A grá for GAA and a drive to improve East Cork: Patrick Mulcahy reflects on a busy 2024

GAA commentator and recently elected Cork county councillor Patrick Mulcahy is anticipating another busy year after what was a transformative 2024 for the Killeagh native.

Many will know Mr Mulcahy from his GAA commentating career on the likes of RTÉ Sport and on the official Cork GAA Rebels Online service.

But in June of last year, Mr Mulcahy was successfully elected to Cork County Council, becoming a Fianna Fáil councillor for the East Cork area.

“It was an honour and a privilege really to get elected on behalf of the people. It is not an easy area and much bigger than what you would actually think,” he told The Echo.

“From Youghal to the outskirts of Midleton, then from Whitegate all the way up to Lisgoold and everywhere in between. So it is quite a large area.

“But it was a great honour that has been bestowed upon me really.

“I don’t take it for granted at all and I work every day to try and make East Cork very much a better place all round for the people that are living here.”

Mr Mulcahy said he is determined to do his utmost for the East Cork area during his time on council.

“You are trying to improve on things the way the people before you have left it.

“That goes back to the GAA circles, where you are trying to bring it forward, improve on things the way you picked it up from your ancestors.

“Similarly in local politics, you just want to try to improve the area going forward.

“There are a lot of issues on the ground down our way.

“Housing is a huge issue down in East Cork.

“Obviously there are a lot of projects that are ongoing at the moment, including nearly 2,500 houses being built in Water-Rock.

“Road surfaces is a huge issue. Public transport is a huge issue as well. They are just some of the issues that are on the ground.”

Additionally, Mr Mulcahy works as a parliamentary assistant to Cork East Fianna Fáil TD James O’Connor. He described what his work with Mr O’Connor entails and what he learns from the role

“It is a very busy role and a lot of parliamentary work between the Dáil work in Dublin and managing the diary. There is a lot of work that would be leading into committees.

“James has been a very active member on the Public Accounts Committee and on the Oireachtas Committee for Transport and Communications.

“Especially with the Public Accounts Committee, he has been a very high profile figure, questioning a lot of the big aspects of different scenarios over the last couple of years, like the FAI (Football Association Of Ireland) at the start of 2024, the RTÉ scandal in 2023 and many others.

“For me, it is a huge learning experience just to understand how the political life works in Dáil Éireann and in Leinster House. It has been very much a privilege to work with James.”

When asked about commentating, the grá he has for all things GAA immediately shines through in his response.

“I have been very fortunate to be in a lucky position to continue doing radio commentaries, which is what I love at the weekends. It is a huge hobby of mine and they say if you enjoy your job, you don’t really work at all,” Mr Mulcahy said.

“I have been very fortunate to keep going with RTÉ Radio One.

“It was well documented that I had to opt out for a couple of weeks before the election due to RTÉ codes of practice, which is fine and no pressure with that.

“But I came back in and [got] on the horse again the following week.

“I think Galway v Monaghan was the game the week after. I did Cork v Offaly as well.

“So we weren’t short work for the rest of the summer.

“It was great to get the call up back in 2021 to join the team in RTÉ.

“I was very fortunate to have a great stint with C103 prior to that.”

Mr Mulcahy also worked as part of the Irish Examiner’s partnership with Cork GAA for their live match streaming service and when Cork GAA moved to their in-house Rebels Online platform in 2023, Mulcahy also made the move and continued commentating on the big club games on Leeside.

“Rebels Online has been a very good venture from Cork GAA and has been very worthwhile indeed.

“Many people around the world are watching and it has reached over 40 countries at this stage.

“Last year on short notice I got a call from GAAGO to do a game with them, Antrim v Wexford.

“I was very privileged to get that call.

“Look, it is gratefully appreciated, all of the support all of those companies have given me.”

The passion for the East Cork area and the GAA that Patrick Mulcahy has also flows across into the administration side of things and he has served as the secretary of the Imokilly GAA Division.

Similarly to his political life, Mr Mulcahy wants to see an overall betterment of standards and facilities also in regards to Gaelic Games in the East Cork region.

“It has been a real honour to be the ninth secretary of the Imokilly Division, following in the footsteps of great people like my own clubmate Tracey Kennedy, who is now part of the GAA management committee; Willie Ring, who was secretary for 28 years, and is now the president of the County Board — some great administrators down through the years.

“In 2024, Imokilly GAA celebrated our centenary year.

“This was obviously capped off with that fabulous win of the County Championship.

“That was a real highlight for us within the division because, [it was] Junior and Intermediate clubs going on to win the County Championship.

“When you look back over the past 12 months, out of the 12 County Championships up for grabs, nine of those going to units of the East Cork Division.

“Three of those going to the All-Ireland club finals over the next fortnight,” he said, speaking to The Echo earlier this month.

All things considered, the year ahead is set to be another action packed one in the life of Patrick Mulcahy.

As to what he aims to achieve over the coming 12 months, Mr Mulcahy is hoping 2025 will be a year that proves to be just as productive as 2024.

“We are getting our feet back under the table after the Christmas break,” he said.

“I was back to the office on the January 2, we had a fairly long day on the Thursday.

“The next 12 months is going to be huge for East Cork to try to develop and grow tourism and development, to try and improve public transport and infrastructure.”