Kerry football legend, Páidí Ó Sé.
By John Harrington
It is 10 years to the day since iconic Kerry footballer and manager of many teams, Páidí Ó Sé, passed away.
Such was his force of personality, that his legend has only grow with the passing of time.
His nephew, Marc Ó Sé, was in Croke Park today at the announcement of GAAGO’s exclusive 2023 GAA Championship broadcast schedule and spoke fondly of his late uncle.
“10 years, it still seems like yesterday really,” said Ó Sé. “A lot of people are talking about him, the fact that it's ten years.
“The legacy that he left is just incredible and we're all very proud of him. I think his memory will live on, the fact that people are still talking about him after 10 years is due to the fact that he left such a huge impression on everyone and we were very proud of him.”
Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s excellent column in the Irish Examiner this week summed up beautifully how loved Páidí Ó Sé was by the men who played for him. Just like Fitzmaurice, they all have their own colourful memories of the man.
“This is it,” says Ó Sé. “I go as far back as the 1997 team and the mark that he left on all of those players was unbelievable. You'd meet some of those players, the likes of Stephen Stack or Pa Laide or Liam Hassett or Dara Ó Cinnéide and invariably the conversation always twists towards Páidí and the influence he had on all of them.
“I suppose in 1997 Kerry hadn't won an All-Ireland in 11 years so Páidí brought them to the Holy Grail really and it was a huge achievement for the whole county. Ah, he was great craic, great old fun. He had time for everyone, from the big politicians in Dublin to the local farmer, he just had time for everyone and he left a great impression.”
Former Kerry footballer, Marc Ó Sé pictured at the media launch of the GAAGO 2023 GAA Championship broadcast schedule.
You can be sure that if Páidí was still around he’d be enjoying this Christmas now that the Sam Maguire Cup is back in the Kingdom because it was such a long awaited triumph.
“You've just said it there, it was a long awaited one,” says Ó Sé. “Eight years since Kerry last won and in Kerry that's a long time. But great to have won it.
“I suppose the manner in which it was won as well, the semi-final against Dublin and Seanie O'Shea with that last minute free-kick point and the pressure that was on him. And then in the final getting over a very good Galway team.
“It's great to see these young fellas, the likes of David Clifford and Paudie Clifford and Seanie O'Shea getting their medal and you'd be hoping it would drive them on to more success because Dublin have been dominating.
“I think it will because there's a maturity about the side now. If you contrast them to 2019 when they were maybe a bit young and going down the stretch against Dublin where they were under pressure and coughed up a few points when they were in control.
“Whereas now I think that maturity is there. You have older players, the likes of David Moran, still going strong, and it'll be interesting to see what he does. You'd be hoping he'd stay on for another year especially with the likes of Joe O'Connor out for the year with a cruciate.
“I do think that maturity is there. Even for the younger players, the likes of David Clifford and Seanie O'Shea, there's a maturity there as well. They've won their first medal now and hopefully that will give them confidence to go on and win a few more.”
And how about the other contenders for the Sam Maguire Cup in 2023? What teams are best placed to knock Kerry from their perch?
“Galway are going to be very strong,” says Ó Sé. “Padraig Joyce has gone away in the winter months and he's added to his panel, he brought players back in who weren't in the panel last year.
“But Dublin, for me, are the number one challengers. If you have Jack McCaffrey and Paul Mannion back in the team, for me they go back in as number one favourites for the championship.
“You just saw last year the semi-final against Kerry, it could have gone to extra-time. Had it gone to extra-time you'd have been worried from Kerry's point of view. So i think Dublin are, without a doubt, the favourites for the 2023 campaign. All eyes will be on them, they'll be in Division 2 so you'd imagine they'll be coming straight back up to Division 1.
“They'll also be getting some fresh blood in to bolster the panel for the summer. So I would be thinking that Dublin will be number one, followed by Kerry and Galway. Those three counties in particular.”
Building up the Dubs in the hope it’ll be easier to knock them down. Páidí would approve of his nephew!
