Stars of sport turn out to support ‘Gooch’ for €250,000 testimonial
SPORTS stars and celebrities paid homage to Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper at a glittering testimonial dinner last night without a single dissenting voice.
Despite some public misgivings by Joe Brolly and others about an amateur GAA star getting a €500 a head gala night out, some 450 people gathered to toast the Kerry football hero.
Legends from different sports showed up at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin for the €250,000 tribute and fundraising black tie dinner.
Soccer legend Niall Quinn, remarking on the nay-sayers’ attitude, told the Irish
Independent: “I got paid for 20 years in my sport. So you certainly won’t hear me giving out.”
Joy
Kerry star Kieran Donaghy, one of a large number of team-mates past and present at the event, defended the decision to hold the testimonial, declaring: “The man has given his life to his club and his county and he’s brought joy to countless football fans over the years.
He deserves tonight. And I’d like to see more nights like this,” he said.
Matt Cooper, master of ceremonies, said: “A lot of funds are going to charities from tonight, including a cancer charity in Kerry, the
Crumlin Children’s Hospital, and his own club Dr Croke’s is benefiting as well. The numbers who came tonight have shown how much support there is for it.”
Among the greats to be interviewed on stage during the dinner were horse racing legend Ruby Walsh and rugby icon Mick Galwey. Kilkenny great Henry Shefflin and Dublin star Bernard Brogan were among the high-profile stars to get a warm welcome.
The 450 guests at the €5,000-a-table event were treated to a smoked salmon and prawn cocktail starter with a roast beef main course.
More than 200 of the guests were booked in to stay the night at the luxury hotel.
Traditional group The
High Kings provided the musical entertainment and comedian Barry Murphy had them laughing loudly.
Kerry player Kieran O’Leary, who arrived with teammates Eoin Brosnan and Darren O’Sullivan, said: “It’s great we are all here to celebrate his whole career in sport. Yes, I’d love to see more events like this.”
Colm’s brothers Mike and Mark arrived with their wives and said there was a great turnout by the Dr Croke’s club and from the people in Killarney. People from many counties were present, including former Meath manager Sean Boylan, former politicians Charlie McCreevy and Tom Parlon, and ‘Sunday Game’ presenter Michel Lyster.