Documentary on Desmonds’ 1985 title wins global acclaim for new media star Dan

TWO years after he turned his back on a 20-year-long career in menswear for the media and Castleisland’s Dan Kearney has completed a KETB course in radio, had a documentary on his beloved Desmonds GAA broadcast on RTÉ Radio One and this week found himself the second person in Ireland to have ever recevied the London City and Guilds Further Education Learner of the Year Award.

Dan’s decision to plough a new furrow might just be the most successful career-change in recent history.

And he has his interest in his local GAA to thank for finding the right subject matter. His documentary on the Desmonds’ All-Ireland year of 1985 lit up the radio waves as far as London - where he was feted among 100 students - out of two million in these islands - for his new-found talent.

Dan Kearney received a City and Guilds Global Gold Medal of Excellence in London against global competition for his outstanding work during his training course in radio production techniques at Kerry ETB Training Centre - a course delivered by Radio Kerry.

He also received the Further Education Learner of the Year Award; a gong reserved for learners in the UK and Ireland and he is the overall winner and only the second person in Ireland to win this award in a rare distinction.

Dan travelled to London last week to collect the honour in recognition of his course work. The course, ‘Media Techniques – Radio’ is part of the range of Digital Media production courses run by Kerry ETB Training Centre in Tralee. The course has been delivered by Radio Kerry and is certified by City and Guilds level Three.

His fresh ambitious approach to radio was evident to course instructor, Radio Kerry’s John Herlihy, from an early stage when Dan pitched an idea for a documentary as part of a class assignment. John convinced Dan to go further with his proposal. He pitched the idea to RTE Radio 1’s Doc on One team and it was accepted for broadcast immediately.

‘Once Were Champions’ looked back at the Desmonds side that won the All-Ireland Senior Football club final in 1985. “For much of my life I have listened to stories from the great local heroes who brought honour to Castleisland in the mid-Eighties, Their achievement was mighty and I wanted to capture the spirit that drove them to success against all the odds.”