Paudie Palmer enriched us with optimism and absolute positivity 

The well-known and hugely-respected broadcaster passed away on Sunday.

Paudie Palmer who 'lived an extraordinary life', pictured at his home near Innishannon. Picture: Dan Linehan

THE tragedy that is the untimely passing of our great colleague and forever friend Paudie Palmer is so difficult to articulate in short words and in the immediate aftermath.

He lived an extraordinary life of giving and sharing, enriching us all, not least in his most beloved vocation of teaching and shaping a whole generation of students so lucky to have passed his way. His optimistic and positive mentality was his DNA. He has also enriched all our lives through a legendary journey in sport, his life’s passion.

Paudie displayed those all too scarce qualities consistently once he picked up a microphone for the first time and penned his many bon mots on all things relating to his beloved GAA. Noteworthy too was the passion and positivity he shared in his direct involvement with GAA teams at all levels, not least in Innishannon with Valley Rovers. The beauty of the man was his incredible ability never to cause hurt to anyone for their efforts on or off the field of play regardless of how bad the situation might be.

For him, sport and indeed life itself was something to be enjoyed and cherished. He had no interest in negativity at any level. He simply loved the banter and when conversing with him, you felt – no, you knew - that you alone had his entire attention.

As someone who knew him pretty well, I was often asked by curious Cork and Kerry people who was the real Paudie Palmer?

Deep down, did he remain a staunch Kerry man from Templenoe or was he that most rare breed who changed citizenship to his adopted county? Truthfully, nobody knows for sure. He takes that secret to his eternal reward.

At this remove, it's impossible to do justice to a life so well lived. 

If there was ever a question that, coming from an older generation, would make him somewhat irrelevant or out of touch with modern youth, you only have to see how he took to "the Twitter machine" (as he called it) to get out those short sound bites. 

He was constantly ahead of the conversation curve and forever mining news sources in an unorthodox but clever fashion. His ability to develop his view of life connected him to an ever wider audience. It led him to become somewhat of a mini-celebrity for people with only a passing interest in sport and suddenly we saw him popping up at all sorts of fundraising events in local places, giving so generously of his time without a question of personal reward bar bringing a little happiness to so many. 

Here we had a giver whose only motivation was promoting the beauty of the human spirit. This is the essence of the man.

His absolute positivity was sorely tested over the past three years in a savage battle with ill-health. Most of us would have cursed the Almighty for visiting misfortune on us but not this unique human being. Just as he was winning the battle against what seemed insurmountable odds, Covid arrived and both he and family had to take additional precautions. Face-to-face contact was not possible and this had to be so difficult for someone who so thrived on such interaction. Yet he beat all those odds and that just proves the power of positive thinking.

RESPECT: The Kerry team and supporters in the stand, pause for a minute's silence in memory of the late GAA radio journalist Paudie Palmer before the McGrath Cup Group A match against Clare in Tralee. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

To then be blindsided by this thunderbolt on the roads near Crossbarry beggared belief and leaves one wondering how much ill-luck can one person endure? Despite everything, you just felt that this man was the ultimate survivor and he'd beat the odds once again.

Alas, it was beyond his control this time, leaving us to face the future in a bleaker world that will be forever poorer for the loss of a very special person.

To Collette and his precious girls who walked every step of a hard road with him, it is indeed devastating but they can be forever proud of the legacy that this gentle soul leaves to all those fortunate to have passed his way.

To his wider family, friends, teaching colleagues and, of course, his GAA family, we extend our deepest sympathies too. In particular, his many readers and listeners to those legendary match commentaries on C103 who will feel a great void.

The archive of his radio work will be a treasure trove of memories and laughs, wit and wisdom for many years to come.

At least that. He’d want to find the positive in the darkest hour.

On a personal level, I know everyone working in C103 Sport will keep a special place in their hearts for our dear friend and colleague.

I write this on the other side of the world in a different time zone, finding it impossible to sleep. Paudie, I'm so sorry I can't be there in person right now. Rest well, dear friend... Lord has a new All-Star.