The cabbie claimed it had been raining in Limerick for the last two years. No summers whatsover, he recounted, as we headed south towards an area so infamously linked with the gang shooting last week of local rugby man Shane Geoghegan. It was raining but Ihad no way of debating with the driver the meteorological records of the area.
It was extremely dark though midway through the afternoon as we skirted the upgraded Thomond Park which stands like a sporting beacon in the city of about 100,000. His radio was tuned to a premiership football game in England as I inquired about the level of rugby interest in what is known as the Munster stronghold.
"Oh Jesus," he said, "dey go nuts about the game, dey are all mad about rugby in this area. We could fill da stadium four times over for dis game," he cackled as the radio barked out some more soccer results. "Will it be raining Tuesday night (Wednesday 8.30am NZT) then for the All Blacks game?" I inquired.
"Every chance," was the reply. "I had an Aussie lady in the cab a while back. She had just got off the plane and looked up at the skies and praised the rain. Are ya mad," the cabbie asked her.
The passenger apparently replied that she had all her faculties but where she came from, she had not seen any rain for as long as she could remember.
Four months later, the cabbie told me, he picked up the same woman who was on the way back to the airport. It was still raining in Limerick and she did not have quite the rapport with the rain that she did when she arrived. The cabbie reckoned the area had no summer last year and precious little sunshine this season either. At least I could think ahead and feel assured we will get some of the great yellow warmth in a few weeks.
Daniel Carter poses with fans as the All Blacks arrive in Limerick for their game with Munster on Wednesday. Photo / Getty Images
