The brilliant Pat Critchley was the subject of TG4’s Laochra Gael documentary in February.
In every possible way, Thursday’s TG4 Laochra Gael programme does justice to the legendary Pat Critchley.
The contributors, the soundtrack, the wonderful old footage from the 1980s and Pat’s modesty and honesty make it compelling viewing.
Only the second Laois GAA star after Sue Ramsbottom to feature on the iconic programme, Critchley’s story has so many strands and layers.
Player, coach, teacher, musician and, as the long-serving Irish Independent journalist Vincent Hogan observes, “a remarkable man”.
Indeed as well as the many sporting clips throughout the programme, there is also a de facto reunion of the Mere Mortals band in Peig’s pub in Portlaoise, one that played in Feile in Thurles in 1990 and appeared on RTE’s Beat Box programme.
“He has a great way of getting on with people, but he’s the most humble man you will ever meet,” says his long-time friend and team-mate Seamas ‘Cheddar’ Plunkett.
“I hope he knows the respect we hold for him,” adds Catherine Ashe (nee O’Sullivan), one of the many players he coached during their school days.
“If ever anyone were to say a bad word about him, there would be an army of people to stand up for him.”
“An exceptional personality,” adds Offaly’s Pat Fleury, an opponent in the 1980s, a golden era for the Laois hurlers that saw them reach a Leinster final, the Centenary Cup final and a Division 1 league semi-final.
The programme unearthed wonderful footage from that time – the celebratory scenes as Laois beat Wexford in the 1985 Leinster semi-final, the ’84 Centenary final and a heaving Dr Cullen Park for a championship match against All Ireland champions Kilkenny just a week later.
The footage also shows Critchley as the Rolls Royce player he was and there are numerous clips of him in full flow – against Cork, Wexford, Kilkenny and Tipperary – in front of big crowds. It was a much-loved Laois team that held its own with the best in the land in the early and mid 1980s.
“That Laois team was like a family,” says Critchley about that Laois side.
“There was a great bond. Even though it wasn’t winning a Leinster final, it was beating Wexford in Croke Park – great sense of achievement, outpouring of joy.”
That same year he was selected as Laois’s first All Star in either code – and to this day, the only one ever awarded to the county in hurling.
“I would have much preferred to win a Leinster,” he observes.
“Playing against Laois back then you knew you had to control Critchley,” comments Cork’s multiple All Ireland winner Donal O’Grady.
The programme also deals very sensitively with the tragic death of Dublin player Paul Mulhere, who died a couple of days after a National League game against Laois during which he was accidentally struck by Critchley’s hurl.
“A feeling of guilt,” he says in a poignant scene. “I struck the ball but the follow through hit the helmet. Even though it’s so long ago, it can still be very raw.”
“Subconsciously, I don’t think I got back to where I was playing before it either”
Níor éirigh le Pat an caighdeán imeartha céanna a shroicheadh arís, tar éis bás tragóideach Paul Mulhare.
🏐 Laochra Gael 🥎
📅 Déardaoin / Thursday
⏰ 21:30
📺 ar @TG4TV@CLGLaois #LaochraGael pic.twitter.com/4sAebh78Bg— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) February 27, 2024
His brother Mick plays a very central role in the one-hour show, and there are also contributions from his old team-mates like Plunkett, the Bohan brothers and even his 91-year-old mother Patty.
“The bathroom window was broken regularly,” says Patty as they return to visit the house Pat grew up in St Brigid’s in Portlaoise.
“It had to be replaced very often,” she laughs as she beams with pride and remembers that once Pat started winning, it “was trophy after trophy.”
“The legacy that he has left there will be there for decades,” adds Plunkett in reference to his life’s work in Scoil Chriost Ri in Portlaoise where he was a PE teacher for 35 years and still coaches teams there, long after retiring.
“He is such a unique coach, very calm but effective,” says Angela Casey, another past pupil Laois’s All Ireland winning ladies football captain in 2001.
“Nobody will ever fill Pat Critchley’s shoes. He’s amazing. So lucky in Laois to have Pat Critchley.”
Perhaps the strongest contribution comes from Pat when he speaks about coaching.
“Everyone isn’t going to win a county final or an All Ireland, but when you think about it, success in coaching is passing on a love of the games – then every coach can be successful.”
SEE ALSO – Check out all our top stories from our 2024 Remembered series here
