'Cork without Mick Curtin would be like God without his angels'

"We can all take inspiration from your 30 years of passion, hard work and unrelenting loyalty to Cork football."

Thu, 11 May, 2023 - 10:17

Larry Ryan

Can a man be synonymous and nearly anonymous? Mick Curtin might have managed that trick. Known to anybody with an inkling about Cork football. Perhaps not too familiar to those outside that circle.

The Valley Rovers clubman has been kitman, logistics expert, equipment manager, whatever you want to call him, to the Cork footballers for three decades. He has served under nine Cork managers.

He missed the 1989 and 1990 All-Irelands, though he served with Billy Morgan during his two reigns. And Curtin was there, of course, when the big one was lifted again in 2010.

After he retired, Sam Maguire winner Fintan Goold recalled the three weeks before that decider, when Curtin called to his house every night with a cooler box of ice for an injured ankle.

Denis McSweeney (assistant to Mick Curtin) makes a presentation

As long ago as 2001, around the time when Cork's GAA greats were fighting for all manner of rights, one dispute involved the senior management demanding sideline access for Mick.

With Cork having qualified for another tilt at Sam, the current panel made a presentation this week to mark 30 years of service.

Senior player Tommy Walsh, Curtin's assistant Denis McSweeney and Morgan made presentations.

And a card indicated the depth of affection for a man who did his business behind the scenes.

"We can all take inspiration from your 30 years of passion, hard work and unrelenting loyalty to Cork football.

"Cork without Mick Curtin would be like God without his angels."