In the process of selecting four legendary sportspeople for Limerick's 'Mt Rushmore' on Wednesday's OTB AM, no debate was necessary surrounding the selection of Mick Mackey.
Over 70 years after Mick Mackey last played a game for Limerick, those who managed to see the legendary hurler live are growing fewer and farther between.
With this reliance upon received wisdom then, it is astonishing that his star has yet to dim in Limerick.
"With hurling, you just have to start with Mick Mackey," stressed Jack Anderson, Limerick's representative alongside Neil Treacy charged with picking the four outstanding sportspeople for the county's 'Mt Rushmore'. "There is just no debate over that. I'd just walk away if he wasn't included."
The winner of three All-Ireland titles, five National leagues, a host of club championships and a figure in both the GAA's Team of the Millennium and its Team of the Century, Mackey's legacy is unsurpassed in the county.
"He's our Ring, he's our Rackard, he's our Raging Bull," explained Anderson. "Mick Mackey is the epitome of everything that is Limerick hurling. He has to be on."
The sole hurler represented, Mick Mackey will stand beside a rugby player, a boxer and an Olympic gold-medallist.
Nevertheless, this being a discussion of Limerick's sporting background, the talk went on about other hurlers who may well be worthy of their place.
"You could probably go with Eamonn Cregan really," reasoned Anderson of the All-Ireland winning Limerick hurler who would go on to win another All-Ireland as manager of Offaly in 1994. "When Limerick come out of the doldrums of the 1960s, Cregan is there. He's there in '73 and does tremendously and he was also there in 1980 when we gave one to Galway."
"And then Ciaran, of course. The point Carey got in 1996 against Clare when we beat the All-Ireland champions. Unfortunately there was no All-Ireland in '96, but Ciaran is there in the conversation too."
You can watch back Jack Anderson and Neil Treacy decide upon Limerick's four sportspeople for the county's 'Mt Rushmore' here.
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