Like many, David Moran spent Monday night of last week in the company of Mick O'Dwyer. He was one of those sitting on his couch watching the wonderful 'Micko' documentary broadcast by RTÉ.
Beyond being a fellow Kerryman, he has another connection with O'Dwyer: his father Ogie won eight All-Irelands under Micko.
I wish the #micko documentary would go on for hours! #aura
— David Moran (@D1Moran) January 8, 2018
"Before I ever met Micko, I was thinking of him in a positive light," says Moran who was speaking at the launch of the Lidl Comórtas Peile Páidí Ó Sé club tournament.
I really enjoyed the documentary - it was brilliant.
He's an amazing man. I've only known him in the last number of years but it's great to see footage of him in his prime.
His love for football was incredible as well as his method: he really stressed that he was about encouraging the youth and commitment. It was an eye-opener to see what Kerry meant to someone and someone who gave his life for Kerry and football.
I was only sorry that it wasn't a five or six part documentary.
Moran hails from Tralee - an hour-and-a-half away from O'Dwyer's hometown of Waterville. So it's not as if he sees the great man walking down the street every day. Still, he would have received plenty of advice from O'Dwyer about his football career.
"Anytime I went down to Waterville I'd try and meet him, he's a special person. I always enjoy meeting him, his finger is very much still on the pulse."
There were loads of things but it would have been depending on how I was going at the time. Sometimes I might have needed encouragement, sometimes I might have needed the opposite - he was good in both departments.
He was always great to encourage, he was always great to motivate and you'd always be feeling ten feet tall after meeting him which is a special skill. I imagine that a lot of teams he managed would have went out with that feeling of almost invincibility which is a skill that not many people have.
Kerry footballers David Moran and Aislinn Desmond at Slea Head, West Kerry announcing details of Comórtas Peile Páidi Ó Sé 2018, the famed club football tournament and festival which takes place around the Dingle Peninsula from 16th to 18th February. Details on www.paidiose.com
