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Footballer Colm is in a league of his own  PIN-UP
Gaelic football star Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper has made the shortlist
of 17 from which the Seven Wonders of Kerry will be chosen.
But one of the surprises in the vote for the shortlist is that the iconic
Killarney man is the only footballer to get on the team — despite
the fact Kerry has produced dozens of big ball legends.
None of the stars of the ’70s and ’80s who comprised what
many aficionados believe to be the greatest team of all time made it.
Nor is there any mention of other Kerry notables such as Daniel O’Connell,
Antarctic explorer Tom Crean or any of the top businessmen and politicians
the county has produced.
The only literary figure to get in is John B Keane whose death has in
no way diminished his popularity.
The competition to find the Seven Wonders of Kerry is being run by Radio
Kerry and voted on by listeners to the station’s morning current
affairs programme Kerry Today.
Presenter Deirdre Walsh said the idea was to celebrate the county’s
great natural beauty, its history and traditions and the many outstanding
Kerry people down through the ages.
“There’s been a massive response since we started it in early
August with hundreds of people giving their choices, including people
from America, England, Holland, Dublin, Belfast and Galway,” she
said.
“While some of the footballers of the 1970s and ’80s did get
votes none received as many as the Gooch. Also, there were more votes
for places than for people.”
A final line-up of seven will be chosen. |
