Forget Mick O'Connell, forget Mikey Sheehy, forget Maurice Fitzgerald. Paul Galvin's sporting hero is someone closer to home.
The man who won a Kerry senior hurling title with Lixnaw recently has named Boo, his dog, as his ultimate sporting hero. In a lovely extract from his autobiography (out tomorrow) Galvin spoke of how natural enthusiasm is the best form of fitness there is, something he learned from his dog Boo.
In the book, he recounts an incident which demonstrates Boo's resilience. One evening, Galvin pucked a ball down towards the green for the tireless to run onto. Then Galvin saw a van rounding the corner. A crash looked inevitable. Boo almost made up but was clipped his legs. He performed an odd somersault twist as a result.
He landed on his back, before rebounding to his feet in one motion. The van stopped. Boo kept going like it never happened and returned the ball to my feet before the van moved. The driver apologized as he passed by. I apologized for Boo, who apologized for nothing, but kept his beady focus on the ball and waited for me to puck it again. What a warrior. Boo is definitely my sporting hero.
Read more on Boo, plus Galvin's take on Eamon Fitzmaurice's reign and how he felt heading into his final year as a Kerry senior here.
Read also: Paul Galvin Describes In Detail Exactly What Happened In Classroom-Duster Incident