Watch: Emotional Pat Spillane explains special personal significance of Kerry's win 

Spillane broke down in tears on his final afternoon on RTÉ punditry duty

Pat Spillane (centre) was emotional on RTE punditry duty

Pat Spillane broke down in tears in the RTÉ studio after Kerry delivered a 38th All-Ireland final victory against Galway today — and not because it ends his career as a TV pundit in the perfect way.

Galway-Kerry finals have a special resonance for Spillane, as he explained to Joanne Cantwell.

“In 1964, my father was a selector for Kerry against Galway. The night before the game he had a pain in his chest, wouldn’t go to the doctor, went to the game the following day as a selector and was dead on the Tuesday.” 

An emotional Pat Spillane speaks about the legacy of the Spillane family as more All-Ireland medals are added in this generation #sundaygame #rtegaa pic.twitter.com/wsUpZZgLP4

— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 24, 2022

Kerry lost that final, though Tom Spillane senior won four All-Ireland medals himself as a player. He died in his mid-40s of that heart attack when Pat was just eight. Pat has spoken before of his admiration for his mother Maura, left to rear four children and run the family pub.

"Everything she did in her life was for us. It was work, work, work and she never took a holiday."

Pat became the father figure in the household and eventually shared 19 senior All-Ireland medals with his two younger brothers Mick and Tom. Sadly, something his father was not around to witness.

Youngest brother Tom’s sons Killian and Adrian featured in Kerry's victory today, picking up the first senior medals for the latest generation of the Templenoe dynasty. 

Pat continued: “And Kerry-Galway matches to me always bring back this memory. And my father never saw us play, the three sons. 

"And today the three sons have 19 All-Ireland medals and his two grandsons today Killian and Adrian have two more. He would have been a proud man to see 21 senior All-Ireland medals come into his house. It’s just a special day. A special day.

"It means a lot. They are good lads."

Speaking with Damian Lawlor on RTÉ, the younger Spillanes spoke about putting their 'own stamp' on this stellar Kingdom generation game. 

"To do it with my brother on the field next to me is very special. Very proud," said Adrian. 

"Leaving home on Saturday our father was rightly geed up. He could have gone out and played the game himself today.

"It’s great for our family. We just did our best out there and it was a great day out."

The pair had no option but to carry on the family business, Killian smiled: "It was always football as long as I can remember. Growing up listening to what the lads did in the 70s and 80s. 

"We had no other choice but to do it really."

"Kerry’s golden years was a bit of a favourite in the house alright," Adrian added. "It paid off in the end."

"It was nice to put our own stamp on it today with our first All Ireland medals. A huge honour," said Killian.