Galvinized - the appreciation thread

Ernest Oreo

Please post your favourite photos, stories, etc here for one of the greatest GAA players of all time.
Maybe we should post messages here directly for Paul too.

homerjay2005

one of the most iconic players of the last 10 or so years.

thanks for the memories Paul...im sure you will be missed, not just by Kerry fans.

Hide behind the post

Fabulous footballer, hard as nails and gave everything. Will always be remembered in Kerry and by GAA Followers.

B.Brogan's comments are spot on...'one of the greatest number 10's'

On occasion did not help himself but broadly speaking I felt he was unfairly labelled the 'villain'. Not to deviate but I liken him to Tommy Walsh (KK).... both immense but always singled out by press, pundits and supporters.

Off the field....more power to man!! Likes Fashion and music and is carving a niche out for himself....nothing wrong with a bit of diversity and personality

Kerrydude1981

That picture sums up Paul Galvin for me,playing with his head up looking for a team mate in a better position.

Outstanding wing forward who totally re invented himself from the type of player he was when playing underage for Kerry,back then he was usually on the end of moves finishing them off but when it came to senior he was usually the one that started the move that would lead to a score,

Winning breaking ball out in the middle against the big men was Galvin's stomping ground,as he said a few times he was happy to be out there challenging the likes of Ciaran Whelan the big men,watching Galvin play he always came across as a fella who loved to test himself.

Of course he had he faults but show me a person who doesn't have faults,Galvin positives totally outweighed his negatives,he always gave 100%
Im just glad he was a Kerryman.

Thanks for the great memories of great days out Paul,

Enjoy you retirement and hopefully down the line we might see a book "The Paul Galvin Story"

Now that would be interesting read.

sgthighway

Moneymaker

As a Dub I never liked the guy, but I could respect what a great player he was and what he added to the Kerry team. When he played well, Kerry played well.

Fantastic player, great career. I wish him well.

Flukey

On his day, when he concentrated on playing the game and respected its rules, he was brilliant. On his other days, he could be terrible. Kerry's Graham Geraghty you could say. As someone said he will be missed by GAA people, but also by referees looking for their notebooks.

jalock20

I wrote a blog a piece on Galvin last night. One of the most fascinating characters to ever come out of the GAA perhaps?

http://jaoloughlin.wordpress.com/2014/02/01/kerrys-warrior-prince/

DARK-KNIGHT

homerjay2005 wrote: »

one of the most iconic players of the last 10 or so years.

thanks for the memories Paul...im sure you will be missed, not just by Kerry fans.

One of the best i can remember playing the game... genius on the ball such a clever and talented footballer.. kerry will miss him terribly imo

macadam

Nothing but respect for this guy an absolute legend..

rpurfield

Paul was a cracking player, I always loved the way he got up the nose of one of the Dubs I work with, he'd get really really wound up when you'd praise Galvin after he'd a good game, which of course ment he probably got more of a blow up off me than he maybe deserved!

freddiek

overrated. but then everyone who plays in this day and age is the best ever, apparently.

wouldnt get on the bench of even an all-time Kerry team.

still a fine player though.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

What a player. Wasn't always his biggest fan, but if you look at him for pure intensity there weren't many to match him when he played. Was lucky enough to see him play in the flesh in his last championship game for Kerry against Dublin. Genuinely sad to see him finished (I'm not from Kerry BTW), Munster finals will look like games of Basketball without him and Noel O'Leary :pac:

Happy retirement Paul.

The_Honeybadger

Wish him very well in his retirement, definately one of the best wing forwards to have played the game and would have made any team in any era. Went off the boil in the latter part of his career due to injuries etc, but was the heartbeat of a great Kerry team in the 00's and will be a legend in the county forever more.

Say Your Number

One of my favourite players over the last decade, played a key part in Kerry's success, he had a great year in 2009, Sligo would have knocked them out but for his presence, while he did get involved in nonsense all too often, it doesn't diminish the respect I have for him as a player.

ciarriaithuaidh

Had moments of madness/stupidity yes, can't deny that, but as a footballer he was top class. Amazing transformation from a nippy corner forward as a minor to the grafting half forward he became. Wore his heart on his sleeve and always gave his all in the Kerry jersey. Not the ideal way to end his career, which is a pity. I feel he has been doing too much gym work in recent years and his pace appeared to decline rapidly in the last 18 months especially.
Regardless, he can walk away having won 4 Celtic crosses, 3 Allstars and POTY award. Thanks for the memories Paul.

iDave

The championship will be a slightly less interesting place without him.

StephenHendry

great player, very skilful and all round good team player with plenty of skill and vision, kerry will be at a loss without and will the gaa, the gaa has lost a true character who could be controversial at times, it won't be the last we'll see of him

orangesoda

I just seen him play once in 2004, he wasnt so extravagent looking back then, no tattoos

Axel Lamp

freddiek wrote: »

overrated. but then everyone who plays in this day and age is the best ever, apparently.

wouldnt get on the bench of even an all-time Kerry team.

still a fine player though.

Player of the year in 2009 and yet you say he is still overrated. WTF

The_Honeybadger

Axel Lamp wrote: »

Player of the year in 2009 and yet you say he is still overrated. WTF

Freddiek like to be controversial to get a reaction, ignore.

keeponhurling

Great player OK, serious work rate and well able to take a point.

Wish him a happy retirement.

Being from an opposing county, the only thing that really annoyed me (not Galvin's fault) was how he was made out to be a victim in the Paddy Russell thing. Hard enough to get people to referee, besides expecting them to take that too
but that's Kerry for ya.

keane2097

keeponhurling wrote: »

Great player OK, serious work rate and well able to take a point.

Wish him a happy retirement.

Being from an opposing county, the only thing that really annoyed me (not Galvin's fault) was how he was made out to be a victim in the Paddy Russell thing. Hard enough to get people to referee, besides expecting them to take that too
but that's Kerry for ya.

8 weeks for biting, six months for the Paddy Russell thing. I don't think anyone reckons he shouldn't have been punished, just that the punishment was disproportionate.

Ernest Oreo

Hardly 20 responses - looks like he wasnt that great afterall.
Or maybe the people of Kerry are yet to secure internet access?

Kerrydude1981

Ernest Oreo wrote: »

Hardly 20 responses - looks like he wasnt that great afterall.
Or maybe the people of Kerry are yet to secure internet access?

.

SeaFields

In later years when himself and Noel O'Leary were being used as impact subs the buzz in the stadium when they went to mark is other was unreal. The roof used to lift off the place.

Loved to hate him to be honest but then again what a character. And he could play a bit too.

homerjay2005

keane2097 wrote: »

8 weeks for biting, six months for the Paddy Russell thing. I don't think anyone reckons he shouldn't have been punished, just that the punishment was disproportionate.

he was really shafted in the entire thing. if it was a Dublin or a Cork footballer involved, they wouldnt have even got a ban.

Russell wronged him and he knocked his notebook out of his hand. you would swear he he decked him ffs.

paddy no 11

I remember galvin wrote a letter out of the spitting incident with his club but cant find it online, would anyone else care to post a copy. Used to hate the guy but saw himself and Noel O'Leary having a laugh after a game one day and realised they were enjoying themselves and really he was ok. He emerged with credit from the spitting incident iirc.

DoctaDee

Full context here

Further to recent YouTube footage and press reports relating to a spitting incident in last months Intermediate club final I would like to 100% confirm for the record that I was spat on during the game. Furthermore I will utterly and unequivocally distance myself from claims made regarding verbal abuse during the game.

That I have to defend myself or clarify my position in this regard is as disappointing as it is wrong. I will also add that I made no comment or complaint, publicly or privately, at the time of the incident, as when the game finishes it is finished in my view and i have no interest in dragging this matter out. I am only doing so now as footage of the incident found its way into the public domain and for some reason I have been forced to confirm what I know to have happened.

Finally I would like to congratulate Cookstown on their victory. I have played in 12 All Ireland finals in both codes, winning 8, and this is one All Ireland I can live without. Tyrone football is full of men I admire greatly, men like Mickey Harte and Peter Canavan, who when I was 16 years old sought me out after a schools game against Cookstown and told me “you‘ll play for your county one day son.”

Those words inspired me many times growing up. The path that the Kerry/Tyrone rivalry has taken of late disappoints me. Both counties are better than the bitterness and rancour that currently exists.

I will make no further comment on the matter at this point.

paddy no 11

DoctaDee wrote: »

Full context here

Good man, it was a brilliant reponse.