A new series of Cloch Le Carn celebrates three Irish sporting legends.
Episode 1: Páidí Ó Sé
Episode 2: Colm Murray
Episode 3: Kevin Heffernan
EPISODE 1: CLOCH LE CARN – PÁIDÍ Ó SÉ
On the 15th of December 2012, Ireland lost one of its most passionate, colourful and recognisable sporting icons when Páidí Ó Sé died suddenly at the age of 57 at his home in Ceann Trá, West Kerry.
Páidí won an extraordinary 8 All-Ireland Senior Football medals and he captained Kerry to the 1985 title. His speech on the Hogan Stand as he received the Sam Maguire has become part of Irish folklore. He also managed Kerry between 1995 and 2003 and led the county to All-Ireland glory in 1997 and 2000.
Páidí’s early career playing for Kerry coincided with his professional life as a Garda stationed in Limerick. However, he decided to give up his life of fighting crime to become a publican, initially leasing the famous ‘Kruger’s Pub’ in Dún Chaoin before he opened his own pub in Ard a’ Bhóthair in the mid-eighties. Páidí was the star attraction and many celebrities like Dolly Parton and Tom Cruise paid him a visit.
Páidí was very proud of his family, his roots in Corca Dhuibhne and of the traditions of Kerry football. At times, however, he could be a controversial figure as was the case in early 2003 when he called the Kerry supporters ‘F***#ing animals’. Although Kerry reached the All-Ireland semi-final that year, Páidí was sacked as manager, a decision that hurt him deeply. But every cloud has a silver lining as Westmeath offered him a job the following week and they went on to win a Leinster title under Páidí for the first and only time in their history.
This episode of Cloch le Carn delves into the archives to look back at Páidí’s career on and off the pitch, with personal contributions from Mick O’Dwyer, Jack O’Shea, Dara Ó Cinnéide, Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, Brian Mullins, Fiona Looney, Tomás Ó Flatharta and Mártan Ó Ciardha.
Presenter / Reporter Garry Mac Donncha
Producer / Director Seán Ó Méalóid
CLOCH LE CARN – PÁIDÍ Ó SÉ
Ar an 15ú Nollag 2012, cháill an tír seo duine de na laochra spóirt ab aitheanta, ildánach agus paiseanta nuair a bhásaigh Páidí Ó Sé go tobann in aois a seacht mbliana s’ caoga i gCeann Trá, Ciarraí Thiar.
Ghrú Páidí 8 mbonn shinsir uile –Éireann sa bpeil agus bhí sé ina chaptaen ar Chiarraí nuiar a thugadar leo an chraobh i 1985. Thug sé óráíd stairiúl ar Ardán Uí Ógáín agus an chorn ina ghlaic aige, píosa cainte atá anois mar chuid de bhéaloidis na tíre. Bhí sé ina bhainisteoir ar fhoireann na ríochta idir 1995 agus 2003 freisin, é i bhfeighil do bhuanna Uile-Éireann an chondae i 1997 agus 2000.
I mblianta tosaigh Pháidí ag imirt do Chiarraí bhí sé ina Gharda lonnaithe i Luimneach, ach shocraigh sé a shaol ag cosaint an phobail a chaitheamh in aer nua nuair a ghlac sé Tigh Kruger i nDún Chaoin ar cíos agus thug sé faoina ghairm nua mar thábhairneoir. D’oscail sé Tigh Páidí Ó Sé i lár na nochtóidí in Ard a Bhóthair agus mheall sé na réalta móra ar nós Dolly Parton agus Tom Cruise le cuairt a thabhairt air.
Bhí Páidí thar a bheith bródúil as a chlann, a fréamhacha i gCorca Dhuibhne agus as an tradisiún a bhain le caid Chiarraí. Ach uaireanta bhain conspóíd lena thréímhse bainistíochta, go háirithe i dtús na bliana 2003 nuair a bhaistigh sé ‘F***#ing animals’ar lucht leannta Chiarraí. In aineoinn gur shroicheadar cluiche leath-cheannais na hÉireann an bhliain sin fuair Páidí bata agus bóthair agus ghoill sé go mór air. Ach seachtain dár gcionn fuair sé glaoch ón Iarmhí le dul i gceannas orthu agus go stairiúl threoraigh sé iad chomh fada le Craobh Laighean a ghruachtáíl don chéad uair riamh i 2004.
Caitheann an eagrán seo de Cloch le Carn súil ar shaol Pháidí tríd an chartlann agus ina theannta seo tá agallaimh le Mick O’Dwyer, Jack O’Shea, Dara Ó Cinnéide, Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, Brian Mullins, Fiona Looney, Tomás Ó Flatharta agus Mártan Ó Ciardha.
Láithreoir / Tuairisceoir Garry Mac Donncha
Léiritheoir / Stiúrthóír Seán Ó Méalóid
RTÉ ONE, Monday 10 March 2014, 7.30pm