Johnny Murphy was a legend.

There was a great story told last week following the death of well know journalist John A. Murphy. It was one that some heard for the first time and one which some would have heard many times before.

The story goes that Johnny was attending a function at a club in Cork, where the editor of the Examiner described Johnny as a legend. Later in the night, or more correctly, early in the morning, Johnny had a call of nature and headed to the little boys room. Whether Johnny knew he was been followed or not we will never know, but he was reported to be talking to himself and was overheard to say “they’re dead feckin right….I am a f****n legend.

The word Legend is one that is used all too often when someone dies, but when it was fitting for Johnny as that is what he was.

The little man born in Cashel but who moved to Dungarvan in his teenage years was known far and wide, and there was not too many that he did not know.

He was a man that made friends very easily, and was loved by all, something that was bourn out by the numbers that showed up to pay their respects in the days following his death.

Johnny had his colours when it came to politics and would let you know it, but when it came to writing, Johnny did not have colours.

What paper you wrote for or what radio station you worked for did not matter to him. When he got the call he always answered it.

In January 2009 I began reporting for the Munster Express newspaper. To be honest when I did, I did not know what to expect, or how long I would last, but I need not have had any fears.

On entering the press box for GAA matches I quickly got to know Johnny. If you want to succeed in anything, you learn from the best at what you are doing and when it came to reporting on the GAA, there was nobody better than Johnny.

Down the years, Johnny took many new reporters under his wing. He made himself available to them at any time of the day or night and offered advice if requested. He would also sit himself next to someone new to the profession at a game and often quietly passed on advice during the course of what he watching.

What paper you wrote for did not matter to Johnny. He may have covered games for different papers to the ones you may be working for, but if you were unable to attend, a quick message to Johnny and everything was sorted. The copy of what he had sent to those papers he was working for was sent to you, meaning you only had to rejig what Johnny had come up with.

He was an astute reader of the game and could at times make a bold call before a game.

Listeners to W.L.R.fm’s Gaelic Ground programme last week heard a tribute paid to Johnny. During the course of a programme, a piece of Audio was played in which Johnny was talking. The piece that was played was his preview of last years County Senior Football Final between Stradbally and The Nire.

On the piece Johnny told the listeners that he had a feeling the game would end in a draw and that that Stradbally would come through in a very tight replay.

What happened? The game ended in a draw and when it was replayed six days later at Fraher Field, Stradbally won the game by a point scored by David Grey with virtually the last kick of the game.

In April 2010 Johnny also made a bold prediction. If it was made tongue in cheek I for one don’t know, or going on his record if he actually saw something happening.

Waterford and Offaly played a National Hurling League game in Walsh Park. On the same day Tipperary played Cork in Pairc Uí Chaoimh. Johnny was not working for the Examiner that day. They sent their own staff reporter to cover the game. Johnny was asked in the press box how his native county would get on by the examiners reporter, to which Johnny replied, ‘put it this way, he can have it today, because its we that will be making the most noise come September’. Cork won the league game that day, but Tipperary went on to beat Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final later in the year.

Johnny may have been born in Cashel and never forgot his Tipperary roots after moving to Dungarvan in the 1950’s, but after moving to the Old Boro he became a very proud Dungarvan man and an equally proud Waterford man.

This was none more so proven than in the last few months of Johnny’s life.

Dungarvan last won the County Senior Hurling Championship in 1941. Prior to 2012, their last appearance in a county senior hurling final was in 1951.

When they beat a fancied Fourmilewater side in the 2012 semi finals, there was no prouder man with connections with the Old Boro.

The same could be said of Johnny when Dungarvan and Saint Carthage’s fought out one of the best county minor hurling finals which Dungarvan won for the first time since 1984 one week after their senior hurlers were beaten in the County senior hurling final against De La Salle.

It may be only in the last few years that I would have got to known Johnny Murphy. My only regret is that I did not much sooner. He was not one of the best journalist’s, he was the best.

Writing about the G.A.A. is something I love. I will never claim to be as good as Johnny. I will never claim to be nearly as good as him. Few if any could make such claims.

In the four years I am reporting on games, if I have improved any bit it is down to Johnny. I have a lot to be thankful to him for.

Where ever Johnny is now, one day I hope to be as well and to catch up with a true Legend.