Laochra Gael, Michael Bond – Thursday 20 February 9.30pm

[Bord na Mona man]

As in subject.

[oneshot]

looking forward to it should be good viewing plus will bring back great memories.

[oneshot]

Brilliant show great times and what a hurling team offaly had back then. as said in the show offaly had player's that could hurl in every line of the field. a bit sad at the end with micheal has an incurable heart disease he never be forgotten in offaly anyway .

[biffinbanner]

a great programme from start to finish. michael is really a class human being . the best year of my gaa life. 1998.

[ah lethimoutwithit]

A huge summer after the disillusionment of the Leinster final.

[esto fidelis]

"I was loyal to Offaly. And I'll always be loyal to Offaly. And I thank them so much for all they gave me."

Thanks for all you gave us Michael!

[Plain of the Herbs]

Really enjoyable Laochra Gael last night, as they always are.

Michael Bond is someone we never really got to know in Offaly. So it was informative to hear of his educational achievements, including the growing of Loughrea Vocational School, during his time as Principal.

And I'd never before seen the video of Eoin Kennedy fumbling the packet of 20 Silk Cut into the track suit pocket on the pitch after the 1998 Leinster final.

[Anfearban]

Simply - heartfelt thanks to you Michael. What a summer of memories.

[Bord na Mona man]

I wasn’t aware of Michael's health struggles, but the manner in which he is meeting them head-on is remarkable.
His impact and legacy in Offaly is huge, yet built in such a short time.

He had the charisma and self-assurance to immediately steady the Offaly ship when it needed to be done instantly. In his interviews, back then and now, his admiration for Offaly hurling was massive. I remember after he had stepped down, he used to still go to Offaly matches wearing his Offaly polo t-shirt.

The players would have seen this as a contrast to Babs Keating, whose tendency to be dismissive of non-traditional counties, even ones he was managing like Leix and Offaly was bound to bristle.

Michael Bond was Offaly’s Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben. 1998 was our winter in Valley Forge when skills, discipline and belief had to be restored to turn a demoralised unit into a winning force!

[SearingDrive]

I really enjoyed the TG4 programme on Michael Bond last night. He came over as a simple man,, who took on the challenge of managing a dispirited, but talented Offaly senior hurling team in 1998, after the Babsolonian period had ended.
Very happy memories of that year following the Offaly v Clare games, and the victory over Kilkenny in the All Ireland final.

Michael Bond always had a high regard for Offaly hurlers. He was also an excellent school principal in Loughrea Community School, as mentioned last night. Sorry to hear of his current health problems, but he is dealing with it in a courageous way. I wish him all the best.