Up Close and Personal with Aidan O'Mahony

Ever wondered what your favourite GAA star listens to on their iPod? Ever wondered what the country’s top GAA players get up to in their spare time?

GAA.ie’s latest weekly feature allows you to get ‘Up Close and Personal’ with the stars of Gaelic Games.
Each week, we’ll talk to a top inter-county player and ask him the questions you’ve always wanted answered. And some you’d never have thought of asking!

This week www.gaa.ie gets 'Up Close and Personal' with Kerry defender and four time All-Ireland winner Aidan O’Mahony.

Factfile
Name: Aidan O’Mahony
Age: 31
Height: 6’
Position: Wing-Back
Honours: 4 Senior All-Ireland; 3 Allianz League; 7 Munster Senior Championship; 1 Kerry SFC; 1 Kerry U21; 3 GAA All Stars.
Inter-county debut: Munster Championship v Clare 2004
Occupation: Garda

What’s on your iPod?
That is a good question. Would you believe the DJ Niall O’Callaghan is doing my iPod at the moment so I actually don’t know what he has put in. Niall will have to answer that.

What’s your party piece?
The only fella in the squad with a party piece is Daniel Bohan. He’s the singer in the panel. If there was a microphone anywhere near at all he would take it straight away.

If you could change one thing about your game, what would it be?
I would come back with less speed. I’m actually too fast.

Tell us one thing nobody knows about you…
I think everybody knows everything about me – that’s the problem.

What are your hobbies and interests outside the GAA?
Running, walking, reading. And long walks on the beach.

What’s your favourite TV programme?

Desperate Housewives.

Who’s your sporting idol?
I would have to say Roy Keane.

Do you have any unusual pre-match routines or superstitions?
Going to games myself and Tom O’Sullivan always sit at the front of the bus.

What’s your earliest GAA memory?
Going to Croke Park in 1997 when Kerry and Mayo played in the final. 

If you had to play for another county who would you pick?
I wouldn’t change from Kerry. Ever.

If you could choose one inter-county player to play with your own team, who would it be?
What we have, we are happy to have. I would always take a player from another county, but I couldn’t pick one out.

Who is the most difficult opponent you have ever encountered?
Stephen Kelly (Limerick) and Seán Cavanagh (Tyrone).

Who is your all-time favourite GAA player or childhood hero?
Declan O’Keeffe, Tom Stack and Seamus Moynihan.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career?
My family and my Club Rathmore.

Who do you share with on away days?
Tom O’Sullivan. He’s just annoying full stop.

Who is your most confident team-mate?
Darran O’Sullivan or Kieran Donaghy. Kieran would give Darran a run for his money now at this stage.

Who has the worst haircut on the Kerry panel?
That would have to be Darran O’Sullivan as well.

Who is the worst trainer in the Kerry panel?
Kieran Donaghy.

Who’s the best footballer?
Colm Cooper. That’s an easy one to answer!

Who is the best dressed?
I don’t know who is the best dressed, but the worst dressed is definitely Kieran O’Leary.

Aidan was speaking in an exclusive interview with gaa.ie. He will be in action for Kerry in Sunday’s GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship final at Croke Park (throw-in 3.30pm).