was giving All-Ireland winning speeches 'as Gaeilge' as a 10-year-old

The Clara man had been practising for last Saturday since 1998.

KILKENNY CAPTAIN LESTER Ryan gave a brilliant speech in Irish last Saturday as he accepted the Liam MacCarthy Cup on the steps of the Hogan Stand.

Ryan was widely praised for his speech but it’s clear that he has been practising for this day for a long time.

Lester’s cousin Kevin sent us in this clip of a 10 year-old Lester – along with his brothers Liam and Tom, and Kevin – giving this rousing speech back in 1998. The lads support the Clara youngster with cheers throughout.

Kevin Bolger / YouTube

Kevin has got in touch to explain to us how the video came about:

“The trophy that you see in the picture is just a random one from Johnny’s (Lester’s dad) collection. The Féile in question was not the hurling Féile, it was Feile Kilkenny. Féile is an Irish competition that used to run in Kilkenny for primary school students.

“Lester entered the competition at 10 years old which requires students to recite poems in Irish. However he decided to do an All Ireland speech himself and his teachers Richie Mulrooney and John Bolger helped him with it. They loved it and he won first prize.

“When he arrived home (you can see the medal around his neck), his Dad (Johnny) and Mam (Lilly) made him recite it for the camera again. I was there and found the video at home during the week.”

Snapshot – Eoin Murphy looked up to Shefflin as a kid and now is winning All-Irelands with him

Watch the Kilkenny squad call over to Tommy Walsh’s house and his mother’s reaction

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7 Comments
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    Mute James Murphy
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    Sep 7th 2015, 9:27 AM

    Good article, u have to just admire Kk, leaders all over the pitch, different class, different class.

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    Mute burner
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    Sep 7th 2015, 1:44 PM

    no team in country would have lived with kk physicality in second half yesterdat

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    Mute burner
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    Sep 7th 2015, 1:43 PM

    great points re canning went missing when his team needed him , will never be a true great until he can do it on big stage

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    Mute purty100
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    Sep 6th 2015, 9:35 PM

    brendan would have the inside track on that alright I’d say.

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    Mute MattL
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    Sep 7th 2015, 11:01 AM

    KK win All Ireland by beating Wexford, Waterford and Galway in Nowlan Park and Croke Park over a 3 month period …. Just an observation !!!!!

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    Mute James Quinn
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    Sep 7th 2015, 12:15 PM

    All Tipp had to do was beat Limerick, Waterford (in Thurles) and Galway and they couldn’t do it. Tipp couldn’t beat Galway, Kilkenny had to beat em twice, Galway would have beat any other team yesterday bar Kilkenny!

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    Mute Cathal McDonald
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    Sep 7th 2015, 1:41 PM

    The winners of the famed Munster Final couldn’t beat the Leinster runners up. Hardly KK’s fault.

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    Mute Simon Williamson
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    Sep 7th 2015, 6:27 PM

    Ah MattL, you’ve been well and truly put in your place, cringing for you…

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    Mute Patrick O'Flaherty
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    Sep 8th 2015, 1:26 AM

    I agree with MattL , it was a terrible championship overall, with just one good game – Galway V Tipp , granted the first half was good on Sunday and the game had some good scores but by the end the atmosphere was one of the worst I have ever witnessed. The championship needs a major overhaul , KK only challenged twice to be crowned All Ireland champions ,( not their fault) , CL format needed , a bad year for hurling with Waterford the exception maybe.

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    Mute Conor Ryan
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    Sep 6th 2015, 8:46 PM

    Any truth in the rumour Brendan that Brian might retire now that he has done an Alex Ferguson in winning again after retiring all the greats the previous year?
    It would be a good time for him to go out on top.

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    Mute Stephen Walsh
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    Sep 7th 2015, 2:05 PM

    Canning’s supply was poor in the second half. Playing at full forward, there is only a certain amount you can do when you don’t have a good supply. He was constantly looking for the ball, but nothing came.

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    Mute burner
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    Sep 7th 2015, 6:44 PM

    Canning’s supply was poor is not an excuse he should have come out the field and looked to create instead stood on square with hands on hips no big game mentality what so ever and anyone that mentions him in same breath as shefflin needs their head checked

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    Mute Nicola Long
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    Sep 8th 2015, 9:39 AM

    Stadium looked more empty because Kilkenny fans were severely outnumbered. Easily 3 to 1. Loads of Galway fans left Croke Park with 5minutes to go and missed their teams only goal. Must have been soul destroying for the players to see them leaving.

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