‘God, I suppose this is heaven. And it was’

In the public memory, he’ll always be a moment.

Bearing down on the Cork goal by the Killinan End, firing it low past Ger Cunningham’s left, pumping his fist, in joy, in relief, then engulfed by a throng of jubilant supporters surging onfield with their flags, hats and rosettes, even wheelchairs. Whatever else he did in life Aidan Ryan would always have the Munster final replay of ’91.

But after the moment there’s still a life to live. Some stay in the limelight. Some go off the rails when they realise they can’t. Aidan Ryan just slipped away to live the kind of quiet life he likes to live.