Tom Ó Sé, the last of the Árd a Bhothair brothers, is laid to rest

Despite the trunkload of Celtic Crosses in the Ó Sé family, his is the only All-Ireland minor medal

The men from Ard a Bhothair: Michael, Paidi and Tom Ó Se.

In a Chinese restaurant on the outskirts of Limerick city, we sat down to check co-ordinates and assess the bangs and bashes of an epic All-Ireland SFC semi-final replay between Kerry and Mayo.

“That game today,” whispered the man at the window table, “was the most physical, uncompromising game I have ever witnessed.” 

That was Tom Ó Se from Árd a Bhothair in west Kerry, a man who knew a thing or two about the unforgiving crucible that is the business end of the football championship. Tom, the brother of the legendary Kerry GAA figure Paidi and uncle to a house full of All-Ireland winners, was known locally as Shetland – small, neat and tidy with a defiant streak. He’d stand his ground.

This Monday morning, he will be laid to rest in his native Ventry, having dealt with a long illness with the sort of stoicism and dignity that reflected his personality. He passed away Saturday, aged 76, leaving behind his beloved Rosanna, who hails from Foxford in Co Mayo. There was never one without the other.

He won an All-Ireland medal with the Kerry minors in 1963 and with his brother Michael, shared by example what he knew about defending to their younger brother Páidi. Despite the trunkload of Celtic Crosses in the O Se family, his is the only All-Ireland minor medal.

He sat contentedly in the shadow of the Rí na Ríochta. A Department of Agriculture officer, he also won an Intermediate Championship medal in Leitrim with Aughawillan but beyond football, his sporting passion was golf. God knows the number of times we nearly got out together for a round in Cork, where he lived, him as keen as I was to interrogate the suggestion his nephew Tomas was as good as some proclaimed. He was a captain at Ceann Sibeal and served on the committee for many years.

It’s easy to imagine the footballing discourse on the road outside Ventry that rises to Ard a Bhothair. The Ó Se households were all within 100 yards of each other, still are. Likely, it's quieter now though the tourist trail to Paidi's pub is as busy as ever. But Michael, Páidi and Tom aren’t around to stir the pot. 

As bullish, expressive and evocative as Páidi O Se was, his older brother Tom was quiet and self-effacing and sound. He had a marvellously understated sense of humour, the sort you'd gravitate to for chat and an unguarded conversation. 

May the three of them enjoy their overdue reunion.