KEVIN CASSIDY: The end of an era

AS I sit down to write these final words, I’m filled with a mix of emotions – nostalgia, gratitude, and a hint of sadness.

It’s hard to believe that the journey with Gaelic Life that started so long ago has come to an end.

It’s been an incredible journey and I’d like to start off by saying I have enjoyed every single week of it.

To the GL team, I say thank you. Thank you for your dedication, your passion, and your unwavering commitment to Gaelic games coverage. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with each and every one of you.

Niall McCoy has been there since the very start. Giving me counsel when I thought that I had maybe gone too far and am lucky now to be able to call him a friend.

In recent times Mal and Niall Gartland have had to read my weekly rants and before that Ronan Scott had to reel me in a few times.

With the readers, we have laughed, we’ve cried, and we’ve pushed the boundaries of what’s possible without landing the paper in the High Court.

Over the years, we’ve tackled some of the most interesting and complex topics without hesitation.

When I took up this position, I was very clear that I had to be able to say what I felt and thankfully that has been that way up until this very day.

Our articles sparked conversations that needed to be had. We’ve insulted some people, called out others and made a few people laugh along the way.

Through it all, I think that I have stayed true to my values and tried to call things as I saw them – honestly, authentically, and without apology.

It’s been a great journey and I’m grateful for the experience. I’ve learned so much along the way and I’ll carry those lessons with me.

While I’m sad to pen my last piece for Gaelic Life I am looking forward to a number of new projects and adventures on the horizon.

GAA and Gaelic games, it is all very much in my DNA and you will continue to hear my views on different platforms.

I want to thank you for being part of this journey.

To our readers, thank you for joining us on this ride. Your feedback, your passion and your engagement have driven me to be better. I’ll miss you, but we’re excited to see where life takes us next.

Gaelic Life has been part of my weekly routine. Some weeks I have to sit and think about that to write.

Other weeks I am passionate about something that might have happened and that words flow easily.

It’s amazing the reach someone’s opinion can have. I have been in foreign countries where someone will pull up a seat and start to talk about a particular article and how they agree or disagree with it.

Of course, I’m going to think that lots of the time I got things right but if I did get anything wrong then I take this opportunity to apologise for it.

As a sign off, I’d like to wish you all the very best.

Go raibh mile maith agaibh and I’ll be back giving my opinions in the not-so-distant future. KC