It was just last Saturday at the Cork-Kerry game at Pairc Ui Chaoimh that Larry Tompkins met Teddy McCarthy for what would prove to be the final time.
“He was in great form,” noted Tompkins. “It’s just so sad. I suppose it’s an alarm bell for everybody. You never know, do you?
“He travelled up to the hurling match on Sunday with Tomas Mulcahy and in fact was going for a drink on Monday evening with a friend of mine only he said that he couldn’t make it. Then the following day he was found in bed.
READ MORE: Tributes paid to Cork GAA double hero Teddy McCarthy
“Desperate sad. Just hard to believe. There’s an incredible cloud over Cork today.
“People loved him, like, because he was just one of them. He didn’t want any accolades for what he had achieved or what he had done.”
His achievements were many but the one sets him apart in the annals of GAA history is the feat in being the only player to win two All-Ireland senior medals in a single year when Cork completed the double in 1990.
Two others, his fellow countyman Sean Og O hAilpin and Galway’s Alan Kerins, went close to emulating him in 1999 and 2001 respectively, but there is no chance of his unique status being challenged at any stage in the future given that the dual player has now essentially been phased out at inter-county level.
Tompkins was captain of the football team in 1990 and members of that side have explained how the hurlers’ win over Galway two weeks earlier had placed pressure on them to complete the unique double. As the only player common to both teams, it must have weighed on Teddy McCarthy even more.
If it did, there was no trace of it.
“Teddy was an exceptional guy in relation to dealing with the big day. He was the one fella that went on that train the night before the football final and I’d say he was less nervous than the rest of us. You know what I mean?
“He just revelled in the big days and it didn’t take anything out of him. It just didn’t take anything out of him.
“He was just made for the occasion and if there was ever a person to go down in history for being the only player to win two All-Irelands [in the same year], well then the man above got it exactly right because this man had the coolness, he had the temperament, he had the devilment, he had the fireiness, he had everything.
“He had the ability, he had incredible ability and incredible gifts of skill. I think there was no more deserving man to have won both All-Irelands than Teddy.”
Just a few weeks short of his 58th birthday when he passed on Tuesday, his fielding ability in particular, in both codes, has been widely cited as what set him apart as a player since and it was all the more noteworthy for the fact that he wasn’t an imposing figure.
“He was only a 5’9”, 5’10” fella,” said Tompkins. “I know there was one particular picture in a Munster final where his legs were nearly on the shoulders of Ambrose O’Donovan and someone asked him one day, ‘How high were you in that?’ and he said, ‘That photo is false, I was on my way down at the time!’”
He finished with both Cork teams in 1996 at 31 and just as Tompkins was taking charge of a football team entering a transitional phase.
“It was either black or white with Teddy. Teddy had enough and that was it. There was no coming back. I’d say he just wanted to plough everything into his club. His club was number one to him, he always said that, both Glanmire and Sars hurling.
“Certainly he would have had another few years left at inter-county level but when Teddy said that was it, you didn’t have to be going back to him a second time.”
Despite sharing a dressing room for the guts of a decade, they got to know each other far better after that.
“I was in the business in the pub game and then he went into the business in the pub game later and I got to know him very well then and just a very modest guy.
“It didn’t take much out of him in relation to what he had achieved. Didn’t want to showboat any of who he was, that didn’t matter to him.
“Came from a brilliant background. They were always hard workers and great people.
“Had a lot of tragedy in his life, his father [Denis] died a young man, his mother [Mary] had to bring up eight children and one of the girls, one of his sisters [Ellen], was in a bad car accident and ended up being in hospital for years before she passed away there a couple of years ago and then his brother [Michael] died a young man so he had to suffer a lot.”
He will be laid to rest on Saturday in Glanmire.
“The greatest compliment of all is that he was a people’s man,” added Tompkins.
“The Cork people loved him. I’m sure the turnout he’ll get, it’ll overshadow any big day here in Cork.”
TRIBUTES TO THE LATE TEDDY McCARTHY
"Teddy McCarthy will always hold a special place in the history of Irish sport, as the only player ever to win All-Ireland titles in hurling and football championships in the same year. Indeed, it seems increasingly unlikely that his remarkable achievement in 1990 will ever be repeated.”
Michael D Higgins, President of Ireland.
"Deeply saddened at the passing of Teddy McCarthy whose unique achievements in 1990 will forever live in our memories. He thrilled all with his soaring leaps into the sky.”
Micheal Martin, Tanaiste.
“The outpouring of emotion which has greeted the sad news about the passing of Teddy McCarthy says much about the esteem in which he was held, not just in his native Cork but, throughout the GAA. He will live on forever in the history of our games, admired as one of their finest exponents and enshrined in our annals for his stunning feat of winning the Liam MacCarthy and Sam Maguire Cups in that unforgettable September of 1990.”
Larry McCarthy, GAA President.
"A legend and icon of Cork GAA, Sars, and Glanmire. He gave so much to all. A true star of our association. Greatly shocked to hear of his untimely passing.”
Marc Sheehan, Cork GAA chairman.
"Rest In Peace Teddy McCarthy. Inspired all Cork young fellas no matter what sport you played. Thoughts with his family and friends."
Ronan O’Gara, former Ireland rugby international.
PLAYERS WITH ALL-IRELAND MEDALS IN BOTH CODES
Jimmy Barry-Murphy (Cork), 1973 (f), 1976-78, 1984, ‘86 (h).
Derry Beckett (Cork), 1942 (h), 1945 (f).
Frank Burke (Dublin), 1917, ‘20 (h), 1921-23 (f).
Denis Coughlan (Cork), 1973 (f), 1976-78 (h).
Ray Cummins (Cork), 1970, 1976-78 (h), 1973 (f).
Liam Currams (Offaly), 1981 (h), 1982 (f).
Pierce Grace (Dublin and Kilkenny), 1906-07 (f), 1911-13 (h).
Paddy Healy (Cork), 1944, ‘46 (h), 1945 (f).
Jack Lynch (Cork), 1941-44, 1946 (h), 1945 (f).
Billy Mackessy (Cork), 1903 (h), 1911 (f).
Paddy Mackey (Wexford), 1910 (h), 1915-18 (f).
Teddy McCarthy (Cork), 1986, ‘90 (h), 1989-90 (f).
Leonard McGrath (Galway), 1923 (h), 1925 (f).
Brian Murphy (Cork), 1973 (f), 1976-78 (h).
Teddy O’Brien (Cork), 1973 (f), 1976 (h).
Sean O’Kennedy (Wexford), 1910 (h), 1915-17 (f).
WJ Spain (Dublin and Limerick), 1887 (h), 1889 (f).
Denis Walsh (Cork), 1986, ‘90 (h), 1989 (f).
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