The Paul Galvin Factor

So it’s been quiet a while since I’ve done this, so what better thing to talk about than what everyone is talking about today.

Unless you live under a rock or your someone who who ignores all things GAA, Paul Galvin is a household name these days. A 30 year old Gaelic Footballer and Hurler from Lixnaw, Galvin was he feature of a documentary last night on RTE1 called Galvinised.

Now I was never a huge Galvin fan. I thought he was a great footballer, with exceptional ability and skill, and I thought he would never reach his full potential because of his short temper and rash actions. I also thought he wasn’t the nicest guy in the world but I always respected him. I have completely changed my opinion of the man, I think he’s a legend. The documentary gave a huge insight into Paul Galvin, the man outside of football and off the pitch. I think for one he came across ten times better than he did on the Late Late a few weeks ago where he seemed nervous and unwilling to talk. In this documentary he was very honest and open and I have nothing but respect for someone like that. There are a few things I want to focus on.

Firstly Galvin ‘The Footballer’. Galvin as I said has exceptional skill. He is possibly the best wing forward this decade when he is on his game. Few players can rival his pace on the ball, as well as his strength. Let alone his amazing accuracy and ability to deliver an inch perfect pass. But it was interesting that he never talked much about the positives of his game, yes he did motivate himself to b player of the yearr and to win an All Ireland in 2009, but not once did he talk his skills up. He was incredibly humble about his ability. He did however focus on things he needs to change and improve on in his game. He acknowledged the wrongs he did and he said a lot of things that needed to be said. His first sending off this year was an absolute joke. Neither player should’ve been sent off. 2 yellow cards possibly but definitely no sending off was warranted. And Galvin got a two month ban as a result. An absolute outrage in my opinion. And again in my own opinion he was made a scapegoat again. Now his second offence on Eoin Caddagan I believe was a different story, did he deserve the ban? Yes. Did the Sunday Game make a bigger deal out of it because it was Paul Galvin? Yes I think so. Did Paul Galvin make any excuses and try and cover it up? No. He knew he did wrong and never made excuses. This is something you have to respect. And to anyone who gives out and says he’s a thug. Play a GAA match when some dickhead is in your face and giving you th  height of abuse. I’d love to see how you’d react.

Paul Galvin ‘The Style Guru’. A lot has been made recently about the way Galvin dresses. I actually thought he only dressed like that on nights out or on TV, but that is the way the man dresses all the time. And I say fairplay to him, he can pull it off and he has no problem with it if people don’t like it. I think his style is class. He got a lot of stick over it and people question his sexuality over it which to me is a bit of a disgrace that people judge a person’s sexuality on the way they dress. He knows clothes, he likes them and as he said himself he doesn’t play golf or watch tv, shopping is his hobby. It’s different to what Paidi O’ Se and Pat Spillane would’ve done, but then again it’s not 1970 anymore and I think GAA heads need to realise that.

Paul Galvin & Cork. Before I get into this topic I want to say I respect Cork as a footballing county. They are strong and they showed that by deservedly won the All Ireland this year. But having said that I think that the level of abuse Galvin receives at the hands of Cork fans is a disgrace.  All you need to do is look at the comments on Youtube from some people who claim to be GAA fans, and some of the comments are a disgrace. One thing I always hate at any sport is booing, I have no problem with a bit of jeering or shouting, anyone who has stood next to me at a football match knows that I’m far from silent and far from reserved at a match, but I hate booing. I hate going to any game that the Dubs are in, all they do is Boo. And I was at Fitzgerald Stadium this year when Galvin came on and the booing was sick. A man my father’s age was calling Galvin every name under the sun and I couldn’t take it anymore so I defended Galvin and told him to have a bit of sportsmanship and respect, because he was making a fool out of himself. Does Galvin like the Boos? He admitted that he loved it. He doesn’t like cork, that was obvious from his comments and what he said was very true. Cork have been hyped up every year for the last number of years and they finally delivered this year. Are Cork a great team? Yes – This Year. Are they one of the greatest teams in GAA history ?Of course not, they need to win again this year before people can start saying that. Are they currently the best team in Ireland? Yes by far, and I do think they’ll win another All Ireland in the next 2 years. Galvin knows this and he acknowledged it. Galvin’s first teaching job was in a school in Cork. And at the time a few years back he was involved in an incident in a Cork game, which left the Rebel fans outraged. There was a load of calls into Radio Kerry slating Galvin and a Cork woman rang in who’s son attended that school and said, ‘It’s a disgrace that these people are ringing in abusing this man. He is the only teacher in that school, who will stay after hours in that school and train those boys how to play football!!’ . Are you telling me this man is a thug? Think again.

Overall I think Galvin came out of the documentary shining. He’s not the typical GAA player, but that’s a good thing, he’s a little out there and his whole life does not revolve around football and what’s wrong with that. He is definitely the David Beckham of the GAA and he has a good future ahead of him in a huge number of possible avenues.

The only question remains can Galvin repeat the amazing year he had in 2009? Or will the bad temper keep him sidelined for another Summer of Sundays? Only time will tell.