It is 16 years since Cork last won an All-Ireland hurling title and the excitement among supporters in the rebel county is reaching fever pitch.
Cork is awash with red and white as the hurlers prepare to take part in both the senior and minor deciders this weekend, having won the Under 20s final against Galway in Thurles last night.
In Charleville, on the border with Co Limerick, Sunday's senior clash between the two sides is giving rise to divided loyalities with Cork and Limerick supporters working alongside each other and even living under the same roof.
Limerick woman Aileen Browne, who is chairperson of Charleville GAA, says she is torn but come Sunday she will be shouting for club player Darragh Fitzgibbon who lines out at midfield for his county.
"Divided down the line, yes, I would be a very strong Limerick supporter all my life, and being in the situation now where we have a club person on the Cork team, I suppose on this occasion now I am shouting for the club and supporting Darragh all the way".
A sign on the town's Centra supermarket declares: "Local friends, County rivals".
Owner Ray Lee says people from the surrounding Limerick villages come into the Cork town to shop and his staff would probably be split 50/50.
"It's great, there's great banter, great local rivalry. At the end of the day we are all friends, at least until half three on Sunday!"
Charleville GAA club member and Cork GAA superfan Joe Cole says he has a match ticket and can't wait for Sunday.
Bedecked in Cork paraphenalia, including his favourite crochet red and white hat, Joe says he wears his heart on his sleeve.
Two years ago, the 77-year-old got tattoos on both of his arms - one for Charleville GAA Cork, the other is the Cork GAA coat of arms with the motto "Cork Forever" which he says he wants on his headstone.
With one of @OfficialCorkGAA's top fans Joe Cole of #Charleville #Cork #Forever - Sunday can’t come soon enough. We’ve been out and about capturing the mood ahead of #Cork’s first All-Ireland hurling final in 8 years #corcaighabú More @rtenews 6.01 pic.twitter.com/aiJCaml3xS
— JennïeØSullivân (@OSullivanJennie) August 19, 2021
He believes Cork can do it on Sunday.
"I think we have the mentality now with this new bunch that carry no baggage whatsoever".
In Ballinhassig in the south west of the county, the excitement is growing too.
Ballinhassig GAA Secretary John O'Sullivan says tickets for Sunday's final are like gold dust but the search for tickets is part of the excitement and build-up to the day.
The parish, he said, is very proud to have three local players taking part at the weekend - Patrick and Ger Collins on the senior panel, and Darragh O'Sullivan with the minors.
Nearby, the Nagle family house is lit up with a large sign wishing everyone good luck.
Justin Nagle says the local club asked the parish to paint the town red and his wife Colette came up with the idea of digging out the Christmas lights and putting them up for the match.
Reports are coming in of a border skirmish at the county bounds…. #UpTheRebels
— Lord Mayor of Cork (@KelleherColm) August 19, 2021
Cork V Limerick 🇮🇩🇳🇬 @LimerickCouncil @corkcitycouncil pic.twitter.com/Gbm4fiiH9B
Meanwhile, Cork's Lord Mayor Colm Kelleher tweeted to say that he had met the Mayor of the City and County of Limerick Daniel Butler on the county bounds "to raise their hurleys for a friendly one-to-one" following a "spirited exchange" of letters earlier this week in which Mayor Kelleher sought the return of the Liam McCarthy Cup.
Both men said they had settled "their differences" in the spirit of sportmanship and called on their respective city and county hurling supporters to paint the town red or green as the case may be!
Our troops deployed in Lebanon are looking forward to this weekends All-Ireland SHC Final.
— Óglaigh na hÉireann (@defenceforces) August 19, 2021
They will be cheering on their counties from their UN posts @UNIFIL_ #Cork🔴⚪️ #Limerick🟢⚪️ #Treaty #Rebels #AllIrelandFinalWeek pic.twitter.com/fu4NcMF5J8
