Excitement and expectation is growing ahead of Sunday's historic All-Ireland Senior Camogie final between Cork and Waterford at Croke Park, as the Rebels target a 29th title, and the women of the Déisa - in their first final since 1945 - chase their first.
Buses have been chartered, and extra trains are running to help bring the thousands of family, friends and supporters to the match on Sunday which is set to be a classic as both sides vie to bring home the O'Duffy Cup.
At her home in Kilmeaden in Co Waterford, one the game's most passionate supporters 79-year-old Elizabeth Barry - known as 'Weeshee' - can't wait to take her seat in the stand for Waterford's first All-Ireland final in 78 years.
A former Waterford Senior camogie player in the 1960s, she played camogie for five decades before retiring to the sidelines. Weeshee knows better than most just how much this means to the Déise.
"Wouldn't it be marvellous for a Waterford Camogie to win a Senior All-Ireland? They are brilliant those girls, the skill that they have is unbelievable."
Those skills have been honed through targeted development of the sport in the county over the past 20 years, according to Waterford Camogie Chairperson Sheila O'Donohoe.
Club membership has doubled since 2015.
"Camogie was strong in Waterford back in the 1940s, back in the 1960s, then a lull with emigration but there has been a lot of people who have put in work in the last twenty years or so, from Under 18, Under 16B wins, right up to the 2011 Junior All-Ireland win, 2015 wins, really it has been growing on the back of that but this is absolutely huge.
"To be contesting at Senior and to make the breakthrough last year and get to a semi-final - all stepping stones - but this year is a huge opportunity, huge education and look, 78 years (since last in a final) it is absolutely massive," Sheila said.
Five members of this year's panel are from the city club De La Salle - a relatively young club, its oldest player at 25 years of age is Beth Carton.
Travelling to Dublin to support them on Sunday will be the Club's Under 14s camogie side who have a special message for the Senior side.
"We just want to wish ye the very best of luck and that you are great idols to look up to. We know ye can do it, ye have trained hard for this, and especially to our club girls - Beth, Brianna, Abby, Keeley and Niamh, we just want to say the very best of luck, we know you can do it."
Ahead of Sunday's All-Ireland Senior Camogie final, excitement & expectation is growing locally, as @CorkCamogie target a 29th title, & @deisecamogie - in their first final since 1945 - chase their 1st! More @rtenews @RTEsport pic.twitter.com/tpYADMC9J7
— JennïeØSullivân (@OSullivanJennie) August 4, 2023
While Waterford is chasing its first title, Cork is looking for its 29th. Having been beaten by Galway and Kilkenny in the past two finals, the Rebels are determined to bring the O'Duffy Cup home to Cork this year.
At Courcey Rovers GAA Club in Ballinspittle near Kinsale, the club's two senior Cork camogie players took time out earlier this week to meet younger club members.
Despite torrential rain, Saoirse McCarthy and Fiona Keating happily answered excited questions from the young fans about Sunday's upcoming game while offering tips and advice on how to play what is acknowledged as the fastest women's field sport in the world.
12-year-old Aoife Walsh says what she finds most inspiring about the players is their determination.
"They always practice. I often see Fiona and Saoirse down around here just pucking a ball off the wall or in the pitch taking frees."
12-year-old Sinead White said the club is organising a bus but she is travelling by car because the whole family is going.
"Honestly, it will be just so great. Just for all of us to be able to go up and to watch people from our own club playing for the Cork team."
Danny Toal, who plays with Courcey Rovers Under 12s, says he thinks Cork is going to win "by maybe four goals, say, four goals".
The village is bedecked with the Cork colours. That support from clubs and communities from Aghabullogue in mid-Cork to Blarney Street in Cork City is fundamental as five-times All-Ireland camogie winner and All-Star Rachel Moloney knows well.
"It is just pride when you see drive through the village and you see all the posters out with your names and you know that the people you grew up with, and your community, are behind you, so it kind of always gives you a boost I think.
"We have a bus organised from here and obviously all those children and adults have tickets. I know personally when we went to try and get tickets individually we weren't getting fantastic seats, so it is an obvious sign that there is good demand for tickets.
"And I hope there is, you know, because the girls deserve a good crowd up there."
As families and camogie supporters from across the country get ready for Sunday's exodus to Croke Park, Saoirse McCarthy's mother Cilla says her heart will be in her mouth until the final whistle blows.
"Heart palpitations, you are counting down the clock. I spent most of the time looking at the big screen, I don't even want to look at the pitch, I don't even want to see what's happening, and I will often - if it is a very tight margin - up out of the seat and I will go away. I will wait for a roar, peep just to see. So it is a waste of money really because I should just stay at home really and watch it on the tv," she joked.
She knows the Senior team won't have it easy.
"Waterford will be going out onto that pitch with a hunger looking for a win after 78 years," but "hopefully, the girls will come away with their 29th win, that's what we want".
