“He was a great character and a great young fella.”
Graham O’Sullivan and his Kerry teammates are doing the rounds in The Kingdom with the Sam Maguire and plenty of great tales, songs and characters in tow.
The All-Ireland champions were out and about in a couple of towns and clubs today, one week on from their victory over Galway in a thrilling final.
David Clifford was like the pied piper as he strolled through the streets of Dingle, this afternoon, with a throng in green and gold nearby:
Walking with Champions! Dingle, Kerry. 💚💛#WeAreKerry #CiarraíAbú
🎥 https://t.co/D60TRzEuOl pic.twitter.com/Ixfy4kvwia
— Kerry GAA (@Kerry_Official) July 30, 2022
Graham O’Sullivan pays touching tribute
At one of the many stops to address the Kerry faithful, defender Graham O’Sullivan took the time to remember a former clubmate of his, from the time his Piarsaigh na Dromoda side doubled up with Waterville GAA for underage matches.
Tristan Huggard, who was described by Waterville GAA as ‘a shining light’, passed away at Kerry University Hospital, surrounded by his family, on July 19, just a few days out from the All-Ireland final.
Now a Piarsaigh na Dromoda clubman, O’Sullivan stepped forward, this afternoon, when he was handed a microphone at some of the Kerry celebrations and made a poignant, moving speech about his former clubmate. He said:
“The week before the game, there were lots of people coming up to me and chatting away. Some were asking if I was nervous, what was the pressure like, and all this. I suppose I was a bit nervous.
“But that same very week, a young fella I played football with, when I was younger, back in Waterville, sadly passed away.
“I was thinking about it, and I thought, ‘Jeez, how can I be nervous when I’m getting to live the peak of life at the moment?’ These experiences are unbelievable.
“So, I just want to remember Tristan tonight. He was a great character and a great young fella that I got on with very well. And it’s just that – enjoy the moments you get in life, no matter what age you are just enjoy it, because you’re just never going to know.”
Beautiful, poignant and emotional words from Graham 💚💛 pic.twitter.com/jlNHQmvjZN
— Kerry GAA (@Kerry_Official) July 30, 2022
The performance of Graham O’Sullivan in Kerry’s run to their 38th All-Ireland success was noted by former Kingdom star Darran O’Sullivan in the latest GAA Hour episode.
“Graham has come in, and every game, without being outstanding or grabbing headlines, he’s just got better and better. I was just watching him yesterday as a fella who looks comfortable in his own skin in that jersey.”
