RTE racing commentator Ted Walsh has defiantly vowed that he will "go when I'm ready" - insisting he has no plans of retiring.
It comes in the wake of Pat Spillane finishing his final commentary on The Sunday Game on RTE after the All-Ireland final, which saw Kerry take home the Sam Maguire cup.
But Ted said seeing Pat retire doesn't mean he wants to do the same. Paying tribute to Pat, Ted said: "I enjoyed Pat. I know him well. He's very passionate about his sport, loved it.
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"He had credibility because he was such a great player as well. It's not often you get the two mixed together. Nobody could question.. like his ability himself and his credibility so I enjoyed Pat."
Asked if he considered stepping down from punditry, the popular Kildare star said: "Ah no, I'll go when I'm ready. At the moment I'm not doing so much of it as I used to.
"They've a great team there at the moment and when the time comes, I'll walk away."
Pat previously told how he made the decision to leave The Sunday Game because he wasn't enjoying it. The 66-year-old previously said the long drives from Kerry to Dublin were "tough going".
But Ted told us he doesn't mind the travel as he doesn't have too far to go living in Naas, Co Kildare. He told us: "I don't mind it. Galway is the only place I have to drive. Everywhere else is right beside me. I live in Naas, Punchestown, Fairyhouse, Navan - they're all beside me and I go racing anyway so it doesn't bother me.
"It doesn't bother me. I am the oldest by far. A good bit older than Pat too."
Ted was speaking during the second day of the Galway Races, which saw thousands of punters return back to the Ballybrit racecourse.
Celebrities Doireann Garrihy and RTE sports commentator Marty Morrissey were also among the crowds enjoying a day out.
Among those in Galway for the week-long action included Galway Rose, Clare Ann Irwing.
The 26-year-old said: "I come every year. My family would be racers. It is great. Race week is such a huge week for Galway and the businesses in Galway. There is such a buzz around the place."
Clare Ann is a funeral director and embalmer who has quit her teaching job after three years to help with her father's family business, Irwin's funeral home, in the city.
She said being a female funeral director is something she is looking forward to highlighting on stage this year at the Rose of Tralee in Kerry.
She said: "I was a primary school teacher for three years but my family have a funeral home just off Eyre Square so I always wanted to work in it.
"I left teaching last year and I've been full time in the business, I've done the embalming course - I love it. We're nearly 200 years in business. I'm the fifth generation. I always wanted to do it. I was so interested in anatomy and the whole embalming side of it.
"Then when Covid hit, I moved home and I was surrounded by the business all the time and yeah, after a month in the business, I just knew that is what I wanted to do."
Clare Ann explained her new career as a funeral director and embalmer is the reason why she applied for the Rose of Tralee.
"This is the whole reason why I went for the Rose of Tralee. It's only me and my brother and he's a solicitor and he's no interest in the business but because I am a woman I was never factored in and unfortunately my dad would've told me as well that I would be able to do some aspects of the business but I wouldn't be able to do everything.
"In Galway, there are still the stereotypes about women driving hearses or women going to cemeteries so I just would've grown up with that mindset.
"That's why I went for the Rose of Tralee because there are so many jobs out there that are still deemed not jobs for women, like a lot of the trades and it is so sad because I would've just grown up because I would've always grown up thinking I would never be able to do it and I liked teaching but I didn't love it. I knew it wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, I knew it wouldn't fully fulfill me.
"When I left the embalming course, I rang my parents and I was crying on the phone to them because it was the first time in my life I could see my future.
"There are so many young girls out there that maybe their dad is an electrician or a plumber but they wouldn't think of taking over that business. But we're getting there now and there are more and it is more normalised."
Also at the Galway Races yesterday were Oranmore sisters Barbara and Gabrielle Dunne - who were busy showing off their mother's superb hat creations from her shop MD Milliner in Galway.
Gabrielle told us how it is a family tradition to come to the Galway Races every year.
"It's hard to explain. It is like Christmas for us. It breaks up the year. It's one thing to look forward to. It's a buzz. You still get butterflies coming up the gate every time, I don't know why," she added.
And 21-year-old Waterford native Eabha O'Shea, 21, travelled four hours to Galway to attend the races with her 21-year-old boyfriend, Vincent Boyle.
"I'm a long way from home," Eabha said laughing. "This is my first time to the races. He's bringing me along. I love it. I love the buzz. I used to do horse riding when I was younger so I would have an interest but I've never actually been to the races so I was really excited to come to it," she added.
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