Pat O'Shea

Pat O’Shea explains the influence of his father’s background in the GAA in Kerry and how this shaped his interest in football and, despite being based in Tipperary, his passion for Kerry football. His earliest memory is of chasing for autographs of players and the writer John B. Keane in the aftermath of the 1969 All-Ireland semi-final between Kerry and Dublin. O’Shea talks about the influence of his father and mother’s family on his sporting outlook and also that of his son. In addition, he discusses the place that the GAA has plays in community life; the waning involvement of the clergy in GAA affairs; changes in media coverage and the challenges that face the GAA into the future.