The twentieth season of Laochra Gael premiered last night with an episode on the ever-fascinating Kevin Cassidy.
Cassidy has lived an interesting life. He was raised in Glasgow. His father battled alcoholism. He won two All-Stars with Donegal, was famously dropped ahead of the 2012 Championship and inspired his club Gaoth Dobhair to the 2018 Ulster club title.
In the programme, Cassidy reveals he placed his 2011 Ulster champions medal - the only provincial medal he won with Donegal - in the grave of beloved Gweedore man Micheál Doherty after his death in 2012. Micheál was the father of Sínn Fein TD Pearse Doherty.
'When I'm playing, and the other lads as well, we're not playing for ourselves, we're playing for others,' Cassidy says.
As Laochra Gael was aired last night, Doherty tweeted to say how much the gesture meant to his family.
The night before we buried my father @KCASS7 told me he played football not for medals or trophies but for people like my father. Tonight he reveals in @Laochra_Gael that his 2011 Ulster title medal went with my father to his grave. We will always appreciate that amazing gesture. pic.twitter.com/G2as5YKB9p
— Pearse Doherty (@PearseDoherty) January 7, 2021
Cassidy's response was also class.
Many a day in mics after a defeat he would tell us that we would win that Ulster title if we kept at it then Brianie Duffy or Charlie Diver would give us a song. The truth was that in our eyes they were the real heroes
— Kevin Cassidy (@KCASS7) January 7, 2021
The programme was brilliantly-received and we'd urge you to watch it back on the TG4 player if you missed it. We'll give the final word on the show to Cassidy's clubmate Eamon McGee.
SEE ALSO: "Jim Threw The Book On The Table And Said 'Is There Anything You Want To Tell Me?'
