Hall of Fame award winner Graham Canty shares his theory on what separates West Cork sportspeople from the rest

WHEN Graham Canty talks, people listen. It has always been that way. The Bantry man has a rare ability to hold a room’s attention, and on Saturday night at the Celtic Ross Hotel, he proved it once again.

As Canty stepped onto the stage to accept his West Cork Sports Star Hall of Fame award, a hush fell over the audience after the initial standing ovation. Much like he did on the football field, he didn’t disappoint. His reflections on what makes West Cork sport so special left the room nodding in agreement.

West Cork madness is that intangible ingredient that sets the region apart.

‘In West Cork, I think we have something very unique here. We have ferocious talent. We have drive. We have commitment. We have volunteers that you won’t get anywhere else. We have this little bit of work ethic that drives everything, but underneath it all, we have this little bit of madness,’ Canty said.

‘That little bit of madness, I wouldn’t suppress it. I would drive it on. That little bit of madness would push you to what you could do. Go to places you thought you never could go. That madness should be nurtured, harnessed, enjoyed and celebrated.

‘I think we have it in abundance. I would celebrate it. I would encourage it in young lads, young girls, everyone. I saw it there in Croke Park with the Kilbrittain lads recently – you have to have that. Harness it, enjoy it. That’s what we have in West Cork. That’s unique. You don’t see that in any other place in the country or even worldwide.’

Canty’s pride in his West Cork roots shone through. Being honoured among his own community meant a great deal to the last Cork man to captain the county to an All-Ireland senior football title in 2010. On the field, he was a leader, a ferocious competitor who set the standard.

This is a huge thing to win a West Cork Hall of Fame award. It is something that will live long in my memory forever

Elsewhere in this week’s Star Sport, John Hayes, a Cork team-mate, hailed Canty as the ‘best all-round player’ he has ever played with. ‘The best captain I was lucky to play under,’ Hayes continued. ‘He’s one of Cork’s all-time best players, and a very good person to boot. They don’t come more solid than Graham.’

Canty’s legacy extends far beyond medals. All-Ireland winning captain, three-time All-Star, county champion with Bantry, but above all, he has left a lasting mark on his club, community, and county.

Hall of Fame recipient, Bantry and Cork GAA legend Graham Canty. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

‘This is a huge thing to win a West Cork Hall of Fame award. It is something that will live long in my memory forever. With the awards I got before, I thought I was finished, but this is great – something really special to me,’ he said.

‘This is kind of a personal award. Great, mighty, but I played a team sport, and that’s all I do. Individual awards are great, but there are teams behind me. I was very lucky to have great teams playing with me. Great groups, everything.

‘To my mom and dad, Con and Catherine, I wouldn’t have said much about mom and dad before, but all the value I had growing up was from them. They shaped me. A little bit of hard work, a little bit of work ethic, that’s everything that made me.’

Speaking to The Southern Star, Canty reflected on what his club means to him.

‘I was very lucky to play with Cork for a few years, but Bantry is everything,’ he said.

‘I wandered out there at nine years old as a very naïve, small lad and just got a huge bug for it. Probably lucky enough to get that bug from home, but I went out there and just loved it. I went in the gates and said, “This is home. This is just brilliant.”

‘I was very lucky coming up through the ages, from nine years old to 37/38, and everyone put so much time into you. They cared about you, even when things went wrong. I had a load of bad days, but that’s when you could fall back on the club. Anytime you come home, especially on a bad day, the club was there. Always.

‘The good days are grand. A load of people say you’re brilliant, but the bad days are the important days. The club is always there for you.’

Hall of Fame recipient Graham Canty with, from left, John Paul McNamara (C103), Ann Downey (manager, Celtic Ross Hotel), David Gillick (special guest), Helen Wycherley (Celtic Ross Hotel) and Kieran McCarthy (Sports Editor, Southern Star). (Photo: Martin Walsh)

Canty also recalled his greatest moment: captaining Cork to the 2010 All-Ireland final against Down. Injured, he started on the bench but came on to guide the Rebels to a famous win.

‘Leading up to it, I was injured for a lot of it. I came on and did my little part. That was it. You were just one cog in a very good wheel at the time,’ he said.

‘We had massive management, a massive backroom team, a good core group of players. The abiding memories from that day were probably meeting Arthur Coakley and the Bantry gang straight afterwards. Those are the memories I have from that day.’

More memories were made last Saturday night as one of West Cork’s finest football sons was back in the spotlight, deservedly. Still holding people’s attention. Some things will never change.