Last Thursday evening, I had the pleasure of deputising for the Lord Mayor at the Southside Sports Awards at the Cork International Airport Hotel. The award winners were Noel Galvin (August winner, All-Ireland County Champion, All-Ireland medal at U-21 level with Cork), Aoife Murray (September winner, goal keeper, woman of the match in All-Ireland Camogie final for Cork against Kerry), Nollaig Cleary (October winner, member of Cork Ladies Football five-in-a-row side, scored vital goal and point in final. Her brother John is winning coach of Cork Under 21 football side). My thanks  to Aaron Mansworth, General Manager at the  Cork International Airport and Sean O’Sullivan, organiser of the awards for their hosting of this event.  My thanks also to Red FM sport for their sponsorship of this event.

Kieran’s Speech:

When I was growing up, I always enjoyed my schools’ sport day. I was never a winner but always admired and perhaps envied my school colleagues that ran faster than me – that were stronger than be – but I suppose as my own life’s journey progressed, I got over it and accepted their talents and their abilities and eventually found my own, which I nurtured like my sporting colleague.

I also remember when Cork won various football and hurling finals and the relevant cups were brought to the schools

I recall staring at the lads in front of me and seeing these guys as heroes

Society needs heros, defenders; it needs leaders, people who will show us new ways of seeing and ways of life.

As a city, we are slow to celebrate our local heroes, which we need to do alot more

Guys you are heros,

You have wielded sport and its power to grasp, inspire confidence, self-purpose, provoke questions and the imagination and draw in the viewer and so much more

Ladies and gentlemen there is so much to learn from these individuals –

all bring their own talents, confidence self pride, self belief and a desire to perform their sport, a self purpose

Ladies and gentlemen, in this world, we need more of such confidence, pride and belief – we need to mass produce these qualities, all of which these sports stars stands for

Ladies and gentlemen, we need more of these sportstars – They continue whether they realise or not to build a legacy and also continue to present us with the question

– well what are we doing in our own lives to push forward?

 There is a film speech, which I play on my youtube every now and again to inspire me. Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday talks about life being a game of inches and about fighting for oneself. I wish to share part of the speech with you. I quote

You know when you get old in life
things get taken from you.
That’s, that’s part of life.
But,
you only learn that when you start losing stuff.
You find out that life is just a game of inches.
So is football.
Because in either game
life or football
the margin for error is so small.
I mean
one half step too late or to early
you don’t quite make it.
One half second too slow or too fast
and you don’t quite catch it.
The inches we need are everywhere around us.
They are in ever break of the game
every minute, every second.

On this team, we fight for that inch
On this team, we tear ourselves, and everyone around us
to pieces for that inch.
We CLAW with our finger nails for that inch.
Cause we know
when we add up all those inches
that’s going to make the difference
between WINNING and LOSING
between LIVING and DYING.

I’ll tell you this
in any fight
it is the guy who is willing to die
who is going to win that inch.
And I know
if I am going to have any life anymore
it is because, I am still willing to fight, and die for that inch
because that is what LIVING is.

End quote

I would like to encourage everyone to keep fighting, keep setting an example to all of us and keep fighting for that inch

I would also like to thank the coaches who watch, praise, critique and give direction – for their hard and tireless work – thank you

You have also given hope and have no doubt have saved souls.

I wish to congratulate our sports stars and all involved in their respective teams and all the best for the future.

 

Go raibh maith agaibh