The seventh programme of ten features footballer Denis ‘Ogie’ Moran from Kerry. Ogie holds a unique record in Gaelic Football. Alongside his former teammates, Paidí Ó Sé, Pat Spillane, Ger Power and Mikey Sheehy, he is the proud holder of eight All-Ireland medals but he stands apart in that he played every single minute of all eight finals, and in the same position – at centre half forward.
A most humble character, Ogie recalls 1975 when newly appointed county manager Mick O’Dwyer brought on several youngsters onto the county panel and how they went from match to match that same year all the way to the All-Ireland Final against reigning champions, and hot favourites, Dublin. Youth, exuberance and fitness stood to the Kerry team that day and he fondly remembers those magic moments of aftermath celebrations on the pitch.
1978 was a special year for Ogie as he was captain of the team and his neighbour and friend Eoin ‘Bomber’ Liston was now on the team, a vital addition according to Ogie. In that year’s final, they faced Dublin and although it didn’t look good after twenty minutes as they trailed by five points, they eventually ran out easy winners, helped of course by that famous Mikey Sheehy goal. Ogie recognises its brilliance but still thinks that John Egan’s goal was more important on the day. He typically credits his local club and parish with the plaudits for his captaincy that day. The following year he did have a temporary blip, being dropped for the Munster Final, although he did return and win another All-Ireland final. He had intimate knowledge of the Offaly team and manager, as Eugene McGee was also his manager for a time at UCD and he goes into the heartbreak of 1982 in great detail.
The programme will also feature Michael Duignan from Offaly, and Ryan McMenamin of Tyrone.