Teddy McCarthy loved the GAA but had time for everyone, that's what made him so special

WHEN word came through of the sudden death of Cork GAA legend Teddy McCarthy this week it was a massive shock.

I was covering a hurling championship game between Avondhu and Carbery when the news filtered through. There were five minutes left in the game and it was difficult mentally and emotionally to process the news.

The word legend is thrown around too often, but Teddy was a true legend. The only dual player to win All-Ireland hurling and football medals in the same year.

It is very unlikely that remarkable achievement in 1990 will ever be repeated.

Teddy had a successful career in management working with many clubs all over Cork. He also had a stint with the Laois senior hurling team for one season in 2012.

The East-Cork man had a great time with Bandon, guiding the Lilywhites to IHC glory in 2011 beating Fr O’Neill’s in the final. Twelve months later Ballinhassig denied Bandon back-to-back promotions by beating them in the PIHC decider.

Teddy stayed on for another season before a call came from Éire Óg at the start of the 2014 season.

The fact Teddy did not hesitate when talking to the club, jumping at the chance to manage the intermediate hurling team showed he relished the opportunity.

Éire Óg is my club and I was honoured and privileged to have worked in the back-room team under the legendary Cork man during his two seasons as coach. I got to know Teddy really well during that period.

My title was logistics and built up a very strong relationship with Teddy during two enjoyable years. I would have always been one of the first people to arrive at the club grounds on training and match day getting everything ready.

Around 40 minutes before training I would see the silver Toyota Avensis pulling into the club grounds, it was the one and only Teddy Mac.

PEOPLE PERSON

We would have great banter, talking about anything and everything before training started at 7.30pm. He was always interested in people.

I was a year into my journalism career when Teddy came in as coach and he would always ask how it was going and offered advice from time to time.

That was the kind of man he was.

He guided Éire Óg to promotion from the Division 3 hurling league in 2014. He departed at the end of the 2015 campaign having left a very favourable impression, blooding many young players that would go on and play a key part in the club’s IAHC success in the 2020 season.

We crossed paths many times, more often than not in Páirc Uí Rinn, where Teddy would always have been there taking in games from the stand.

One in a million.

Sleep well Teddy.