Tanaiste Micheal Martin and his wife Mary pictured this afternoon at the funeral of former Fianna Fail deputy leader, Mary O'Rourke at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Coosan, Athlone, Co. Westmeath(Image: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin)

Tanaiste Micheal Martin's son is a famous GAA star - and he opens about their home life in Cork

by · RSVP Live

Micheál Martin's son is just as famous as him in GAA circles.

The Fíanna Fáil leader's eldest child has been the Cork senior football team's first choice goalkeeper over the past few seasons.

After making waves an underage level, making his debut at minor and winning a Munster U/21 Football Championship, Micheál Aodh Martin moved up to senior ranks.

Read more: Taoiseach Micheal Martin poses with GAA star son as Cork beat Tipperary in Thurles

Read more: Leo Varadkar on his relationship with Dr Matt Barrett, defining moments and his hopes for the future

He played in goals during the 2015 National Football League and he has been a permanent fixture within the panel for nearly a decade. Last year, a groin injury sidelined Martin for Cork in the McGrath Cup and for the first three matches of the league.

The GAA star also underwent an MRI after picking up a similar injury after he was sidelined during the Munster semi-final against Kerry in 2022.

Micheál Aodh, now aged 30, has also enjoyed success at club level with Nemo Rangers. He has won five Cork Premier Senior Football Championships as well as two Munster Senior Club Football Championships.

Micheál Martin and his Cork GAA star son Micheál Aodh

The club lost the last two Cork finals.

The goalie has gone viral in the past. Most notably when he stepped out with his well-known father, alongside his mum and sister, to vote.

Social media went into overdrive as they commented on his good looks.

“(He got) an awful slagging from the teammates at the time. I think it took off because the marriage equality issue was taking off and my assistant came to the polling booth and just took an innocent enough snap and posted it and it went viral," the Tánaiste said in the past.

“He was gone off for the weekend. So, I think he dove for cover in Kerry.”

Micheál Martin says being by his children's grave shows the reality of their deathsThe Taoiseach still finds it difficult to talk about his 7-year-old daughter Leana's death in 2010 and he still worries for his other kids; Micheál Aodh, Aoibhe and CillianMikie O'Loughlin, 03 Sep 2022
Taoiseach Micheál Martin tears up as recalls learning his son Ruairi had diedThe Fianna Fáil leader tells Joe Duffy about the moment his wife Mary rang to tell him the devastating news and he immediately left Dublin to rush home to CorkMikie O'Loughlin, 31 Aug 2022

Micheál Aodh recently opened up about having a dad in the public eye and what it was like growing up.

He said: "To us, it was quite normal. He was a politician since I was a child and he was gone every Monday to Thursday or Friday.

"Covid was a big one as an adult. Waiting for the announcements, and it is your dad giving the announcements. That was as intense as it ever got, having him as a politician. That was strange, I suppose."

Micheál Martin is a big GAA supporter.

Cork goalkeeper Míchéal Aodh Martin in the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final v Derry in Croke Park(Image: ©INPHO/Ben Brady)

Micheál Aodh continued: "I play matches, my brother plays matches and he goes to the games.

"He is very hard working and that is one thing he has passed onto us. There is no such thing as a day off in his job and that is the way it has been for as long as I can remember."

Micheál Martin and his wife Mary have had five children altogether, including Micheál Aodh, Aoibhe, and Cillian. Their youngest daughter Leana sadly passed away in 2010 after developing a cardiac illness.

Tragically, they also lost a baby boy, Ruairi, five weeks after his birth a decade earlier.