Kerry legend receives award from Mary Immaculate College Limerick

And Tomás said the College played its part not only in launching him towards a teaching career, but also in instilling some of the values he took with him through his sporting days.

Tomás – a native of Ceann Trá and a former An Ghaeltacht club man – received the prize at the annual ceremony, in recognition of his football achievements, as well as his success as a pundit and sports writer since retiring from the game.

Aside from winning five Celtic Crosses during a decorated inter-county career, Tomás enjoyed great success at club level, most notably in winning a Munster Senior Championship title with An Ghaeltacht and, later, Cork side Nemo Rangers. He has taught at Gaelscoil de hÍde in Fermoy, County Cork, since graduating from MIC, and he became the school’s principal in recent times.

“It’s a huge honour to be given this award,” he said of the honour. “I really enjoyed my time at MIC and made life-long friends here.

“I was a shy lad when I came into the College and had a desperate fear of teaching, and it’s not until you look back that you realise the help you were given along the way.

“There was a time there I didn’t even think I’d graduate so I was very surprised and delighted to hear that I was to get this award!

“From the sporting side I was very ambitious when I was in College and I think that MIC, if anything, pushed me along further.

“The people I met and crossed paths with here thought me a lot about leadership, about communication and about bringing people along with you, and I’ve valued that throughout my life.”