Weeshie's Week
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Paidi O Se RIP - Cuchulainn na linne seo
December 21st, 2012He trained hard, played hard and the restless spirit lived life at a full and frenetic pace. We thought he would go on forever; he seemed indestructible both on and off the field. But, the Almighty Referee called for ... more»
Memories of Michael O Hehir
December 20th, 2012Last July, I visited Cusack Park, Mullingar, to attend the Kerry- Westmeath qualifier match. Outside the ground, set into the surrounding wall, was a bust of Micheal O'Hehir: underneath was inscribed the words: ... more»
A man who loved his county more than anyone I have known.
December 18th, 2012Paidi O Se. The name invokes a multitude of wonderful memories; he has been part and parcel of my life in many ways for over forty years since I first laid eyes on him. Even now peering back through the mists of time I ... more»
Graveside Oration by Sean Walsh at the funeral of Paidi O Se
December 18th, 2012The Ó Sé family have bestowed a great honour on me by requesting that I speak at Páidí's funeral. I am fully aware, as indeed we all are, that we are mourning the loss of an extraordinary ... more»
Kerry radio legend Weeshie recalls O Sé's tactical ability
December 17th, 2012Just a couple of days ago, Weeshie Fogarty was fingering through his post. The radio presenter and former Kerry footballer recognised the handwriting on one of the envelopes immediately. The letter was from ... more»
Inconsistencies with Refereeing in the GAA
December 11th, 2012Eugene McGee and his Football Review Committee (no mention of hurling), certainly set the tongues wagging and the scribes scribbling furiously when they published the findings last week of their deliberations and ... more»
2012 Munster GAA Awards
December 9th, 2012I had the privilege last Saturday week of accepting the Munster GAA media award at a banquet held in the Malton Hotel Killarney and what an amazing event it turned out to be. It was, thanks to my work with this paper ... more»
The Kerryman who Gate Crashed the 1956 Olympic games
December 7th, 2012An invitation which I gratefully accepted a few weeks ago found me in the beautiful Sneem Hotel mixing with and interviewing some of the greatest cyclists this country has ever seen. It was a re-union by over ninety ... more»
Dr. Crokes capture their second successive Munster club title
December 4th, 2012Last Sunday was one of those dark, dreary, murky December afternoons, one of those days when it would be normal to have a low scoring game as heavy underfoot conditions should militate to slow down players and make ... more»
The Goal that silenced a Kingdom
December 2nd, 2012It will be discussed for ever more. Kerry people want to forget about it. Offaly people never tire of talking about it. Mick o Dwyer was in tears after it. The county was in a state of shock because of it. It was ... more»
Magical Memories of Sonia O Sullivan
November 27th, 2012The mere mention of the name itself invokes a multitude of magical memories. We watched her on the box, enthralled, as she plundered gold, silver and bronze medals in the premier championship races around the ... more»
Reviews of 'My Beautiful Obsession' by Fr. Anthony Gaughan
November 19th, 2012This is an engaging account of the life and times of the author. Born in 1941, raised in Killarney, he began his working life in the Kerry Mineral Water Factory. Thereafter from 1962 to 2000, he was a ... more»
Reviews of 'My Beautiful Obsession - Chasing the Kerry Dream'
November 18th, 2012Reviews of the book by some of Weeshie's fans. Loving the book, here are a few of my highlights both happy and sad: really enjoyed reading your radio days even though I missed the beginning of your broadcasting career ... more»
Chasing the Kerry Dream
November 16th, 2012Kerry have always produced great commentators on sport, going back to the days of Paddy 'PF' Foley and stretching to include the great Micheal O Muircheartaigh, Micheal O Se, Liam Higgins, Pat Spillane, Dara O ... more»
Official Launch of 'My Beautiful Obsession'
November 12th, 2012Over three years of personal endeavor will come to fruition in the Gleneagle Hotel Killarney next Friday night when Kerry's legendary footballer Maurice Fitzgerald will officially launch my recently published book ... more»
The debate over Divisional teams in the County Championship
November 6th, 2012Human nature being what it is and Kerry being the fanatical football county we live in it was really as inevitable as night follows day as soon as Paul Hayes had blown the full time whistle in Dr Crokes stunning display ... more»
Dr Crokes First 3-in-a-row
November 5th, 2012Let's get to the Gospel, specifically Matthew 19:24 "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God". Put that into ... more»
Official Launch of Weeshie's new book
November 1st, 2012The official launch of Weeshie's new book, My Beautiful Obsession - Chasing the Kerry Dream takes place on Friday, 16th November at 8pm in the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney. Renowned poet Gabriel Fitmaurice will be the ... more»
Paudie O Connor and the first Black basketball players in Killarney
October 31st, 2012Paudie O Connor from Killarney was the greatest Kerry born basketball player I have ever seen and the greatest innovator of the sport of his era. Now resident in America I considered him a great friend and played ... more»
Crokes Win Three In A Row County Championships
October 30th, 2012The old adage, "a good start is half the battle" was never more evident than what we witnessed in Austin Stack park last Sunday as Dr Crokes literally demolished the hopes of Dingle to complete a historic three-in-a-row ... more»
The Clocks went back but Crokes went forward
October 29th, 2012The clocks went back on Sunday last to mark the official introduction of winter time, but it did not deflect Crokes from their mission to continue as Kerry SFC champions, when they proved far too good for Dingle in a ... more»
Scavenging for Jam Jars in a Killarney Dump Pit to buy our first Pig Skin Football
October 22nd, 2012Its as inevitable as night follows day that any young fellow born and bread in Kerry will at some stage of his early development be afforded the opportunity to kick a football and if the desire is there go on and ... more»
Tribute to Pat Ahern
October 16th, 2012A simple phone call last Thursday afternoon October 11th informed me of the death which occurred that morning of my great friends and former Kerry team mate Pat Ahern. It left me with a heavy heart and great sadness ... more»
My Association of Kerry Football Dates
October 9th, 2012Its one of the great symbolisms surrounding Kerry football which I have observed over the years and I can apply it to myself just as easily as I notice it in others. Ask most fanatical Kerry GAA followers, always and ... more»
Experiencing the All Ireland Hurling Final
October 2nd, 2012My sports editor requested my column should deal with last week's Kerry county championship program of matches. No problem there I thought and eagerly looked forward to attending the four games down for decision. ... more»
The most decorated and successful Kerry hurler of all time
September 11th, 2012So who is the most decorated and successful Kerry hurler of all time. Impossible of course to say with any degree of certainty as there has been many. However when a list of great Kerry born hurlers is drawn up some ... more»
The face of Gaelic Football has dramatically changed
September 4th, 2012A picture speaks a thousand words. Entering the last ten minutes of the recent Cork/Donegal All Ireland football semi final the northern men were six points ahead and literally coasting to their first final in twenty ... more»
Kerry Juniors All Ireland victory was a breath of fresh air
August 28th, 2012The Kerry juniors superb All Ireland win over Mayo, 0-19 to 1-7 in Ennis last Saturday was for me in many ways simply, a breath of fresh air. Firstly Sean Moynihan the manager and his sideline generals must be highly ... more»
Fitzmaurice is perfect fit
August 21st, 2012The old adage "familiarly breeds contempt" might well be one of the reasons Jack O'Connor decided recently to step back from the Kerry job for the foreseeable future, back to his home in the quietness and ... more»
Con Houlihan RIP; Fear ann fein
August 10th, 2012I heard of Con Houlihan's death on Saturday last and immediately looked to Carrauntuohil.; the commonality of Ireland's highest mountain and Ireland's greatest sportswriter. The mountain was gone, but later in the day, ... more»
Roads, Roundabouts and a Football Sculpture
August 10th, 2012As you drive into Tralee, at the Clashlehane roundabout, an unusual sculpture meets the eye-men leaping for a football. This is Kerry, this is a Gaelic football scene. Four figures, two on the alert as two others go ... more»
Spotlight on Con Houlihan
August 9th, 2012Éamonn Fitzgerald Visits Con Houlihan; Fear ann féin Dublin has a special attraction for me; very regular journeys to Croke Park for well over half a century has been part of it. Less regular, but ... more»
We do have a problem with Ulster teams
August 7th, 2012I may be in a minority of one here, but from where I stand it's now a proven fact that, despite many arguments to the contrary, our county senior football team has serious problems attempting to beat Ulster teams in ... more»
Tribute to Con Houlihan
August 6th, 20121925 - 2012 Con Houlihan was often considered one of Ireland's finest writers and left behind a legacy of immense sports journalism that spanned over 60 years. Over a lengthy career, Houlihan covered many Irish and ... more»
Long-range scores holds the key to unlocking Donegal
July 31st, 2012LET'S get the negatives out of the way first. Yes, Clare were very disappointing and were never at the races last Saturday evening. To put their display into context in relation to previous meetings between the counties ... more»
Kerry's best performance in Killarney since 1955
July 24th, 2012WHATEVER destiny awaits this group of Kerry footballers as they inch nearer Croke Park during this rain sodden summer their stunning victory over Tyrone last Saturday will be remembered when much more is forgotten ... more»
Kerry's great escape from Mullingar
July 17th, 2012No matter what way you look at Kerrys great escape from Mullingar last Sunday its obvious to even the most die hard Kerry supporter that this team is not moving well and who would have believed we would wait ... more»
Tribute to Tim Foran
July 12th, 2012Tadhg and Bridget Foran brought 4 children, Mary, Tim (Timmy as he was known locally), Jimmy and Noreen into the world in the townland of Tiershanahan on Kerryhead near Ballyheigue. While Mary, Jimmy and Noreen ... more»
Preview of the All Ireland Qualifier against Westmeath
July 10th, 2012No matter what way you look at next Sunday's qualifier Kerry/Westmeath everything points to a Kerry win and another step along the road of redemption following last years traumatic defeat by Dublin in the final. And ... more»
Kerry face Westmeath in the Qualifiers
July 3rd, 2012What significant has May 11th 1969 in relation to Kerrys forthcoming trip to Cusack Park to take on Westmeath in the qualifiers. Well to the best of my knowledge it was the only time the two counties have met in a ... more»
Tribute to Padraig Murphy
June 30th, 2012Born in Camp, Tralee he attended Camp National School where his father, Jackie Murphy, was the principal teacher and the powerhouse in the fostering and development of the G.A.A. in Camp and in general, West ... more»
A Polo Ground great: Eddie Dowling will be missed by all
June 27th, 2012I stood at Eddie Dowling's graveside last Wednesday in the beautifully kept Gale graveyard halfway between Listowel and Ballybunion. It was a poignant moment, the end of an era, another sad break with Kerry's past, ... more»
Eddie Dowling Eulogy
June 21st, 2012A chairde, Inniu, taimid bailithe anseo i Reilig na Gaille chun slan a fhagail le laoch mor peile, Eddie Dowling. Togha fir, gan dabht faoin speir. Today, we gather here to bid farewell to a sporting great, ... more»
Poignant letter written by Kerry Footballer Jack Murphy in 1926
June 20th, 2012Historic letter written by Kerry Footballer Garda Jack Murphy following the 1926 All Ireland Drawn Final. He died before the replay. Our thanks to his great grand nephew Joe McGill for allowing us to make it available ... more»
Active School Flag for Physical Education in Castleisland
June 19th, 2012It was for me one of those memorable Kerry occasion which come from nowhere and more or less passes by without any massive publicity or emphasis on its great importance and historical value in relation to the grass ... more»
Defeat to Cork and the long road through the Qualifiers beckons
June 12th, 2012It was always going to be a massive task travelling to Cork last Sunday and when Brian Sheehan was declared unfit during the previous week it really made the job much more difficult. One of the top free kickers in the ... more»
Preview of the Munster Semifinal against Cork
June 5th, 2012Three weeks ago before a ball was kicked in the championship I mentioned here that in my opinion Cork would be favourites against Kerry in the Munster semi final. Well nothing has changed in the intervening weeks to ... more»
Trip to Tipp presents ideal Championship opener for Kerry
May 22nd, 2012IT goes without saying that a convincing Kerry victory and nothing short of this will be expected as the Championship campaign begins in Thurles against Tipperary next Sunday. Nevertheless, irrespective of who you ... more»
Tribute to Seamus Kennedy
May 15th, 2012Seamus Kennedy died after a long battle with illness last Monday week May 7th. He was buried following 11 am mass in Kilcloon Church Co Meath last Thursday. A lone Kerry jersey adorned his coffin and hosts of cycling ... more»
Life, Death and Hurling
May 12th, 2012Michael Duignan, RTE analyst and former Offaly hurler, is the first GAA man from that county to write an autobiography. It is not your typical GAA story, it is more than a tale of matches lost and won, of highs and lows ... more»
Cork to win the 2012 Munster Championship
May 8th, 2012The most frequently asked question from my perspective as I travel around the county and beyond is one that that has always come up around this time of year, "will Kerry win the All Ireland""?. The league is ... more»
Here's the rule book, that's the rule, did you apply it?
May 6th, 2012THERE are no cloven hooves visible on the GAA referees' assessor as he steps into the room and no hint of guilt for being the tightest and most unpopular marker in league and championship. He turns out to be ... more»
Tribute to Swazi athlete Samkeliswe Phiri
May 1st, 2012"May the love hidden deep inside your heart find the love waiting in your dreams? May the laughter that you find in your tomorrow wipe away the pain you find in your yesterdays." On the side of a hill we ... more»
Motions from the 2012 GAA Congress
April 24th, 2012The big news from the recent annual GAA Congress was the appointment of Liam O Neill as President of the association. O'Neill from County Laois was installed at the annual Congress in Killenard. He takes over from ... more»
Tough defeats for the Kerry Seniors and Kerry U21s
April 17th, 2012It will be of very little consolation to Eamon Fitzmaurice and his young men following last Wednesdays under 21 defeat by Cork that this was a massive improvement on the very inept performance at the same stage last ... more»
John Egan - One of the Greatest
April 10th, 2012All the great Kerry footballers I have been fortunate to have seen in action since 1955 have something that elevates them for some reason or another above all others. Individual brilliance, sportsmanship, off the field ... more»
Hall of Fame Award for Jerry Kiernan
April 3rd, 2012It was for me one of those unforgettable, memorable and wonderful Kerry sporting occasions. As an invited guest to the Kerry AAI awards on March 24th held in the River Island Hotel Castleisland i found myself in the ... more»
More common sense required
March 27th, 2012Last week I made reference here to the number of yellow and red cards being dished out left, right and centre by many referees at both club and inter county games since the season began. I am fully convinced that since ... more»
Pa Fitzgerald is still the top dog on the greyhound scene
March 13th, 2012PA Fitzgerald is a very remarkable Tralee man. As a brilliant Austin Stacks footballer, he was part of the Kerry team that won the 1955 All-ireland final against Dublin, while in his professional career he became a very ... more»
"Doc" O'Donoghue was a true Legion legend
February 28th, 2012My Graveside Tribute It's a great honour and privileged having been asked to speak at the grave side to day as we bid farewell to a friend and the President of our club Killarney Legion. However while Michael has ... more»
Crossmaglen Rangers - One of the greatest club sides we have seen
February 21st, 2012In Portlaoise last Sunday we were again shown proof if proof was ever needed that Crossmaglen are one of the greatest club sides we have seen over the last thirty yeas or so. The Crokes began this all Ireland club ... more»
All Ireland Colleges Glory
February 17th, 2012I was a reluctant GAA manager. Younger teachers in our College of Further Education, Colaiste Ide in Dublin, looked after the football team. But, when the last of them, Kerryman Joe O'Sullivan from Brandon left on ... more»
A lot of work to be done by the Kerry sideline men
February 14th, 2012A week is certainly a long time in football and following Kerry's very encouraging win over Dublin in Croke Park I think it might even be an understatement to declare that a victory over Armagh last Saturday in Tralee ... more»
Chasing the Dream of winning that elusive O'Donoghue Cup Medal
February 7th, 2012Any time the debate in relation to the great o Donoghue Cup players come up for discussion a host of names will be remembered. Men who have starred in Croke Park for their county, achieving the highest honors the sport ... more»
The variables and the unknowns are the real beauty of the League
January 31st, 2012KERRY return to Croke Park, the scene of one of their greatest recent disappointments, next Saturday as the National League kicks off. The events of the closing minutes in last year's All Ireland final will be fresh in ... more»
Should managers be paid
January 24th, 2012When Padraig Duffy finally presented his discussion document to the GAA management Committee on the payment of managers last Friday week he was certainly opening the proverbial "can of worms" in a very big way ... more»
Liverpool FC - My very first boyhood favourites
January 17th, 2012Let me make one thing absolutely clear from the start, Liverpool Football Club are my second favourite Premiership side behind Manchester United. Liverpool were in fact my very first boyhood favourites. Tottenham ... more»
Can Mickey Ned end Kerry Minors All Ireland Famine?
January 13th, 2012Kerry lead the way in the roll of honour of All Ireland football titles with 10 championships to their credit, but they have not won any since 1994. See roll of honour below. This has been a cause for concern for ... more»
'Caid is God' - A Great GAA Kerry programe not to be missed
January 11th, 2012The programme "Caid is God" goes out on TG4 on Sunday 22 January at 9.30pm. Even if you hate football, you'll like this programme. It is about a passionate, lifelong commitment to a cause, a sport, an ... more»
A Legendary Lilywhite - Jack Higgins of Kildare
January 10th, 2012An e-mail last February from a friend in Kildare Matthew Hussey alerted me to the fact that he had began the task of writing the life story of one of the greatest centre backs Gaelic football had ever seen. From ... more»
Memories of 2011
January 3rd, 2012It was a year of economic gloom, international unrest and predictions that things are going to go from bad to worse. Between the press, radio and television we have been bombarded morning, noon and night with doom and ... more»
Sections
- Weeshie's Week (499)
- Brendan O Sullivan (35)
- Championship (111)
- Clubs (11)
- County Championship (33)
- Dr Eamonn O Sullivan (6)
- Early GAA in Kerry (5)
- Famous Games (8)
- GAA (227)
- Hurling (1)
- Kerry Captains (10)
- Kerry Colleges (3)
- Kerry Football Families (13)
- Kerry Footballers (31)
- Kerry Trainers (10)
- Memories (67)
- Miscellaneous (64)
- My Beautiful Obsession (3)
- National League (47)
- On The Ball (19)
- Other Counties (7)
- Other Sports (55)
- Refereeing (2)
- Stats (1)
- Tributes (71)
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