Michael Carty

Mick Carty, a former Castletown and Wexford senior footballer, begins the interview by discussing his earliest memories of the GAA, which centre of listening to Michael O’Hehir match commentaries on the radio in the family home. His family background in the GAA is set out, as is the place that Gaelic games – football in particular – played in the social life of his youth. Carty offers interesting insights into the modes of transport used to travel to games and discusses his introduction to playing Gaelic games in school, and with his club, Castletown. Carty explores the relationship between football and hurling in Castletown from the 1960s onwards, and charts how the club has evolved in terms of collaboration between the two games, of the development of facilities and the population influx during the ‘Celtic tiger’. Carty also discusses his involvement with Wexford underage county teams and his involvement at senior football level with club and county throughout the 1970s and early 80s. He talks about those he played with and against, as well his experience with UCD in the 1970s, winning Sigerson and All-Ireland medals. Carty discusses his transition from student to teacher: he talks about his return to Wexford to teach and the growing place that gaelic games has occupied in the life of the school. Carty also reflects on his involvement in administrative and mentoring roles with club and county. Finally, the interview concludes with recollections of the highs and lows of his GAA experiences and a look towards possible future involvement.