Colm Cooper's testimonial dinner took place at the Intercontinental Hotel in Ballsbridge on Friday night.
The event has been the subject of much discussion with many - especially Joe Brolly - being vocal opponents of such nights. It was estimated that approximately €250,000 would be raised.
Kieran Donaghy - someone who spent plenty of time on the inter-county pitch with Cooper - was in attendance on Friday night. Speaking the following evening on Newstalk's Off The Ball, the Tralee man provided some detail about the night.
It was absolutely outstanding, the whole production that was put together by Paul Byrne. The High Kings were singing there, Barry Murphy was around the place with a German accent and the ha. It was just very tastefully done and just a great thing to be involved in.
The buzz, I said to a fella at the start of the night 'this is what it's like the morning of an All-Ireland' - there's fierce excitement around the place. People were just looking forward to it and I suppose a bit of the unknown about it - we didn't know what it was going to be, Jesus, it was a huge success.
I was talking to the Kerry Cancer link bus outside and someone from Crumlin and they were just delighted with it and obviously for them to be getting a lump of money - we all know how hard it is to raise money so to be getting that was great.
Colm was class on the night and he spoke unbelievably and yeah, it was a resounding success and lovely to be part of it.
Donaghy added that there were people varying backgrounds and sports were among the patrons.
I was up on stage for a few minutes with Sean O'Brien, Ruby, Barry Geraghty, Niall Quinn. The Tullow Tank spoke very well.
It was actually nice. We obviously look up to all these guys and we'd see them as a level way above us because they're professional, they're getting paid but to hear them last night was very much... they're all fans of us as well, as in they watch the GAA games because they all come from GAA backgrounds.
You had Barry Geraghty and Ruby going against each other on stage, hopping ball about Meath and Kildare and the craic was mighty. It was a very enjoyable sporting night, the food was good, the music was good. The little bits of video done by Paul Byrne on him were excellent.
Donaghy said he would like to think that if Brolly had been there on the night, his thoughts regarding it may have softened.
Jesus, I'd love to have sneaked him in and fired him into the middle of it. I know from past experience that he would have enjoyed it and it might have changed... given him a different outlook on it - not changed his mind - because we know how strong-minded he is. It might just have given him a different outlook on it, his thoughts might have varied on it afterwards.
Everyone that was there, I don't think you've have one person that didn't have a great night, that didn't enjoy the whole thing. To see Colm do well out of it, to see to charities do well out of it and his club and Kerry do well out of it is massive.
