Patrick Mulcahy's grá for painting a picture with words
Patrick Mulcahy alongside fellow Rebels Online commentator Colm O’Neill ahead of the Premier Junior Football Championship Round 3 clash between Ballydesmond and Cullen in Kiskeam last September
KILLEAGH native Patrick Mulcahy is establishing himself as one of the top GAA commentators in the business.
The 30-year-old Mulchay has been one of the leading voices of the Cork GAA Championships in recent years.
This included last year in 2023 as part of the Rebels Online streaming service, which provides Gaelic Games coverage for Cork Club Championships, covering both Football and Hurling across the county in association with Cork GAA.
One only has to tune into the streaming service for just a few short seconds to witness how much passion and enthusiasm Mulcahy has for commentating.
Starting out initially in 2017 on his commentary journey when he at the time joined Community Radio Youghal, the enthusiastic sporting tones of Mulcahy can also be heard on the national airwaves, where he is a regular contributor and commentator for radio coverage on RTÉ Sport.
Mulcahy tells about his love of GAA and sport commentating and the enjoyment it brings to his life and career.
“I just get a great grá for describing a picture of what is happening out on the field.
"I get a great enjoyment out of doing it and for like the 60 minutes of a GAA club game, it is just a thrill to try and bring it home to the people.
“Be the best that I can be, just trying to send that picture home over the radio or describing the picture that is happening if it is on Rebels Online.”
On what a typical day commentating on a game at a venue such as Páirc Uí Chaoimh consists of for him, Mulcahy describes how preparation in advance is absolutely vital: “For me, it is always about the preparation going into your matchday. I like to at least 48 hours beforehand, to sit down and look through the teams. Preparation is key to everything.
“If you are not prepared in a commentary game and know what is going on around the field, you lack that bit of finesse going into the game.
“The matchday itself, for a pre-county final day or a big Munster Championship game on the radio, I like to arrive at the stadium maybe an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half before the game.
“I get up to where I am working out, set up my notes and know that I have everything ready to go. Always crucial to me is a pair of binoculars.
“Then I get the match programme, I like to have a programme to hand and also see the teams warming up or if I could speak to a backroom member just to get a flavour of how the team has been getting on.
“With 20-25 minutes to go, it is just getting ready in the commentary position, put on the headphones and away we go.”
As we speak in early January, Mulcahy is looking forward to another year of covering sporting action in 2024.
From Mallow to Croke Park, Semple Stadium to Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Mulcahy is likely to grace many of the commentary boxes across the land over the next few months.
“The pre-season GAA competitions are underway, things like that we are going to be flat out with for the coming weeks and months, especially when the National GAA Leagues get underway at the end of January.
“Then come the end of the inter-county season, luckily enough in Cork we turn our attention to the club season.
"Rebels Online is going to be a big part to play for many people over the summer months. That is always a busy period.
“From here until the end of November, I might have maybe six weekends off. But do you know what, I just really enjoy it and I get a great thrill out of it. I just really enjoy doing the games every weekend.”
A commentator who cites Leeside legends for example such as the late Paudie Palmer among those he took some inspiration from and looked up to as a role model, the name of Patrick Mulcahy himself looks set to only grow on the airwaves over the coming years ahead.
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