It may be more in hope than expectation that Kieran O’Connor travels to TUS Gaelic Grounds this Sunday – but, as ever, there will be no lack of enthusiasm.
Waterford need to beat Limerick in their last Munster SHC round-robin game but, even if that most-precipitous of missions is achieved, a few other pieces would need to fall into place for the Déise’s hurling summer to be extended.
Whatever happens on the Ennis Road, one thing that can be guaranteed is that O’Connor will provide his usual high-class commentary on the game, painting a picture of the action for those unable to attend in person.
The Cappoquin native has been on the mic for WLR FM for more than three decades – not that it was ever part of a grand plan.
A long-time employee of Waterford Co-op, he was initially asked to present Farmview on the Suirside station.
“I said I’d do it for six months, back in 1990,” he says, “and they still can’t get another fool to do it,” he says with a laugh.
“Then I used to be doing skits, taking off Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh and the likes, and in 1992 Waterford were in the All-Ireland minor final against Galway and I was asked to commentate on it by Des Whelan, the boss of the station.
“I wasn’t fully sure about it – I said, ‘It’s grand to do it after a pint, this is different,’ but they convinced me and Jim Joe Landers, who used to be a referee, was alongside me as a co-commentator.
Winning start
“The week after the minor final was the U21, we drew with Offaly, and the week after that was the replay, which we won.”
It’s often said that a novice player will do well when thrown in with little time to think about what lies ahead and Kieran found the same.
“There was an innocence, totally, until the day itself,” he says, “and then you hear in your ear, ‘Now we’re going live to Nowlan Park to Kieran O’Connor,’ and then it struck me.
“But you get so into the game, you forget about it.”
A local radio station’s coverage is immersive – supportive without being sycophantic and able to provide depth.
“You know guys’ histories, who their grandfather was and who he played for, and you can throw in that kind of thing when it’s local radio,” Kieran says.
MC Kieran O'Connor during the Waterford launch of the Renault GAA World Games 2019 in Waterford. / David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
“I always still go to the dressing room after. Mícheál used to always say, ‘Smell the wintergreen and you’ll pick up a little anecdote on the way.
“Before the Cork game last week, for example, someone mentioned to me that the Waterford team warmed up in St Paul’s beforehand and Dessie Hutchinson teaches there. You pick up all these little things.”
In his role, Kieran has enjoyed Waterford winning minor and U21 All-Irelands, the ladies’ football success of the 1990s, the Munster senior glory of the early 2000s and club All-Ireland titles for Ardmore and more recently Ballygunner – his commentary of the epic win over Ballyhale Shamrocks in 2022 earned him an IMRO award.
He pays tribute to his co-commentators over the over the years, such as Ken McGrath, Dan Shanahan, Michael Ryan, Derek McGrath, Eoin Murphy and, currently, Andy Moloney, grateful to be present for special days.
“Obviously, 2002 was special, winning Munster after 39 years, and then 2004, to beat Cork after the heavy defeats of 1982 and 1983,” he says.
“I was up to high-doe and that night, I had to introduce the team at the homecoming and my voice was gone.”
Following the merger of Waterford with Avonmore to form Glanbia, Kieran rose to the position of communications and sponsorship manager and stayed with what is now known as Tirlán until last year.
As he puts it, “My three passions were covered with our sponsorships – the schools rugby, racing and hurling, though taking that role coincided with the Cody era in Kilkenny. I got used to seeing them win All-Irelands.”
Of course, the one elusive day has been Waterford lifting Liam MacCarthy – Kieran’s brother Michael was a member of the last team from the county to do so in 1959.
There have been chances, with final defeats in 2008, 2017 and the Covid-affected 2020.
“It was so strange,” Kieran says, “my daughter was taking her kids to see Santy and I was heading off to an All-Ireland final.
“I parked up at the Canal End and I met Marty Morrissey and Shane Dowling, who were covering it for RTÉ; we took a picture of a deserted Jones’s Road, it was so eerie.
“That was a disappointing one that year as Waterford were going well and could have beaten Limerick in the Munster final.”
The hope persists, though.
“That’s the fear, that the year you’d give it up, they’d win it,” he laughs.
“I do it because I like it. This is a passion, more than anything, it doesn’t feel like a job.
“Every year, my wife Bernie says, ‘Would you give up that thing?’ but when you’re a Waterford supporter, you have to be the eternal optimist.”
It may be more in hope than expectation that Kieran O’Connor travels to TUS Gaelic Grounds this Sunday – but, as ever, there will be no lack of enthusiasm.
Waterford need to beat Limerick in their last Munster SHC round-robin game but, even if that most-precipitous of missions is achieved, a few other pieces would need to fall into place for the Déise’s hurling summer to be extended.
Whatever happens on the Ennis Road, one thing that can be guaranteed is that O’Connor will provide his usual high-class commentary on the game, painting a picture of the action for those unable to attend in person.
The Cappoquin native has been on the mic for WLR FM for more than three decades – not that it was ever part of a grand plan.
A long-time employee of Waterford Co-op, he was initially asked to present Farmview on the Suirside station.
“I said I’d do it for six months, back in 1990,” he says, “and they still can’t get another fool to do it,” he says with a laugh.
“Then I used to be doing skits, taking off Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh and the likes, and in 1992 Waterford were in the All-Ireland minor final against Galway and I was asked to commentate on it by Des Whelan, the boss of the station.
“I wasn’t fully sure about it – I said, ‘It’s grand to do it after a pint, this is different,’ but they convinced me and Jim Joe Landers, who used to be a referee, was alongside me as a co-commentator.
Winning start
“The week after the minor final was the U21, we drew with Offaly, and the week after that was the replay, which we won.”
It’s often said that a novice player will do well when thrown in with little time to think about what lies ahead and Kieran found the same.
“There was an innocence, totally, until the day itself,” he says, “and then you hear in your ear, ‘Now we’re going live to Nowlan Park to Kieran O’Connor,’ and then it struck me.
“But you get so into the game, you forget about it.”
A local radio station’s coverage is immersive – supportive without being sycophantic and able to provide depth.
“You know guys’ histories, who their grandfather was and who he played for, and you can throw in that kind of thing when it’s local radio,” Kieran says.
MC Kieran O'Connor during the Waterford launch of the Renault GAA World Games 2019 in Waterford. / David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
“I always still go to the dressing room after. Mícheál used to always say, ‘Smell the wintergreen and you’ll pick up a little anecdote on the way.
“Before the Cork game last week, for example, someone mentioned to me that the Waterford team warmed up in St Paul’s beforehand and Dessie Hutchinson teaches there. You pick up all these little things.”
In his role, Kieran has enjoyed Waterford winning minor and U21 All-Irelands, the ladies’ football success of the 1990s, the Munster senior glory of the early 2000s and club All-Ireland titles for Ardmore and more recently Ballygunner – his commentary of the epic win over Ballyhale Shamrocks in 2022 earned him an IMRO award.
He pays tribute to his co-commentators over the over the years, such as Ken McGrath, Dan Shanahan, Michael Ryan, Derek McGrath, Eoin Murphy and, currently, Andy Moloney, grateful to be present for special days.
“Obviously, 2002 was special, winning Munster after 39 years, and then 2004, to beat Cork after the heavy defeats of 1982 and 1983,” he says.
“I was up to high-doe and that night, I had to introduce the team at the homecoming and my voice was gone.”
Following the merger of Waterford with Avonmore to form Glanbia, Kieran rose to the position of communications and sponsorship manager and stayed with what is now known as Tirlán until last year.
As he puts it, “My three passions were covered with our sponsorships – the schools rugby, racing and hurling, though taking that role coincided with the Cody era in Kilkenny. I got used to seeing them win All-Irelands.”
Of course, the one elusive day has been Waterford lifting Liam MacCarthy – Kieran’s brother Michael was a member of the last team from the county to do so in 1959.
There have been chances, with final defeats in 2008, 2017 and the Covid-affected 2020.
“It was so strange,” Kieran says, “my daughter was taking her kids to see Santy and I was heading off to an All-Ireland final.
“I parked up at the Canal End and I met Marty Morrissey and Shane Dowling, who were covering it for RTÉ; we took a picture of a deserted Jones’s Road, it was so eerie.
“That was a disappointing one that year as Waterford were going well and could have beaten Limerick in the Munster final.”
The hope persists, though.
“That’s the fear, that the year you’d give it up, they’d win it,” he laughs.
“I do it because I like it. This is a passion, more than anything, it doesn’t feel like a job.
“Every year, my wife Bernie says, ‘Would you give up that thing?’ but when you’re a Waterford supporter, you have to be the eternal optimist.”
SHARING OPTIONS