The Big Interview - Pádraic Maher

By John Harrington

The 23rd series of TG4's Laochra Gael gets off to a flying start on Thursday at 7.30pm when Tipperary hurling legend, Pádraic Maher, reflects on his memorable career.

One of the true greats of the modern game, Maher won three All-Ireland senior championships, one All-Ireland U-21 championship, two All-Ireland minor hurling championships, and six All-Star awards.

The Thurles Sarsfields man never took a backward step for Tipperary on the hurling field and he brings the same sort of honest approach when telling the story of his life.

Ahead of the broadcast of his Laochra Gael episode, Maher sat down with the national media to chat about the emotions churned up by the documentary, the ups and downs of his career, his obsessive approach to hurling, and the health condition that forced him to retire from the game prematurely.

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Q: Your career was ended by something you’ve described as a condition like a mini-stroke where mini blood bubbles were going up into your brain. How did you first become aware of it?

Pádraic Maher: We were preparing for a county final a couple of years ago and I just wasn’t feeling well. I went out and played the game and was very dizzy. I was seeing double and treble. The game went to a replay and it was two weeks to the replay. I said this is a great chance for me to rest up and I did that for two weeks. I went back out to play the replay and the same thing happened again. Then I was told to rest up for a couple of months.

Then I met the doctor, the specialist, got scanned in early January, 2022. Then that’s when it showed up, a few deficiencies that shouldn’t be there in my head. So yeah, it was laid on the line, what it was, what it could be, which was probably more frightening. The decision was taken out of my hands in ways, which made it easier I suppose.

But for the following year, it was difficult looking on when you feel okay. You feel healthy. That was tough to take.

I was reassured straight away that if I take away the danger of getting hurt in a physical game again, that I should have no worries. I was well looked after by the lads below in Limerick ever since, getting my check-ups, constantly onto me to see everything was A1. The treatment I got from everyone, both down in the hospital and in Tipperary, it was fantastic.

It just came upon me all of a sudden. It could have happened at any stage. It’s a very common injury with car crashes, whiplash can cause it. You just don’t know. I can’t pinpoint it either. But hurling is so physical now. Even in training you’re taking hits, left, right and centre. But look I’ve no complaints. I really enjoyed my career, had some great days, but you can’t be too greedy.

Q: How is the body now? What can you do again sport wise or how are you keeping yourself fit apart from the running?

PM: The health is good because in fairness there was a lot of follow up and check up the last number of years. It used to be every six months, then it went out to once a year. I had my latest scan there, just three or four days before Christmas gone and they're happy out now, it’s healing.

I can still exercise away, I can run, I can do the gym – anything that's non-contact really. Yeah, I'm happy out, lucky enough that I can do what I can do.

Q: Will the non-contact change at any point?

PM: Sure, it could, I'm turning 36 now in February and I suppose the way I look at it is the most I might be able to go back to is playing a bit of five-a-side soccer or something with the lads. At this stage you're not going to, I even put it past the doctors there before about “Can I stand in goals for the junior team even?”

He just said “No, look it's not worth it.” I'm still classified as high risk. If you get another belt, I'm still classified as high risk so they couldn't stand over giving me the A-OK. At the end of the day I'm settled now and I've come to terms with it in some ways. But no, the health is all good thank God.

Q: Is it hard to make peace with that? So many players talk about how their identity becomes so much attached to being an inter-county hurler because it's such a bubble and it's so all in. Was that very similar for you and was it hard to take yourself away from that?

PM: Yeah, it was difficult. I suppose the first couple of months after I finished up, everything is such a whirlwind. You're getting used to a new routine and you're probably not thinking about it too much. But when everything settles down and the games start going on and even the lads here at home and in town going back training and stuff, that's when it hits home. From day to day I can walk around and you feel perfect, like you'd run through a brick wall but at the other side of it then you know what's the consequences of possible decisions you could make.

Yeah, it was hard to come to terms with it alright. It was tough at times. But I suppose I took that year out and then I threw myself back in. Obviously, Liam Cahill asked me to get involved with Tipp that year and the following year and the club obviously got me involved as well. I was kept busy with that so I didn't have too much time to be dwelling over the whole thing either, which is probably a good thing in a way as well.

Q: You say in your Laochra Gael episode that your were bawling crying at home when you sent a statement to the county board about your retirement. That must have been hard but the reaction you got must have been positive when all the tributes started coming in.

PM: The first few weeks, people are so kind and generous with their messages and their support. That kind of keeps you going. But then that obviously dies off and you're back to reality then and reality has changed for me from what I've been used to.

Like I said in the programme, I think a couple of times, everything in my life revolved around hurling and my schedules and my routine and suddenly that just changed all of a sudden really. Yeah, it was very tough. But again, I got so much great support and messages and some of it was kind of embarrassing really. I didn't expect it.

Even the last week or two when the programme got announced, the messages were kind of…. I even watched it back myself the other night and you'd be kind of half embarrassed. Like, oh jeez, all these people are talking about me and ex-teammates, players I played against. Even their contribution to the programme, you're like, Jesus, I looked up to some of them players. Michael Fennelly and Ken McGrath said some nice words on the programme and you're like, Jesus Christ. Yeah, it’s nice. Again, you'd be kind of anxious and nervous with the programme coming out but I talked to Ben O'Connor at the launch and we're just saying when it comes to it, it's nice, not everyone gets to be asked to do it.

So you're in a privileged position too. I’m absolutely thrilled.

Q: Making the documentary and even then watching it back now must churn up lots of different emotions?

PM: It does, yeah. I know I've done the book with Michael (Moynihan) before but for some reason this seemed a bit different. There was a lot of bits and pieces to it but just really delving into the games, I suppose.

The good days and the not so good days, which was nice. You're really getting into the nuts and bolts of every game, with the lads down below in Waterford with Nemeton and TG4. We really delved into a lot of the games and it brought back some good memories. Even looking back on it then, I suppose when you're there and in the thick of it you take it for granted.

It's nice to be able to look back and some of them games were incredible to be part of as well. It brought back some good memories.

Q: Your obsessive approach to hurling really comes across in your episode. Lots of successful sports people are obsessive by nature, but were you sometimes too obsessive?

PM: It's funny, I still don't know if it served me well or didn't. I still think you have to have some bit of obsession with it to get the most out of you. Maybe for me, that's just the way I had to go.

Maybe there's other players, there's even one or two in Tipperary that played with me that come to mind that everything was a bit more natural to them. They still had the other side of their life that they were able to balance. Whereas I was probably more just all in on the one thing, which was hurling. I overthink things at times as well and that maybe came against me, I don't know.

Maybe I just felt that I had to have that small bit of obsession to get that extra bit out of myself. In terms of whatever it was, whether it was hurling, fitness, nutrition, whatever it is. I probably over-thinked a lot of stuff when I was hurling as regards, I can't be involved in certain things, I had to keep myself away from certain people, whatever it was.

As I got older then in my career and I got more experience, I think I probably got relaxed a bit more as well. I probably wouldn't change anything either. You learn a lot, you make a lot of mistakes and I feel like some of them benefit me as I got older and more experienced.

Q: When you were looking back through everything, was 2010 the clear highlight or was it one of the other All-Irelands?

PM: Yeah, sure even doing the show and watching back doing the show, when you go through 2009 and then you go into 2010 and you'll be saying, ‘that was nearly the best,’ and the next thing, five or six years before you win it again, and then you're saying, ‘that was definitely the best.’ Then we were starting to be written off, the older group, the so-called older group with Tipperary, we were starting to be written off. Then you come back in 2019 and you're saying, no, ‘that was the best.’

It's hard to separate them all really. There was a meaning behind each one, if that makes sense. It's funny though, I still can't get 2009 out of my head and I still can't get 2014 out of my head either. I just think they were missed opportunities for us.

Especially the first day, the replay in 2014, I thought that was a missed opportunity and then 2009 as well. So it's hard to get rid of them as well.

As I said at the start, it's difficult to get over the line in three of them. I think I played in seven All-Ireland finals including a replay and played Kilkenny in every one of them. Thet record at the start wasn't great, but to even it out and win three and lose three, you’d have to take it against that Kilkenny group.

Q: You’ve managed Thurles Sarsfields for the last two years, are you back with them this year?

PM: Yes, back in for another year with them. That's enjoyable too and it keeps you involved and it keeps you on your toes too.

It's a lot different to playing. When you're playing you have to look after yourself, number one, then everything else is more or less organised for you. Whereas we have a lot of players up there at the moment so you're looking after a big bunch of players and people that are working with you in the management group.

It's a different type of challenge for me and something I'm enjoying and getting a good experience out of it.

Q: Have you carried your obsessive nature in to management?

PM: I’m only at it two years or whatever, definitely making loads of mistakes, that’s for sure. Look, it’s difficult and just because I went about my hurling career that way (obsessive) doesn’t mean it suits everyone, do you know what I mean?

There could be a player there in your dressing room…one thing I’ve learned is you can’t expect him to do exactly what you’ve done, because it mightn’t be the right thing in the first place.

He might work better with a bit more of a relaxed atmosphere around him and his own routine and things like that.

You have to kind of treat everyone different in ways. You’d read ‘em by their personality and the way they go about their lives.

Yeah, it’s difficult like, you know, but still in saying that a lot of values I tried to carry myself through my own career, a lot of them are still what I expect from the players in Thurles and even with Tipperary, so it’s just some lads are a bit different and have to be treated a bit different and that’s fine if you are getting the best out of them.

It is challenging all right. At times you would like to say one or two things, or tell them how to do it, but as I said there, that’s not the case. It’s not one size fits all really. That makes the job of management a bit more challenging for me. I’m after learning so much in the last two years.

You are always constantly learning in this game. It’s always evolving. It’s enjoyable but it’s definitely challenging.

You have to build up your experience. You’ve to take your learnings from it and that’s why the club scene is very good for me because you are getting to pick up a lot there.

The whole club thing in general is getting a lot more professional anyway, so you are learning a lot there, you are getting a good taste of it

I am getting a lot of experiences. We had a decent enough year with our club two years ago and then we were very disappointed in how we exited the championship last year in the semi-finals, so it’s not straightforward either.

Just when you think everything is going well it can all end. One result can turn the whole thing upside down so

There’s a lot of challenges involved in it.

Q: You’ve a good knowledge the club game in Tipperary and have coached or played with many of the players in the Tipperary panel. Where are Tipperary at right now? Most people seem to be writing them off for 2025?

PM: Yeah, they probably are writing him off, especially after the last year. Make no bones about it, it's in transition at the moment.

As regards the club game, I don't know. When you see club teams coming out after winning the County Final we're obviously not really putting a massive imprint on the Munster Club Championship. Which, I don't know, could be a different conversation. As regards the Tipp team, it's a bit of transition.

I watched their last two games, they played Dublin on Saturday and Laois on Tuesday night. There were a few new names there mixed in with the so-called more experienced lads at the moment. There's a lot of change. If you look at the panel now and look at the panel even two or three years ago, there's a massive difference in it.

Liam Cahill has probably lost a lot of experience there. Seamie Callanan has gone, Niall O'Meara, Bonner, Cathal Barrett, there's a few more. That's massive experience gone out of the group. I think it's up to few lads to step up there that have been there since 2018/19.
That 18-19-21 group, they should be really hitting the ground running now. That's four or five years ago now at this stage, so it's time for a few of them to step up and take this group by the scruff of the neck and drag it through. I'm really looking forward to the National League. I think it's going to be very competitive for them.

You're going to get a great sense of where the group are going to be. Even starting on Sunday going down to Salthill, I'm looking forward to seeing what way the group are. I know they've been training really hard.

Obviously Ronan doesn't tell me anything, but I just know by the way they're going, their schedule and stuff, that they're putting in a lot of effort, like everyone does. After what happened last year, there has to be a sting in the group. I know deep down that they feel they could beat anyone on any given day, but you have to be right and mentally right.

It's going to be testing for them. No-one's going to be going to give them a chance. I think they've Limerick in the first game in Thurles, that's going to be a very difficult start. I think Limerick are going to come all guns blazing after what happened last year. So, concentrate on the league, get one or two bodies more experienced and see if you can build.

The main thing I think is we need to start knowing who our 15, 20 players are. At the moment, you probably can't pick who's going to be the starting 15, so we need to get a settled team first and work from there then.

Q: Noel McGrath is the only survivor from the 2010 All-Ireland win still in the Tipperary panel. How good a servant has he been for Tipperary and how good is he still?

PM: Sure, he's been unbelievable. He came in with me when we went in together in the winter 2008 onto the panel. Ever since then, he's been a leader. He can do so many different jobs for the team.

Even now with his age and the miles he has on the clock there's no doubt he can do a job for you somewhere on the pitch. There's a lot of younger lads there now, the ‘18, ‘19 group we spoke about from the 21s that were successful, but you still need that bit of experience and even to have him in and around the group, you can see how hLiam Cahill is so mad to hold onto him. You need that experience, he's still performed well for Loughmore. Even driving around club games I've seen it first-hand myself, and Noel is cute enough. If Noel feels he can offer something, he'll stay involved.

If he wasn't going to be able to offer something, he wasn't going to go in and give up all his time. He has a young child at home, but if he feels he can definitely offer something to Tipperary, I feel he can offer something too because he's just so shrewd.

The game is after getting so intense, so quick. We've seen it the last few years, but Noel's mind is thinking ahead of most players in this country as regards to the hurling match, the hurling ball and where it's going. His speed of mind is as good as anyone in the country.

As long as he has that, I'll be keeping Noel McGrath in the Tipperary team anyway.

Q: How do you view the general hurling landscape in terms of who might go all the way this year?

PM: I think the All-Ireland champions are going to come out of Munster anyway. But to say who it's going to be, I just feel something….ever since the All-Ireland finished in the year gone, I just feel that Limerick are going to come with something with a bang.

I do feel that Kilkenny team that we played back in 09, 10, 11, 12, up to 14; I think that's definitely in the back of that group's mind in Limerick, that they want to emulate and try and better what that group done.

Their group is still relatively young, the average age of it. So I think that Limerick are going to be here for another year or two, definitely maximising what they have in that group.

To me, I’d have them up there as the favourites and then, God, it's Clare, Cork - they're definitely coming with something.

It will be interesting to see what Tipp and Waterford do, I think it's going to be more trying to come in that top three in Munster and see what happens after that.

But for the other three in Munster, I think they're thinking of going route one, no doubt about it. Munster Championship, All-Ireland Championship.

But I think it's definitely going to come out of Munster. If I had to pick three, obviously, come down to the final three, I'd say Limerick, Cork and Clare.

There's only a couple of points between them if that's going to be the case. I don't know about Leinster, it's hard to see. Kilkenny are always going to be there or thereabouts in the last four maybe.

It will be interesting to see what Galway do, I'm actually looking forward to seeing that Galway game against Tipp on Sunday. Michéal Donoghue is back and they've gotten rid of a few experienced players I think up there.

So it'll be interesting to see what kind of Galway team are turning up. But for me, I'd have Limerick favourites. If not them, then I think the All-Ireland championship are going to come from Munster.

Q: Tipp haven't won in Thurles in the Championship game since 2019. Is this becoming a little bit of a factor?

PM: First of all you have to try and win your home games and it’s extra difficult in a way for Tipperary because mentally some teams like to prefer to play in Thurles than their own home ground. Even before involved there in 2023, I know it was a big thing for Tipp to make Thurles a fortress again and we drew with Limerick that year and then the last game against Waterford didn’t go as planned. I think the first home game is against Limerick this year. If they go all in on that… there are going to be so many factors.

They haven’t won a home (championship) game in a while. It’s unreal to think that the last time they won we were actually playing, I think it was against Limerick. If you said to me walking off the pitch you won’t win a home game for God knows how long I’d have laughed at you. You have to take it as motivation but Tipp are developing. I know we’re saying the group is developing but we all expect in Tipp to win matches and we expect to be winning no matter what group comes through.

That first game against Limerick, everything has to be into that game and worry about the rest of what comes afterwards. I’d agree, you have to win those home games. We’d always feel we shouldn’t be beaten in Thurles over the years. We were a couple of times but to go through this length of time without winning (in Thurles), without winning any championship match in Munster, that has to hurt. I still know a lot of the players and it’s hurts them.

It’s hurts the management group and definitely the supporters as well. That’s why I think the National League is so important – give the supporters something to cling onto. Give them a bit of energy going into that Limerick game in Thurles in April. I think a good league campaign… you don’t necessarily have to be winning every game but putting up good performances because there is no easy game in that league now. Give the supporters something to cling onto and then everything all in for the Limerick game.

Q: Is Tipperary’s record of winning a senior All-Ireland every decade under threat?

PM: At the moment, you’re going to say it is, aren’t you? For me, it’s just to get out of that Munster championship group. It would be a step in the right direction after the last few years and building from there. I know we keep saying it and probably drive people outside of Tipp but we will always have good hurlers in Tipperary. But this is more of a mental thing when it comes to hurling.

Are you willing to get down and dirty with these big boys? I think they’re in a good position this year in that nobody is giving them a chance. People are writing them off already before a ball is pucked in the National League. You still have a nice bit of experience there – you have Ronan, Seamus Kennedy, Noel McGrath, Mikey Breen.

There is a lot of experience there mixed in with the younger crew. If they come together for the Tipperary jersey and start doing that proud and maybe stop worrying about yourself and more about the team. And get back to good traditional Tipperary values there. I definitely think they can turn over one or two teams in Munster if their heads are right and if you do that you’re nearly out of the group. After that then, whatever happens, happens.

If you said now Tipp will win an All-Ireland in two or three years, you’d be saying, ‘Jees, I don’t know. A lot will have to change.’ You never know. Limerick came on the scene in 2018. Would you have said they’d win an All-Ireland in ’15 or ’16? You’d probably have said no. They have turned it around fairly quick. Tipp, the players are there. Get the heads right, mentally what you’re facing into and see what happens. I keep saying it, get into the top three in Munster, that should be the aim and wherever it takes, it takes.

Q: How important is it that Tipperary can further develop their Centre of Excellence at Dr. Morris Park?

PM: That stuff is very important. We have won a couple of minors and got to the U20 final, won the Munster last year. You can’t just say that they’re coming, that’s fine. They’re not going to stay coming unless you keep developing the players at under-age. The way the thing has gone, I think you need to have something that people walk into like Dr Morris Park and be proud of.

If I walk into Dr Morris Park as a 14-year-old or a 15-year-old in the development squad, I’m walking in the gates and I’m going, ‘Wow’. It’s a taste of what playing for Tipperary could be down the line. A centre of excellence to be proud of. The facilities there, I believe they should have been there before now. If they can get that right and make the thing something to be proud of, it gets players excited and wanting to be involved for the next 10 or 12 years with Tipperary squads.

I know the lads are doing an awful lot of work in the background, Murtagh Brennan and the lads, but it needs to be done. That’s why it’s important to start the senior team and work the way down so that they are given something to fight for and given the supporters something to grab onto. If we can get that back on track a small bit more and the work being done in the background, I think Tipperary will prosper in the next couple of years but it definitely has to be done it should be part and parcel of it now, if you are getting involved in teams that you are coming into the best facilities and I’ve no doubt that’s what the lads are trying to do and hopefully now it will come to fruition in the next couple of years.

2025 Laochra Gael series

Programme 1: Pádraic Maher, 9.30pm, Thursday 23rd January

Programme 2: Marc Ó Sé, 9.30pm, Thursday 30th January

Programme 3: Ursula Jacob,, 9.30pm, Thursday 6th February

Programme 4: Ronan Clarke, 9.30pm, Thursday 13th February

Programme 5: Michael Bond, 9.30pm, Thursday 20th February

Programme 6: Bríd Stack, 9.30pm, Thursday 27th February

Programme 7: Ben & Jerry O’Connor, 9.30pm, Thursday 6th March

Programme 8: Eamon McGee,, 9.30pm, Thursday 13th March