Post by kaywhy on Aug 25, 2011 23:56:36 GMT
I posted this 2 years ago originally, but Mick Mac's thread reminded me how blessed we are, and I want to highlight my sentiments once again, - so here's a repost, with a few updates...
...2 year's ago I was in agreement with Kieran Shannon. I felt an end of an era was close at hand. I felt this team would go down fighting against Dublin in 2009, but yes, would unfortunately go down. It hurt, but I had accepted this fate. Nothing can last forever.
But the team came out and put in a jaw drawing performance that day! & there I was last year, thinking the Down loss meant a spell out of the limelight, but here we still are!, - back enjoying the 4 week run into a final, bursting with pride following another special performance, discussing and debating my preferred final selection for the 10th time in 12 seasons (replay), 7th time in 8 years, hoping and praying that we may capture our 7th title in 15 c'ships.
I was way too young to enjoy the successes of the 70s/80s, so for me, the excitement, joy, trepidation, pride and emotion that courses through your veins on the morning of an All-Ireland was all new and unusual come 1997… and how blessed am I to have experienced that sweet morning roller-coaster so many time in this modern era?
Truly Blessed. And truly in debt to the players and management that made it happen.
The mornings have been great, the evenings not always so, but far more moments of ecstasy than despair, that is for sure. And the despair? - well that helped define me also. I’m a better man for all the days.
It has been said in many forms and in many finer ways in recent weeks and months, but I too marvel at this great team, and at the modern legends of Kerry GAA that have taken to the field to represent the Kingdom in these last 16 years.
6 All-Ireland titles.
History makers.
6 finals in a row.
A back to back.
Darragh with 6 medals, 23 senior All-Ireland medals residing among the Ó Se family. Numerous legends dotted around the Kingdom with 5 or 4 or a healthy hat trick of medals!
Judging by the emotions and pride I've felt this year and the last dozen years, I now truly understand what I missed in the golden years! It must have been something else, and it had its moments of despair also.
But what about the modern legends! The players can stand tall with any generation that went before. It’s tough to compare, but in my opinion, this success compares to anything achieved previously.
And us supporters, Truly Blessed. And truly in debt to the players and management that made it happen.
I am honored to support them, and I wish to take this moment, at this time of year, and in the aftermath of another special performance to simple express my gratitude. My gratitude the unyielding dedication to the county, for putting your life on hold for the team, for shouldering so much expectation, and for being outstanding ambassadors.
The modern era has been special, the days with the green and gold have enriched my life - and to Paidi, Pat, Jack and to each and every player I can only say… A deep and sincere Thank you! I am forever in your debt.
I wouldn't dare suggest this is close to an end-of-era thank you… merely a timely pre final expression of gratitude - Yerra, maybe we have another 16 years in us!
It's time to show our gratitude to these guys - for the countless long hours of training, the magical performances, the special moments, the winning days, the beauty that is Kerry football in full flight.
Roll on the next run out of the green and gold (or blue!)
Roll on the emergence of new and exciting talent.
Roll on the fight for the title and the next great hurdle.
Roll on being written off, or written up!
A massive thank you...
Aidan O’Mahony
Aodán MacGearailt
Adrian O'Connell
Aidan O'Shea
Anthony Maher
Anthony Gleeson
Barry John Walsh
Barry O'Shea
Billy O'Shea
Brendan Guiney
Brendan Kealy
Brian Clarke
Bryan Sheehan
Charlie McCarthy
Colm Cooper
Daniel Bohane
Dara Ó Cinnéide
Darragh O Sé
Darren O'Sullivan
David Moran
Declan O’Sullivan
Declan O'Keeffe
Declan Quill
Denis O’Dwyer
Diarmuid Murphy
Donal Daly
Donncha Walsh
Eamon Breen
Eamon Fitzmaurice
Enda Galvin
Eoin Brosnan
Fionnán Kelliher
Gene O’Driscoll
Genie Farrell
Ger Reidy
Gerry Murphy
Ian Twiss
James Cahalane
James O'Donoghue
John Crowley
John Cronin
John McGlynn
Johnny Driscoll
John Sheehan
Kenneth Dillon
Kieran Donaghy
Kieran O'Leary
Kieran Quirke
Killian Burns
Killian Young
Kieran Cremin
Liam Flaherty
Liam Hassett
Liam Murphy
Marc O Sé
Maurice Corridan
Maurice Fitzgerald
Michael D. Cahill
Michael McCarthy
Micheal Quirke
Mike Finn
Mike Frank Russell
Mike Hassett
Mike Moloney
Mossie Lyons
Morgan O'Shea
Noel Kennelly
Pa Laide
Pa O'Sullivan
Paddy Kelly
Padraig Reidy
Pat Corridan
Paul Galvin
Paul Kennedy
Paul O'Connor
Peter O'Leary
Roibeard MacGearailt
Ronan Hussey
Ronan O’Connor
Rónán Ó'Flatharta
Seamus Moynihan
Seamus Scanlon
Sean Burke
Sean Geaney
Seán O’Sullivan
Stephen O'Sullivan
Stephen Stack
Tadhg Kennelly
Tom O'Sullivan
Tomás O'Sé
Tommy Brosnan
Tommy Griffin
Tommy Walsh
William Kirby
“All fine teams come to an end. Kerry effectively ended John O'Mahony's Galway this weekend seven years ago, and Joe Kernan's, this weekend three years ago. Armagh died hard. Kerry deserve to die hard.
It brings to mind the famous scene in The Lion in Winter, where the sons of King Henry are on the verge of being executed by their father. As he approaches, Geoffrey says to his brother Richard, in the dungeon, "You chivalric fool, as if it matters how a man falls down." To which Richard, played by Anthony Hopkins, replies: "When the fall is all there is, it matters a great deal."
Kerry are too proud and chivalric to fall down easily. But fall they will.”
...2 year's ago I was in agreement with Kieran Shannon. I felt an end of an era was close at hand. I felt this team would go down fighting against Dublin in 2009, but yes, would unfortunately go down. It hurt, but I had accepted this fate. Nothing can last forever.
But the team came out and put in a jaw drawing performance that day! & there I was last year, thinking the Down loss meant a spell out of the limelight, but here we still are!, - back enjoying the 4 week run into a final, bursting with pride following another special performance, discussing and debating my preferred final selection for the 10th time in 12 seasons (replay), 7th time in 8 years, hoping and praying that we may capture our 7th title in 15 c'ships.
I was way too young to enjoy the successes of the 70s/80s, so for me, the excitement, joy, trepidation, pride and emotion that courses through your veins on the morning of an All-Ireland was all new and unusual come 1997… and how blessed am I to have experienced that sweet morning roller-coaster so many time in this modern era?
Truly Blessed. And truly in debt to the players and management that made it happen.
The mornings have been great, the evenings not always so, but far more moments of ecstasy than despair, that is for sure. And the despair? - well that helped define me also. I’m a better man for all the days.
It has been said in many forms and in many finer ways in recent weeks and months, but I too marvel at this great team, and at the modern legends of Kerry GAA that have taken to the field to represent the Kingdom in these last 16 years.
6 All-Ireland titles.
History makers.
6 finals in a row.
A back to back.
Darragh with 6 medals, 23 senior All-Ireland medals residing among the Ó Se family. Numerous legends dotted around the Kingdom with 5 or 4 or a healthy hat trick of medals!
Judging by the emotions and pride I've felt this year and the last dozen years, I now truly understand what I missed in the golden years! It must have been something else, and it had its moments of despair also.
But what about the modern legends! The players can stand tall with any generation that went before. It’s tough to compare, but in my opinion, this success compares to anything achieved previously.
And us supporters, Truly Blessed. And truly in debt to the players and management that made it happen.
I am honored to support them, and I wish to take this moment, at this time of year, and in the aftermath of another special performance to simple express my gratitude. My gratitude the unyielding dedication to the county, for putting your life on hold for the team, for shouldering so much expectation, and for being outstanding ambassadors.
The modern era has been special, the days with the green and gold have enriched my life - and to Paidi, Pat, Jack and to each and every player I can only say… A deep and sincere Thank you! I am forever in your debt.
I wouldn't dare suggest this is close to an end-of-era thank you… merely a timely pre final expression of gratitude - Yerra, maybe we have another 16 years in us!
It's time to show our gratitude to these guys - for the countless long hours of training, the magical performances, the special moments, the winning days, the beauty that is Kerry football in full flight.
Roll on the next run out of the green and gold (or blue!)
Roll on the emergence of new and exciting talent.
Roll on the fight for the title and the next great hurdle.
Roll on being written off, or written up!
A massive thank you...
Aidan O’Mahony
Aodán MacGearailt
Adrian O'Connell
Aidan O'Shea
Anthony Maher
Anthony Gleeson
Barry John Walsh
Barry O'Shea
Billy O'Shea
Brendan Guiney
Brendan Kealy
Brian Clarke
Bryan Sheehan
Charlie McCarthy
Colm Cooper
"His feet are a blur, his hands quicker than a snake's strike. He's Gaelic football's great assassin, yet he looks about as menacing as Garfield"
Daniel Bohane
Dara Ó Cinnéide
Darragh O Sé
"There is no beginning or end to the narrative of Kerry excellence. They just come to these days like salmon drawn back to the spawning ground and do their business. Some days obdurate as a black ocean, others glowing like a perfect, gaping sky. Always immense and powerful.
That's the essence of them. They can be beautiful one minute, hard and cynical the next. They can enchant with one hand, squeeze murderously with the other. Whatever it takes, Kerry are inclined to find it."
Darren O'Sullivan
David Moran
Declan O’Sullivan
Declan O'Keeffe
Declan Quill
Denis O’Dwyer
Diarmuid Murphy
Donal Daly
Donncha Walsh
Eamon Breen
Eamon Fitzmaurice
Enda Galvin
Eoin Brosnan
"Kerry simply played a game from another galaxy. Fluid, cunning, sassy and garnished, sporadically, by breathtaking arrogance."
Fionnán Kelliher
Gene O’Driscoll
Genie Farrell
Ger Reidy
Gerry Murphy
Ian Twiss
James Cahalane
James O'Donoghue
John Crowley
John Cronin
John McGlynn
Johnny Driscoll
John Sheehan
Kenneth Dillon
Kieran Donaghy
"The high ball grabbed, full back David Heaney shrugged off and WHAM!, the net almost torn from the rigging. Nine minutes old, the game already over."
Kieran O'Leary
Kieran Quirke
Killian Burns
Killian Young
Kieran Cremin
Liam Flaherty
Liam Hassett
Liam Murphy
Marc O Sé
Maurice Corridan
Maurice Fitzgerald
Michael D. Cahill
Michael McCarthy
Micheal Quirke
Mike Finn
Mike Frank Russell
"No team, no individual, could have stood up to this onslaught on this day.
Kerry have picked up four All Ireland titles in this decade and must allow themselves a wry smile at those of us who think we somehow should be let into the Pantheon of the Greats just because we have won one or two.
Other teams might pop up every so often and snap one out of their grasp, but in reality, the Kerry psyche plays around with the other thirty one counties in the same manner that their team messed about with Mayo on Sunday."
Mike Hassett
Mike Moloney
Mossie Lyons
Morgan O'Shea
Noel Kennelly
Pa Laide
Pa O'Sullivan
Paddy Kelly
Padraig Reidy
Pat Corridan
Paul Galvin
"If there was any sense of history in Croke Park, we surmised, it was in Kerry's utter belief in their own sense of place and tradition as they restored the classical, simple values of football wherein their genius could flourish.
Beat your man to the ball, catch the high balls when competing with opponents, direct long foot-passes all over the field to disorientate opposing backs; and finally, go for your scores with raw courage and total lack of selfishness."
Paul Kennedy
Paul O'Connor
Peter O'Leary
Roibeard MacGearailt
Ronan Hussey
Ronan O’Connor
Rónán Ó'Flatharta
Seamus Moynihan
“Dreams have come true,” Moynihan said. “My son in one arm, the Sam Maguire, nothing else will cap that.”
Seamus Scanlon
Sean Burke
Sean Geaney
Seán O’Sullivan
Stephen O'Sullivan
Stephen Stack
Tadhg Kennelly
Tom O'Sullivan
"If we want to know the secret of Kerry football, we have it here. The individual is the key to the collective. Challenge a Kerry footballer to prove himself and he will go to the ends of the earth to do so."
Tomás O'Sé
Tommy Brosnan
Tommy Griffin
Tommy Walsh
William Kirby
"They call themselves Kerry and have become the smash and grab experts in Dublin in September. To them there is nothing and at the same time everything special about finals. The routine operation is Veni, Vidi, Vici, come, see and conquer"
