“It’s crazy, but it’s wonderful” – Kellie Harrington reacts to her home becoming a new GAA tourist attraction

“I do watch the GAA, and I’ll be getting behind our girls now, the Dublin team.”

Nothing quite beats match day at Croke Park. Even before you get to the stadium there is a whole buzz about the area, fans have travelled from all over the country, the bars are full, and the shops are packed.

If it’s a sunny day then getting an ice cream on your walk to the Croker is an absolute must, but now another pit stop has recently become a part of a GAA fan’s journey.

Kellie Harrington, who just won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, grew up basically a stone throw away from the stadium, and now passers-by are making sure to stop and get a picture outside the house.

The boxing champion has to come to terms with a lot of changes in her life since standing on that podium a couple of weeks ago, but her family home becoming a tourist landmark was definitely unexpected.

“I think what we’re going to end up having to do is turn the sitting room into a coffee shop and start selling stuff out the window, may as well capitalise on this while we can, make hay while the sun shines, or else just leave a little donation box like ‘Support Kelly’s coffee slice foundation,'” joked Harrington.

“I do watch the GAA, now I wouldn’t be watching every match, but I’ll be getting behind our girls now, the Dublin team, and it is mad to think that my poor ma and da’s house is becoming a tourist attraction.

“People are just stopping to get a picture outside, and it’s crazy, but it’s wonderful.

“The media might be a bit too much for my ma and dad, but the people aren’t.

“The media can be a bit overwhelming for them because they’re afraid of what they might say, or what they might not say, but with people knocking at the door, they would open it all day.”