Eddie Hoare | Fine Gael Councillor | Galway GAA | Gaelic Football

Transcript

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

suppose, club, gaa, remember, facilities, politics, terms, football, city, played, big, community, games, absolutely, galway, dangan, good, young, years, sport

 

00:00

Hello and welcome back to play. I predict comm this week I am absolutely delighted to be joined by comes ready Hoare for Galway city Central. Edie as well, you remember from his gaa days of some extreme golly gee, I think all the way through you captained COVID level of various levels and all sorts of prompts in Michaels as well. So I'm sure I'm sure you've heard of them. Firstly, Eddie, thank you so much for joining us. I know you're very busy. We dropped off air. I don't know how you've any free time at all. But thank you so much for joining us.

 

00:28

Thanks, Jonathan. Thanks for having me. Very good. So

 

00:30

we'll be so much I kind of want to go through with you because you do have so many kind of facets to your career and what and whatnot in your own personal life. But the one thing that I like to know is obviously, we come to know you first from your sporting background. And the one thing that I'm always curious about and I always say the story is kind of set the scene as my sporting background was kind of started off with my mother dragging me out to the garden and taking some shots back and forth. And that's so my girl, my lover, but who would be your kind of your export and influences or who influenced your early sporting career.

 

01:02

My early sporting career would have been, I suppose, driven by the community games, and I grew up on the suburbs of Iowa City in Yangon, just on the end 59 on the Clifton road. And you castle was our local area from a community games point of view. Our Parish, Newcastle had won the undertand community games on Ireland in 1993. And it was a similar time when a lot of young families were growing up in that particular area. It's a new suburb of Galway, and my brother, Captain bash on the tennis team, and a number of his friends and brothers, friends of mine would have been brothers of lads on the team, they want that all Ireland in 93. And I suppose I was four years younger than Shawn and four years younger and and ultimately, the goal and the drive for us at that time was to try and emulate what they achieved in a free in terms of women around Ireland. That's how small it was. But I suppose even at that age, I would have been probably only six and it would be my earliest memories of our sport. But it just it could resonate the connection and the drive we had then just to emulate that at such a young age. It was the we saw the great experiences that they would have had and they got and the bond I suppose within our community. At the time we had john Moran, who would have been like, I suppose the Frank Morris of St. Michael. So john is a man from Midland county Galway, he came and a number of I suppose families of the similar age profile came and all of a sudden we started to develop a nursery and young brothers coming through and just a whole network of of people and that really formed that community that fund and that really was where I formed my passion for for for gala games and for football. And while at the time rupee probably wasn't as prevalent hurling and soccer were there as well in our community or was football and was probably based on the community games was probably the our number one sport perfectly it

 

03:06

just came into my head there when when I kind of think dangan straight away I think of my college days and the mariveles sport and facilities that are that are down there and dying in there as well. You see, quickly when you go into in the summer you kind of see kids and all the locals going in and out for walks and various ballgames and stuff. Would that facility been there at the time available to

 

03:23

you guys? Yeah, at the time. That's where we did our training are very good butcher prep school, or dangan. So there was no dressing rooms, those literally go down on a Saturday morning, you got changed in the trees went change or whatever and went out and played on the college facilities that didn't have the same quantum of of pitches that they do now. They had the running track, they had the two main pitches that hurting the football pitch. So we always trained to every Saturday morning was like a sad state. But we were training with St. Michael's our new customers it was at the time. And they were the facilities they were on our doorstep. We also had probably the first all weather facility was that hockey pitch is now dangan. So that's probably the first all weather facility in, in in Galway city, if not in concept. So we're very, very lucky to have that on our doorstep. And it was owned by Andrew he was new he grounds Bush to be fair, they always had a very welcoming approach to us. When we were young and it did stand for us in terms of our development in terms of building networks of friends, those hours on end that we spent under occupation via playing soccer or football or hurting or what they were really good facilities and it's again goes back to facilities we see that red facilities that they have in Dublin we see now some of the red facilities we haven't can't push again if you have the facilities the young children will respond and I can attest to that firsthand from from my youth and my sporting activities from a young age.

 

04:51

No, absolutely. For anyone who does not aware like the complex down there is absolutely amazing though and every time I go down, it seems to be extended even more. It's such a huge array of Land and pretty much every sport and seems to be played on there was definitely in my college days it was that that lap on on the bicycle back and forth the campus in Newcastle was was was done quite a lot so it's it's amazing facility have and you are right you probably one of the lucky ones in a way your community to have that on your on your doorstep growing up because it's an area I haven't lived in a while myself during the college it's an area that I find kind of difficult to explain to people because it has it's such a beautiful area so quite peaceful there's so many sporting facilities in the background but simple simple things it's it's almost like it's a dormer area times like even struggle like you were to go to meet someone for a coffee or something like that it's how it seems to be but I know we're going on a tangent but it's just coming into my head there as well it's a

 

05:47

it's okay within the city boundary but it has the beauty of sort of country setting within the city and as I said it's on the suburbs of the city back then we would have had let's say the Westwood hotel we don't have that anymore and there is probably lack of facilities in our locality now to even as it's a call for a cup of coffee the closest will be now the sliding rock which is probably 1015 minute walk or 10 minutes cycle down the road but you don't have that I suppose having lost the Westwood hotel and other communities in the area we don't have that but what we lose in terms of facilities we make up for having a really good community spirit and now it was Newcastle back then and now it's the greater club in St. Michael's with a really really good community spirit and really good community network there that makes up for the lack of some facilities in our area that we and to be fair like Yep, the Glendale Abbey hotel you have Alan Mulholland and and the lads in the sliding rock are also welcome and it's those facilities that are really important we're obviously lucky as well to have our own clubhouse is there and 1015 years ago and there is a nice facility there for people to to meet and gather a bush like that. I do appreciate what you're saying.

 

06:58

Yeah, no because it's always when you speak of the like you're obviously so prevalent in the GA circles as well and you I'm sure your weaknesses quite a lot but I think it's I'm not sure if it's small minus or whatever but grown up the country there's almost like a kind of a city or rural kind of divide sometimes in the GA community like Oh, they don't play. They don't play a foreign sports over there. We're better because we're of the country and there's nothing but Gaelic or Holland to play at times. Have you have you? You probably witnessed or even seen the board side.

 

07:27

You would have witnessed it and and heard it in fairness you'd often get a city called McCann. Yes,

 

07:34

exactly,

 

07:35

I suppose as some of the clubs within the city let's say salthill St. James or St. Michael's as they started in the early noughties to up to recently started to win minor titles and started to win under 20 titles. I think the conversation soon changed and city clubs start to become recognized as really serious contenders and were taken very seriously and to be fair to the Nord board or some of the country clubs. I think it was more of a

 

08:03

catalyst rather than

 

08:06

you would actually annoy us you know. And it did

 

08:10

well you know what to do when you're playing it city clubs in the near future of the game store

 

08:15

I remember speaking to a killer man Yeah, I was doing the accountancy exams at the time. And he said you may never forget his first time playing in Westside which was you know the picture Westside there's a McDonald's adorns there's four roads all around it and he said the last the game the same evening was an under 16 championship and he said he was in gold and he couldn't contest ground and he said in killer Aaron you'd probably have a cow on the neck I just thought it was quite funny the way we were so used to going up there and kick a ball there we never batted an eyelid at it but it's just interesting from the perspective of someone

 

08:51

Yeah, absolutely know that you're bringing up random story was actually a soccer game I was playing and it was for Newcastle. So it was the Patriots at the bottom of the the road shopping center there. So if anyone's not aware there's kind of a big ol exchange now It used to be a big roundabout and kind of two main major forklifts pretty much either side of the pitch and like back home when you when you're clear on the ball and you're doing a defensive move and you just put your foot through the horse and you don't think any difference because it goes out in the next field as you say but I remember like the it was a kind of a ball we were on a bit of pressure time and all I need to do was tip it but I did the usual does absolutely cleared and I'd like wood over the wall out the road under the all the all the other team were screaming what do you do and I was like it was totally different mindset. No concept at all that the there's other people around them that are

 

09:39

setting in Westlake for instance there's a McDonald's drive thru and more often than not a ball could happen or anything like that. But that's the beauty of the GS boys it's it's it's it's the same game regardless of where it's played. But the setting can be always so different. You know,

 

09:56

definitely some more stories to be said. So you kind of you probably you said you can With computer games and stuff you tried a couple of other sports again like football was probably always your first slogan was it was

 

10:05

always the first round Newcastle was the hurling Phelps he would have been one or Greek and john Hansberry, they would have been prominent players with Galway through round Newcastle. So at an underage level, you would have played with Newcastle United Soccer round Newcastle with the hurling, and then some icons with the football. But I suppose as you start to become older and transition to secondary school, and education and different things start taking priority, you obviously need to pick one and for me, it was it was Gaelic football. And I think that was one of the three of the one I was best at the one I was most interested in. And, at the time, common out of let's say bushy back school, I went to St. Mary's, and while my brother and his friends would have gone to St. Mary's was a big decision and a big reason why I did like you had football again played a big role because he had shown up to player after coming out of the 98 winning side. And he obviously had a big influence on on football in the city and the country. And he had lien salmon, who was in there as well, it was a household name and go a football. So again, while obviously the academics is it really, really important. But at that age, the football and the sporting element of St. Mary's College played a big part in terms of my selection for secondary education. And it's a decision I, I'll always be delighted I made because we're really, really good memories. And again, after the pitch, but mostly on the pitch in some areas and friends that you'd have for life. We obviously got a really good education in certain areas. But there wasn't a day we probably weren't out kicking a football with Liam salmon and test signs around us and gerrits were obviously the standard bearers in football in Canada, in the in the 90s and noughties. But we again and change that and won three senior economic titles, which was a really really big feat for us in the city. And again, give us a big basis going forward into adult football and was for I suppose Liam salmon is the man would be always grateful for that. The time effort and energy that he put in, and it's still putting in is really great, great to see. And it's people likely and like I said, the likes of john when we had john Kenny in our club as well that I suppose created that culture push, leave, I sometimes speak to my sport from recently and off. And he said while he put in the time that what he's got out of it in terms of the relationships he's built up, he can't go down chop street without probably meeting someone that he has coached and some of just the small stories. Like I remember being said before that there was soccer at the time and Gaelic and we were in an all Ireland semi final the Hogan Cup Semi Final and it was a soccer semi final and I think because that our soccer kind of final and lean said I want one of those with the team that asked to kind of final from the football we had when one of those handys the Open Cup so that was his very funny he took his football team playing soccer and they want an all Ireland but he always had that passion that golfers and still to this day. I know I met element Holland recently and he said he lives very closely and he'd often pass the drive and it's a Lima going down coach and the 14th the man hop in the passenger seat and train them in order and happy to do it and still has that influence and that sir to father figures or to call the football field to me definitely and my other fellow teammates in St. Mary's,

 

13:29

ya know, well, I can't be remiss of me not to spend a couple minutes talking about Lim sama, Lucky's remarkable I know from various kind of under age skills of excellence and stuff like that. The man's passion for football is something that I've never actually seen before. And while I think the modern day Gaelic football, particularly at intercounty level has kind of kind of refined itself into more of an industrial kind of machine kind of grind out results and stuff like that. His passion for the lower the scales, and the love of playing football in the right in the right way. And the level of coaching that he puts on, on the training pitch is just remarkable. And he just, you just go into a training session with him or a coaching session with him and he would just be that breath of fresh air and you're just just amazing. He keeps it home the whole time, because it'd be very easy to put the feet up a bit one, probably one of the first quarters to start integrating ladders and the agility and

 

14:22

bollards and different classes. And it was all with the ball it was you'd be always tired after a session or a training session or lean salmon but you'd be guaranteed to be having a shooting at the end or your home for goals and as far as being a forwarder for for forward myself or for wedding clients and lean forward as well. He always liked that attacking flair that attacking style and it was always a kick pass. And that was just his philosophy. And if you could see us all over the teams that we played with them some areas and even in when I transitioned to the senior I was probably lucky in a way that lien got the opportunity to manage us in 2008. But again, he brought through a lot of the Because that he would have worked with and you could see again liens I suppose personality on that goal team and always we want to kind of taking very unlucky to lose to Kerry bush I remember we best Tyrone in the league and just playing football the way it should be played we outscore and Tyrone we remember that night up and cooperation and all Ireland quarterfinal like, just went out carry the way Galway football sugarwod carry and like, I think Michael meeting got 10 pints at the same night. But I'd often hear people going on about them were seen as soon wasn't it would be a little bit unlucky that we didn't progress we we want to kind of find the the tough draw and carry in the quarterfinal because they come through the back door and any other sort of team may be in a quarterfinal, we may potentially have progress, but they're definitely again, going back to Liam salmon. And for me, my own football career I own so much in terms of what he done for us in same areas and given me the opportunity to ultimately put on the mural jersey at senior level for the first time.

 

16:01

Yeah, no, absolutely. And I think obviously, there's other people involved as well but Liam's work in kind of taken St. Mary's to that next level of kind of chipping away at the threshold that was kind of North college football in terms of Cinderella it's I know there's borders and stuff like that, but I always think st Jared it's kind of led to the everybody calls you know NorCal with attrition home going football and like I remember I grew up you'd very rarely place a team like towards the end became more and more prevalent but that was kind of on the back off kind of St Mary's taken to another level all the various works happened in city clubs as well. And you know, you guys even you're competing in in the county finals, but that probably be unheard of, at the start of your career and stuff like that. So it was all that work that kind of took football in the city to a whole new level because I always think it's a little bit more difficult in a city because you straightaway you have the choice of the city life going on. There's so many distractions for want of a better word. And then there's also your possibilities or your options in terms of different support sports as well or is there a new doorstep or there is when you're back up the country it's kind of you're probably unless you're a judo club it's one Gaelic sport or Gaelic football hurling, you might have a soccer team intermittently but by and large your first law is Gaelic game so I think it's the work that happened kind of I think you can kind of see the spike then really in terms of Mary's doing well and then the city clubs competing and now where football is very strong again in the city is probably a London or London at that I've

 

17:24

done two that work and obviously this huge amount of work done in the various clubs as well but you can kind of marry the two of them together almost in a way Yeah, and like I said there is the distractions like you've kind of probably have come very coarse very big in recent in recent years and like when I was growing up Ruby wasn't as I suppose prevalent in the city while it was obviously being played that wasn't as big of an attraction for us as as as young young young lads growing up whereas now with a we have the same similar age profile, it probably would definitely try it for the later night you'd probably you'd probably try us and definitely with the build of Gaelic footballers now or whatever they'd probably be quite similar and yeah, but that's in the city and it's on to the guys that have put in that effort that paragraph that effort to remember. Like, lads like Sean Armstrong salthill and Peter current here in our own club Pat Regan different lads that just skate there our Seamus Brocken in St. James's and they're all lads that just, I suppose a lot of them came from country backgrounds, and they just came into the city in the early 90s, late 80s. And they brought with them that sort of passion that graph for ga and it was it was all over the st Michael societies that St James's because if you look at St. James's Seamus Brock when it comes to titles with with killer Aaron and he was front and center of a lot of the work that was done in St. James and Mike O'Neill from June stairs who came in and sadly passed since and again and salthill and other guys like came to salt in from from rural locations and brought with them that lava ga and lean salmon obviously and Tony Reagan had probably brought that element to Salt Lake area than St. Michael's and St. James's. But it's great to see that it has to transition through when I can see even I go back to genuine comment from men la born and bred real football country and he brought that to St. Michael's and when he came to the city it was was never going to be an open book Gaelic football that he was going to be involved in. It was in soccer because it probably wasn't played as much in the more rural settings of North Korea. I see myself in my own dad Montpellier again, football country and he'd always replayed some of when he didn't play too much. He also cited the great memories of Belgium it was always Gaelic football and Johnny Hughes and different guys and the 1960 teams it always referred to and that's infectious in terms of an environment and it feeds off. young players feed off that and ultimately Luckily, our community fed offers and really And formed our community you can see now even some lads are getting older they're getting married and the most parents of parents of the crowd is St. Michael's are related to sport and just shows what sport can do. It's not just winning games are the relationships and the bonds that are there for for life and and and I suppose to St. Michael's to St. Mary's and ny ga or a real really a lot because football has given me a great platform in terms of my working life and in terms of politics. And it's given me a great outlook on life. And it's allowed me to take traits from that to use in light in work business on a day to day basis and indeed in politics and very similar correlations and overlap in terms of the meeting people and things like that in work. I meet people all the time. I meet people in politics all the time. But football is about people, it's about communities and they're they're the trades that I I inherited to gala games and for that I'd be grateful, you know.

 

21:00

Yeah, no, absolutely. I think it's, I think was actually Josie Marino that described I think he was talking about you know, at the time trying to rebuild a squad but he I think he quoted football heritage and football culture. But you very much see that now in Ghana you describe it, I hate the word but the city clubs now as well where they are have communities of they're all in a big city environment there is you touch on there with weddings and stuff like that. It's it's no doubt help the the club's progress so much more that you do have these communities, you do have these kind of networks of people with contacts and the community spirit, we've seen so many times as well, that probably helped you as well in kind of your club, career progressing. And then until Andres gallery systems as well, it probably would have been more difficult hadn't had that basis are kind of all that groundwork not being built up, you're now kind of, I suppose it's more prevalent, that kind of players in the city might be taking that next step where it's not just kind of regionalised as it might have been a little time before that.

 

21:56

Yeah, and again, that's gone back. And I suppose I forgot to mention, and in our time, I was born in 1987. And I was coming into my teens in the late 90s and early noughties. And obviously the that $98 team was a big influence. And we all remember the great memories of 98 2000 wasn't support, but a really good journey. And, and 2001. So all we wanted to do was to copy those, and to copy them and they were really role models for us. And that again fed into the ethos of the city and definitely played a big role. Like I said, it dictated probably me in terms of where I went to secondary school. But that 98 influence but going back to the the culture within the city, that definitely did change. And when teams start to win things, you start becoming being taken more seriously. And people have more skin in the game in terms that they they know what they're the potential that's there. And you could see then like in the early noughties, the pure stadium was being developed. And again, it's very similar guys that went about fundraising because they could see the potential in the city they could see the I suppose social dividend from ga in terms of what it's done for communities and building them up. So pure stadium was developed and all of a sudden you had some state of the art facilities you had your luck George's yet obviously we had the dangan we in in some icons built a new clubhouse yet the Auris, and all of a sudden you started to see facilities started to improve and people started to invest in the games and invest time, money and energy because ultimately their kids are playing, they could see as I said, the social dividend that was there. And that's why it was in politics. I see how important and how how important gala games was and sport for me as a young person in terms of making the right choices. And that's why I'd always promote investment in sport investment in these facilities. Because if young players are playing sports, you're hanging with the right people, you're you're doing the right things, you're training, you're just learning, as I said, some of the life traits that you'll use going forward. And that's why a big part of my campaign last May when going for the local elections was investment in sporting and recreation facilities because I know firsthand what role they play, you know?

 

24:11

Yeah, actually, I found a remarkable result. I believe my dates are wrong, I think was 14 you were in the county fine. Is that correct?

 

24:18

That was in 14? Yes.

 

24:20

And is it right a bit the story that it seems like long time ago isn't right at the time that you didn't really have a proper training facility or a club facility of your own that story Syndra Margaret, again, that

 

24:32

was a story that picked up a lot of attention at the time we were training on not even an all weather pitch at the back of the old hockey pitch, the hockey pitch and dangan on a sand track. Basically we were we were training on for the winter using light from the occupants that was it was spreading onto that particular surface. So remember, Australia and john Kenny was overseas at the time and it was all trained. We're running up different hills and doing different parts that are on the dengan Really unpublished rounds really our pitch at the time, you would know as we said before was in west side and big development and the old shear on Seamus crop road, basically widen the road put in a bus lane, but took out a large portion of our pitch, which is a public that on public lands, so unfortunately, we were left with over pitch for five to six years while the development progressed. And, and during that time, we ultimately did get to a county final and didn't have a home at the time, which was, which was ironic. But now we have since state of the art facility in the west sides playing complexes, the agreement was that while we would, it would be given up that they would redevelop and to have done to be fair, and and it's a really really good facility and our new home in the same location with our new home.

 

25:52

It's a remarkable story and I probably maybe I don't want to jump to conclusions too much but it almost seemed had there not been that so much good work that we've discussed the last 10 or 15 minutes or so of kind of implementing the culture and everything else in the club that many people would have gone You know, we don't even have a pitch trained to help this and gone off playing something else or you know, there

 

26:10

was a very much a group spirit was they ever done about the the GA community community and the team spirit and all that was was there and you kind of made use of identities is where we're gonna try we're gonna try. Yeah, the GA one of the big things about is connections and people like I mentioned earlier, and to be fair, we good people in our club and with a good executive at the time a strong executive and they formed the links and to be fair, the college complex in NY g we had salthill. We trained in the prayer times use their facilities for some games for the Griffins, aerogen Crestwood, so all the other city clubs chipped in, there was time to train and read more, and St. Mary's College saw again, they all chipped in, like I suppose that at our time of need, and to be fair to them and gave us that opportunity. While we trained mostly on gravel patches in dangan, win games for Let's sell a home league game, we'd have to give up on advantages, the likes of let's say, salt and acara, or St. James or sorry, Aurora didn't give us a pitch and more often than not, they did. So again, it's why we're competing. And it's all one, I suppose football family in the city in a way.

 

27:21

Yeah, no, and it's great. And we've even seen it recently, in the horrible difficult times as well, the GA community have been, you know, at the forefront of the front of you know, whether that's donating for salaries, crow crow Park being used as a testing center, and the various other facilities across the country really, we've seen some some great work, kind of the real community, everything that should be right about the gay community spirit and helping out the time we need we've we've thankfully, been able to witness a lot. You never like to see it in this situation. But there's always been a god to come to come out of the darkness situations. Yeah,

 

27:53

to be fair, and so many other organizations could learn a lot from the GA and we probably witnessed it firsthand in recent months with the COVID-19. And working in as a as a counselor, and there was a community response forum set up. And the first port of call was the GAA clubs because they obviously while on, it's just what they do, but they have such a bank of community activists that are willing to voluntarily give their time. And that's what goes to the council did the contacted the GAA clubs around the city, and further community response. So here in St. Michael's, for instance, with 40 people in a whatsapp group. So if anyone within the radius of the I suppose ga boundaries of St. Michael's need a sharp and collected needed something that was cocoon, the message went in, and it was it was tasked within within seconds, mostly by different guises for those probably 1520 different occasions where message went in, and again, it was the GA and that's what the GA does. And that's why I'd have reservations with regard to the JIRA gone professional because what about the guy that blinds the pitch? The guy that washes the jerseys or it's the voluntary, I suppose, element avec that really is unique and the GA and white. Obviously, we want to see the games progressing and obviously they are becoming more commercial and the but I'd still be have massive reservations with regard to losing that voluntary element. Because the grassroots members, in my opinion are the ones that keep the GA going. And like I said in the COVID-19 in our darkest hour in terms of community wise, it was the GA who stood up and put their hand up and that she'll be remembered.

 

29:35

Yeah, no it just as slowly as the

 

29:38

other clubs as well. There was obviously your other sporting bodies, but it was that sorta community element within within communities that definitely played a big, big role.

 

29:47

Yeah. And if there's any positive to be taken out of this kind of horrible situation, it's that we've seen people come together. It was actually interesting as well. I think the GA kind of circuitous being out of out of reality, really, I think the intercounty scene for The last couple of years is kind of grown and grown and grown. And it's understandable. So when we almost have that split between intercounty and clubs in you probably weaknesses yourself as well towards the end of when you're back to the club scene after your gallery career. But there's so many intercounty current intercounty players. And they're kind of like, the holes are thinking of the next county train and whatever, gym session, stuff like that, and sometimes the club scene became a chore for them. And I spoke to come up with a charity event over the weekend, and I got to speak to park money. And Jason Flynn and I was a little bit taken aback. And both of them said to me, they've never enjoyed their heart and so much they've been just back with the club, they've been back and side of the page changing in the car, no showers, no dressing rooms, no, no fancy facilities just in and out just playing hard and for the love of it. And they both kind of got that stripped down element where they both said they've never enjoyed it as much. So it's, it's kind of refreshing in a way, sometimes I think the whole lockdown period has kind of by default, and we didn't have a lot of choice in the matter. We've kind of had to reprioritize what's important in our life and things that we talked about porn or rat race, I think it's the best description of it, isn't it?

 

31:04

Yeah, no one. Absolutely. And I've seen it myself through through lockdown. You're always like chasing and running race and doing this live and very rarely have time for this for that. But the lockdown literally, everyone down tools and nothing was open, nothing was nothing. There was nothing on. And it sort of gave a lot of people perspective. And you'd always hear about the big corporations and the directors and things like that. And I spoke to a lot of people who were big jobs and go and a lot of them said like that. It gives them good opportunity to spend good quality family time that they normally would only probably get two weeks during the summer or maybe a week of Christmas. And even then the B komen race and run and race. And so it gives people a different outlook in terms of the of life in general. But going back to the football as well. I think there's a lot of positives that can be taken out of COVID with regard to the whole pop scene. And I probably started senior intercounty in 2008, and was probably there up to 16 with with Kevin Walsh and I could see the incline in terms of the eliteness. And, well, it's not professional, it's almost April and it was probably an hour the frost team that brought that professionalism to it that they're really they trained it throughout the calendar year. And it's just slowly built up and built up. And now you obviously, Dublin and a lot of their players are probably full time they're not they don't have jobs. And what they do is ga and it's brought that eliteness, but taking the shackles off and the COVID-19 coming in is probably it's been refreshing in a way for a lot of the club guys because they don't have that pressure of intercounty. They know an elder intercounty that can enjoy their clubs, or is as you said before, it's nearly like a chore. When they come back, they're out. Sometimes they might be carrying an injury rates with their intercounty, they won't enjoy the club was now I think a lot of the intercounty players are actually enjoying it. And hopefully maybe when there is Central Council or meeting again, that could be something that they could look at in terms of maybe allocating different sections of the calendar to two clubs and let them go play enjoys and have your intercounty players because at the moment, a lot of intercounty players never stop playing in January, and they might get a few weeks off in December and they're back clean their fpds their leagues, they might go for a week or two with their clubs back for intercounty duration until they get knocked out of the championship. And I saw it firsthand myself and often was the case whereby you'd go back to your club and you were so drained and you couldn't enjoy it. And of course, yeah,

 

33:30

it's almost too stuck in a respiratory arrest county period for you but I think we'll probably something we could talk about another day. But I think the it'd be I have to just talk to him as well. The club the interest in the club scene as well. We've seen so many streaming services available in many different county boards as well and Paul value and then the gold kind of fordism Trojan work as well getting getting that on board. And it's been great for me personally as well. Being away being able to watch club games again, online. There's a huge market out there. It's it's definitely something that GE I think after balancer conceived as a huge audience here for whether that's reducing the intercounty scene and or as you said, making kind of allocated strict allocated windows for the club seem to be enjoyed properly, not just kind of shoved in the way and we'll stick it here because yeah,

 

34:12

I suppose like with the disappointment of the numbers, and the crowd restrictions being 200, obviously you're wanting probably 30 tickets for each club in terms of fan base. And to be fair to the county board, they've showed initiative and and and engaged and parenthood awkward never time to provide the streaming service. And it's a it's a really, really good service and something that could be potentially used going forward. Because like you say, we've seen so many maids in Australia in America, refreshing their Twitter feed as the game goes on, but they'd love to be able to watch the game. So it might be again, something good that has come out of this pandemic and an opportunity for the county board to maybe and look at that again next year. And while it just opens up the audience and all anyone that put on a club jersey, they always refer back to and we saw the impact that What's the score? polarities are, in terms of reaching a worldwide audience, but the likes of that partnership with nimita is definitely something that I think potentially they could even do. It just opens it up to a lot more people. And I think it'd be great interest. And hopefully it's there is the subscription in the in the coming weeks and maybe next year, they can revise the service level agreement and see, adopt even bigger audience.

 

35:27

Yeah, no, absolutely. I know, we had Paul on here a couple of weeks ago as well, it's a it's a remarkable you know, achievement get getting that up on board. And some the interest he was telling me that has gone through the roof is almost taken back with some of the demand and and so there is a huge interest in in the club scene. And as you said, kind of the voluntary nature of the community aspect of the clubs is there and everybody wants to get on. So it's something that the GA will definitely have to wear, I suppose look at a bit further look, we've been forced, forced into it, but this year, but let's hope that it can be kind of reject in the right manner.

 

35:56

When you are forced into a corner backed into a corner, you have no option but to become innovative and to come up with new ways. And some of them may become the new norm. And to be fair to Paul and Paul value and the guys in the county before today, they it has worked very well I understand it's it's generated a nice revenue stream for the for the county board, which is important in these tough times because all organizations and especially voluntary organizations are under pressure. But most importantly, it's opening up our games to more people and the more people that can watch and the more promotion of our games. It's good for everyone. So again, it's it's it's definitely a positive step forward and must say well done to the guys for their initiative and that.

 

36:39

Absolutely. Before we move on from the 40, kind of final, I have to just mention this to you. You went viral, I think it was in maybe the next day and kind of ones afterwards. Where did that me holomorphic impressions come from? was just, you're right on the money, I have to say, is that something that needs to be lubricated with a couple of beverages? Or is that a talent that's always there? I can throw it out?

 

37:03

No, no, I suppose I picked up that in the background because different games and down the back garden and you're within a lot of all Ireland's at different times, kicking against the shed and I bothered a tester, we had a garage door I remember an electric garage door and then it was to be face to face. We all have our heartbeat commentation and all those games, but that's where I picked it up. And obviously the tradition is when loser draw and the loser team generally goes out to the winning team. And today after the market kind of fighting counter violent, we it's probably a novel thing for us we hadn't been encountered finding before and we mess on the Monday and as you do when we went out to cabins and that really really great relationship and a great I suppose a great evening that would remember and probably remembers a lot better than more fondly than the day before and I often say to people on the search easier. And kind of as I said it's a pity I didn't perform as well and tune the day before I lost the smallest lovers at Michaels fight 600 members and that's definitely the county final 2014 will win win lose or draw and finally we're betting heavily under the bus the journey right from as I said from community games, right way up to in 2004 with Peter currently one a minor in all four and that we want to minor no one minor no four progressed all the way through under 20 under 21 into intermediate cartoon intermediate all Ireland final I suppose the ultimate was to progress to senior and to have an opportunity to to lead out Michael Bennett county final is something I'll always remember regardless of the result and something that will always look back on fondly and like I said and again we've some good minor teams of good young lads Come on through and hopefully you'll ever know and we will be welcoming another club to the side next

 

39:02

year as I say with Mr. Holland there to open no knock award or something. But you are right though it's a I think we get so caught up in the winning and losing and winning being the most important thing. Don't get me wrong, everybody wants to win. It's the pinnacle of your query. You're not in sport if you don't want to win, but there's so much more benefits in the in the journey. The experience learn you're craving suppose would not be disrespectful, the club truly didn't have a lot of history didn't a lot of blah, blah, blah have people to look forward to now people come in through the unreached setups. See the likes of you guys making, making the 14 final Why can we go one step more you're given examples. There's always kind of the part of the road has to be turned out a bit before you go all the way there at times, doesn't

 

39:42

it? Yeah, no, absolutely. And this year, last year, I work with the on the 14th in the field and and working with the under 16 and I refer back to actually only most recently jerris eats interview and like Dara like spoke so well in terms of what he said and he said it's never about winning. under age, and it never was in corofin. It was about progress and skills, the left foot, the right foot, and building the personal traits, the personal qualities to become a player that fits into the senior setup. I thought that would really depict everything about corofin, about their philosophy, the whole mantra. And that's something I'm trying to instill in some of the teams that I'm coaching more. So at under age, we were very competitive. And obviously, when you get to 16 1416, assets, the guides, you're now gone from primary school to secondary school, you're actually in school with other club mates of different clubs, and it does become more competitive. But, like with the difficulties today for young guys, and exposure in terms of online and social media, and all the distractions that go with this, like you could get bogged down in the nitty gritty of the results, the result, the result, it's it's about getting involved, progressing on your skills, and ultimately becoming a better person. And building those personal qualities that personal traits, I just thought I was very impressed with the, with the interview from Dara, because he really depicts us quite vividly and accurately exactly what I've been trying to channel to the guys that I'm coaching at the moment and the under 16, because we're not going to win everything you can control the result, what you can do is try and influence the controllables like the worker race, that's all built on your, your attitude, your personal traits, in terms of working hard, who can talk to you kind of left and right 40 equally, but we can all run as fast as quick as they can and apply ourselves equally, we can all stand up and say we're not going to run and have them bad, bad bad quality. So it's about building them good habits than personal traits. And it's something that I'd be instilling into, into the young guys here and to my clients is that personal qualities, personal traits, working on the skins was will make you more difficult to mark when you're older, and that stem sort of things that give you the advantage. And as I said, form better people better men going forward and that's for for your girls and for your ladies as well. And, and that the qualities that they need to possess them personal characteristics that they'll bring with them, not just for sport, but in business in life and down the line.

 

42:11

Absolutely. I think I saw a quote, I think it was in relation to Scott Parker gave a brilliant interview after the playoff victory. And he spoke about the club being kind of a bit weak and the guys, you know, a great talent, but they didn't have great character. They didn't have great togetherness. And that was what he was most proud of. I was getting all that together getting that character to belief and discord. And here the air back in the holy grail of the Premier League, just on Carfin as well. They almost kind of annoy you at the same time. That's I don't think you can find any faults in them. They're like they're the best footballers by a country while in the country, forget the pawn but they're also some of the best characters, the best people you can meet. Like you cannot say a bad word. Often sometimes you can get some winners that are kind of cocky and arrogant, but they couldn't be further from the truth. And you wouldn't even blame given the level of success that I've had over the years. For them to be a bit of an edge to them. But there's no wires and graces at all. It's just remarkable in a way they've just, they're bang on the money with every aspect, aren't they? No, they are. And like that I

 

43:10

was probably lucky to play with a lot of them like the guy resizes to cure and fitness. Fitzgeralds and the personal traits, again, is front and center of what they do when they really applied themselves. And they are such a good example to the younger guys coming through, you see kirovograd mighty coma. And it's just literally it's it churns its way through so naturally to the senior grade. And I remember party O'Shea famously said there's nothing there's only one thing worse than a bad loser. And that's a bad winner. And I think it's an important one, because you can see, and you can see what corofin, even kerasilk he was interviewed and go back to it. They said you're going for eight in a row. But he said, we're not because it's not the same 15 guys that have won, we're going for our first with this group of players. And I thought it was very well, Porsche again, very well. That's the sort of mentality, the attitude that's instilled in them and ultimately, it's infectious. You can see us any young that's coming through, they bring two three, that's true every year and it's the same, the same, the same. And again, it's really all about the team, the way they play the way they apply themselves. And, as you said, really well characters off the pitch. Kieran Fitz. Gerald, like devoted everything to the GA. And Kieran, a really a real gentleman. He's given how many years some 2019 years I'd say data failure 9596 he retires and what does he do a gold treasure collector and I'd say maybe his wife here we give out. And that's what he's given like he's straight back in as a selector. And other person will probably take a year off at a time but no, and Kieran is back to the club. And that's what corofin is about. And I can guarantee Gary decisively the same same way that will be will be caught and before he went when he finishes his plan. Maybe for us all that might all take year over the next year and

 

44:59

doesn't look like I'm so gonna have to say, Yeah, no, they're just remarkable how they how they keep it going. And it's continuous and you know, the sort of team that you can go and talk to any kind of person that's involved in ga Annie, Brett Lindsey Breath of the country. They're both kind of got all while they're brilliant. They're known all around, I suppose focusing on yourself then as well, you would have kept in a lot of you Captain goalie teams, you pretty much captain, I think of pretty much every level, you then kind of you made the move across to politics. Do you think those kind of skills in terms of your leadership and all the good quality traits that you've described there and what you're trying to pass on to the to the under 14, and then rich teams think was that always kind of a love of politics always kind of a new word? Because at times, I remember growing up would be very unusual to find someone that was really in politics, or, you know, really, really interest. I think it's changed a lot the last couple of years. But when I think of academia, I don't think I ever had much of an interest in herbs. Certainly not. And I would talk my circle of friends to where did Where did that obviously had the leadership qualities or where did that kind of transfer Where did that first kind of come up come around?

 

46:03

lover politics. My father was very, very much involved in infini gate here in the city and his family would have been as well, my mother as well, when she wouldn't be actively involved in the canvassing either Her father was a classmate of Henry Henry Kenny, who was India's father and and Henry was that was a TD and obviously India became a minister of salt data. finagle background from cassava. My father was very actively involved in Phoenix Galen Golden City. And I suppose when I when I transitioned into college into third level education and your YG I became involved in maybe the only thing again society and we started to I suppose, go Canvas, and I remember a canvas report McCormick, who was a politician for years brainwashed then, and took porec McCormack sees when he retired and we had part Conneely, who was the counselor that seat was vacated when I when I came in last last May, and what we canvass for years and through our cameras, and we built up a connection. And well, let's say we're at the St. Michael's connection, and a big group of friends have also been group of political friends. And like I said, the likes of Brian Walsh, and we were very, very interested in and probably was unusual in a way to be interested from young young people from the city. But we always had a great interest that the elections are on, we'd always have that on all the time, in terms of the debates, the various different, different counts and things like that we always just had an interest in it, as it happened. Like I said, we canvass for years with different candidates happened, there was always suggested that potentially I would run five years ago, it was suggested that porec might step aside. And he did another term that probably would have been too soon for me anyways. And, and obviously, last, last marriage FARC have contacted me and said his intention was to retire and his art, his intention was for me to run. And I suppose had the first refusal on us and was delighted to be given the opportunity to meet with me, and in terms of I had been in employment in large firm ago, and I've since moved to the family practice. So gave me that little bit more flexibility in terms of being able to, to manage both, and I literally had six weeks notice to run the election, and it ran really, really well. And again, I get to vote last. And thank you, very thankful to again, that the club people, the people within my community, who really come out on the roles to support me and us going back again, to the family connections, that community that was built up, down the years, and they had that faith to me and that ultimately shorter in the ballot box, you know, that they did and that connection was there. And it's very difficult to break that connection. And so ultimately, I have the responsibility and to, to, to use that faith and channel it in his positive way as possible going forward for the next four years. Absolutely, I

 

49:05

was just before we get kind of into your own person career, just as a general, I wouldn't know enough about the area but just have a passing interest in it. To me, it seems like I think the youth in Ireland have become a lot more interested in politics over the last couple of years. I think. I think for me around the times of the repeal the eighth referendum and the marriage referendum as well, where we got to see like people coming home in droves ready to vote and stuff like that. And I think without kind of pigeon holed or not from my personal point of view, kind of watching some of the Virgin Media news. They have some, like Richard chambers and Gavin riding and stuff like that. They're younger kind of they've developed even the way they call it, a lot of their kind of news feeds now goes on social media. And they're very productive in terms of kind of giving people a new fresh way to follow politics. It feels like where we might necessarily I think if you look across the world in the UK, and I think you can see by the likes of the Brexit referendum where it was kind of there was a huge age profile in the final results, and I think it's left a lot Thanks almost left a split in the country between the youth and the youth might necessarily have bothered to fold in a weird way. And then we see the consequences of it. I think we're looking in the way here that there seems to be a lot. There's a freshness, that seems to be more of a, it is more of a common conversation, maybe it's maybe a little older as well and more interested in it as well. But it does seem to be a whole freshers fair in terms of interest and coverage was that something you would have noticed yourself?

 

50:22

Definitely. And I suppose going back to all politics in Ireland, you were probably either supported defini, Gale, or uniform. And there was probably the two that was the Civil War politics. And now as far as with the emergence of other parties of the left, and obviously, just different political and political views and things that that I think, has opened up the whole spectrum. And it's a new type of politics, and it's the politics. I think that fit appeals more to young people like myself that I suppose feel that I have an opportunity platform to be able to channel my ideas and not just be confined by party. manifestos are priority, priority beliefs, and I can see that in my own party in the game that they're trying to promote and trying to appeal more to the younger people. And like, for instance, I have a background in finance and accountancy, and they've sort of opened the opportunity. And I remember on the election campaign meeting, the teacher at the time, Leo varadkar, and he was very open to young and educated guys getting involved in politics. And I think it's very welcome. And equally as I said, the referendums the marriage referendum, the the repeal, again, it was it gave, I suppose young people the opportunity to get a choice of how important their vote was in terms of like, if you believe in something if you campaigned for it, if you firmly believe you can make things happen and you could see with them referendums, it was a transition shift from the old Ireland in terms of like, you often see the clip of the contraception on gay burn and blade lays like that will be not heard of the the the repeal referendum back then it just shows how people will come.

 

52:08

Just the power, really, ultimately, we

 

52:09

all have one vote. And I think now young people see how important that is, and are more willing to use it. And like you said, Come back to your Kevin Riley and Richard Chamberlain

 

52:21

are only two but they're just come to mind, because I'm friendly with them. And I would follow them a lot.

 

52:26

There's a new dimension to it. And the social media, it's it's in your face all the time politics, and it plays a massive role. And we see with Donald Trump we see with, let's say, Boris Johnson and the Brexit referendum, like politics have a big, big bearing on our economy as a whole. And the decision you make at the ballot box, like you see breaks it and you see a lot of people said that, you know, if they went again, that they probably would have voted to stay. But people didn't exercise their, their, their, their their right to vote, they didn't vote and ultimately, what was voted through you. So Donald Trump in the States, people said, No, Donald Trump will not be elected bush. Again, the popular one is a different political system. But you can see the influence that a political leader can have on the whole world as a whole in terms of Donald Trump, what he says or tweets or whatever, as a big impact on the world and on the economy. And I think young people are becoming more informed via through Twitter, through young journalists or through through through the media, and in terms of how important politics is. And I suppose I'm grateful to have the opportunity to put my stamp on it and try and appeal to a younger audience and trying to translate and push their message at the at the level with which I am electors.

 

53:45

Would that be something you would kind of when you decided that you're going to you're going to go and take this opportunity, and I came quite late in terms of the suppose the political calendar in terms of think was a short enough campaign window, you had the decision? But is that something that you would have kind of made a conscious effort because I can see like, you're very active on social media, you're very available. You're all sharing content? And you're never, I don't mean, I mean, this is a compliment, you're, you're always willing to give your opinion and give updates and stuff like that across your social media. That's something you would have made a conscious effort to when you decided to give this a large pretty much.

 

54:17

Yeah, I suppose look, as an elected member in a city councilor, you get a lot of information that you're privy to a lot of information through through various channels. And I think it's important for me as an elected member who is representing the, let's say, 80,000 people and go with it. And the information that I have that I feel might be useful to someone in my area, I tried to channel it out be as a COVID-19 update or be as an update on a new grantor, which obviously scheme or whatever, I think it's important channel out that information and I suppose I have the facility I have a quite a good base and a platform on Twitter and that's a Facebook to use that. So I think it's important to use that as well as one thing. I started I agreed and with myself was when I signed up to go on was that I try and be as open and as transparent or like as open and as accessible as possible to everyone. And like, I have a phone number, I have WhatsApp, I have an email of Twitter direct message Facebook, I'm very accessible to anyone. And whether I agree with someone or disagree with them, I try at least, to respond to them, to give my point of view and try and reason with them in terms of where it's coming from. There's nothing worse than someone emailing you. And you say, in six months time, he didn't even bother getting back to me. And while I said, I might disagree with them, I'll give them my point of view. And I think that, that that's important, because ultimately, we're all human beings, and we need to be treated like adults and, and that's what I've done, I've said I'd be as accessible as I can. A lot of people, for instance, will try and get access to a minister try and get access to various government departments. And it's a really good medium, a good way of channeling information is to contact me to make that representation on your behalf. Because often those links those connections aren't there for a person that's that that's not involved. So I'm absolutely more than happy. And going back to your social media. I think it's new politics. And it's something that I most certainly think is something that I like doing, I like being getting information out there sharing information, given my views on things, because I think people ultimately are interested in that. And until which point as determinate

 

56:29

or not.

 

56:30

And I keep doing it. And it's good to get positive feedback like that from yourself.

 

56:35

Yeah, because I remember I'm conscious that I am very, it's a huge stereotype. But it seemed with some politicians that like remember, even go back girl, or the only time you would see them is towards the end of a political campaign where they wanted your vote, and you might not see them again, for the next X number of years. Whatever the term look to be, I think people we do live in an information age now. And at times, it felt like there was as you touched on it there like some people might feel a level of importance in a weird way having this information and being able to I know everything sort of it. But it's refreshing to hear that you want to share that information, whatever whatever your political allegiances to information is power, I think we all need to be. It's like, again, without getting too deep into what education can can lift, a lot of people can grow a lot of personal life situations as well. So there is huge power in getting information out there, whether it's some of its good, some of its bad, but it needs to get out there.

 

57:32

And keep the consistency of the communicate, and then information and weather. Like for instance, yesterday on my Facebook, I shared the disappointing message to load a lot of people that, let's say publicans that perhaps weren't home and and so it's not all just your grant applications, your various good news stories is I try to be as independent and as objective as possible with what I put out and be as consistent and think people and people appreciate that. You know,

 

57:59

you absolutely know from a personal point of view I, I suppose but I for the record, I have no political reasons whatsoever. I didn't grow up like you and in a family that would have been kind of aligned to whatever. So just be as a general kind of viewer and consumer of information. I do find it refreshing to have that information there. And as you said, good and bad. The I suppose. Just curious, like so you've always had the interest of politics and the opportunity came you jumped at it? Was there ever a moment you're like, oh, what the hell am I doing here? I was always kind of positive from there are there days where you might get a crappy mail or crappy message or something like that? And you're like, what am I even doing here?

 

58:37

Like I said, it was always sort of suggested that potentially I would have been and run for election at the right time, I suppose when it suited the, let's say the candidate that was sitting in the seat or the counselor that was sitting in the seat that they'd vacated and I suppose it did happen or very, very quick. And when I got the call I was in Dublin at the time I was doing an audit, I think and getting remember get on a train and I got off at Booker's and took the call. And I was fairly surprised. And this has been released on the Friday I think. And I sort of initially just had to pause and we're back to the we're staying for I think was a two week order size went back to the hotel room that evening. I said Geez, what what have I agreed to hear I remember ringing home and they said just leave it now for the next few days and let it let it process and

 

59:28

so did you actually started to put in did you agree on the spot with the first conversation? I was almost like he didn't have a choice and

 

59:34

when I had sort of agreed Okay, that that had to go through a formality. Okay. First particular politician had to announce officially that he was stepping aside and there was a formal process within the party. Remember, like, that was on the Wednesday. I think I got that call. I drove home on on Friday evening and I was getting my election photos taken on the on the Friday. Okay, well and I remember saying that's that that's a sad week because that longtime holiday came in my career, that couple of 48 hours, you know, and we'd remember breakfast breakfast, and the next morning and the goal would be and and all of a sudden was really a candidate then from going off to Dublin and one day as and an offer to become an election candidate, then a few days later, it's just, it was a quick turnaround was a decision that, again, I'm so happy I made. And ultimately, I'm delighted to have been given the opportunity.

 

1:00:34

Yeah, like, again, I'm conscious as well, you know, social media, you only get to see the best, the best sides of people. And it isn't often a true indication of someone's life. But even from chatting here, now, you do appear very happy in the role, you seem to try going into it. And I'm right in saying that I might not jump

 

1:00:52

like that, and obviously had given the opportunity and its parents, but that would frustrate you as well, with regard to trying not being able to do more in terms of the role and your hands can be tied at times, you can't ultimately, you make a decision or a vote in the chamber, there's gonna be someone that's that that is happy with it, some people that are not going to be happy with it. And a lot of people vent their frustration. And, for instance, we had a vote recently on a cycling and salthill and must have got 3040 emails on it. And there was just a different point of view that I took compared to some of the views of others. And that was the decision that I that I made at the time. And but there is big decisions to be made in the council. And ultimately you have to have conviction. And just going back to that cycling, I absolutely think that there can be this potential for one in salthill. And I think it can, can be done. But I think it's important to have the right plan and have all stakeholders involved. And I firmly happy with the decision that I made and also very hopeful that we can sit down in the near future but doesn't matter various different decisions, various different boats. And again, you do I try to go with what I believe in and what I as john Hume famously said, politics isn't all about votes, not all it's not all about winning elections, it's sometimes about working collectively together for for the greater good and I try what I feel is the right thing to do was what I generally will go with, you know, which is which is what I can take solace from if let's say it's an unpopular decision, or a popular decision if I feel and my rationale, in my opinion is right. And I'm unhappy with that. And that's the way I try to approach various different decisions and like sort of philosophy towards is that I have a certain belief and I'm absolutely open to listening to other people's opinions and and teasing it out and going back to the access and very accessible to anyone that might agree or disagree with me but I always willing to pick up the phone and to an email and discuss it and the basis and there's oftentimes that database when you say I wouldn't have thought a part of that and it might actually change my opinion on something or alter my opinion on something that's important regardless of political views, I think it's very very important and definitely something this is worthwhile

 

1:03:21

ya know, at least we're I think we're at a strange time we're almost at a think of rebuilding stages in both our lives and in terms of infrastructure and like a little bit out of loop from back home now but like from here and I look around in Dublin City it's completely revitalized is now there's a Can I go for a select cycle or run down the coast more Stevens and now I have the luxury of cycling to pretty much and through Black Rock religion and jewelry this beautiful cycle ends now so I can now go for a cycle that fear my life getting absolutely squished like heroin it's I remember the first I wasn't actually aware of because it almost happened overnight. No it's probably my own ignorance I just hadn't kept up to date and it but but it was there it was available to me and there was while and then we've seen so many of the constraints because there's less and less cars coming in would lock down are there restrictions in place now where I suppose cafes and stuff like that I have brought God permission and now that you see it's a refreshing to see from from someone striking stroll into town now you've got desks and tables outside you can go for coffee and pizza. They think the city is opened up for a lot of kind of more people and that's just happened out of default. I'm not sure maybe there was plans at some stage it's gone. kind of refreshing it and you're in European but it is so refreshing to see that.

 

1:04:34

It's refreshing to see in Galway as well we've I suppose it's all temporary but we've in the mobility team and gold city council with the approval of the elected members has pedestrianized large parts of our city so you can see now I think at nine or 10 o'clock in the morning the Latin Quarter is on closed off to traffic sorta it's become a pedestrian area. Now we're hoping to roll out packets which are community common areas for people to see to chill, have a coffee, have a chat, while adhering to your social distancing. So again, it's changing the landscape of Goa city and years ago, when I was younger at the time, but I often heard that people said it was almost on top of that sharp streets wouldn't have cars on it, but like you couldn't think of it any other way. Now, there was a lot of, I suppose, resistance from businesses at the time that said, The footfall just won't be there. But you see shop street now it's, that's transformed that area. And I'd love to see, well, it's temporary measures for COVID-19. I'd love to see Nigeria as a goal, it just opened up to the people. And that being the cross street, the Market Street, various different areas, and we have unteren transport, the transport SPC and large part of our thinking is the goal of transport strategy. And one key fundamental of that is the ultra city bypass that 750 million phones ring fenced for the for the bypass. But 250 million is ring fenced for more sustainable modes of transport the pedestrian lane cycle lanes in the city center. So the philosophy and the thinking is long term is to try and get cars out of the city center, open it up to the people. And I think Galway city would be a better place for oil change is often difficult for people to process and to accept long term it can often reap the rewards of us and I looking forward to seeing if we can push that on in a more permanent basis. Because we can see key streets you can see sharp Street and other areas How lovely it is to walk down there, and the cup of storms and Galway and be really, really nice to see the likes of the Latin Quarter. And I think businesses in particular areas will will benefit from seating areas and different things. So it'll be interesting to see, we probably need a canopy as well, because it rains a lot. It doesn't need but I in

 

1:06:50

one step at a time, you know, but it is it's so refreshing. And again, I'm just going from my experience here, I was actually taken back a little of time, some businesses were kind of kind of a bit resented to it and stuff like that. But the rewards them have been have been through the scale and everybody has such a more positive experience and you've got to get people comfortable in and straw round and get people out there in a safe distance. And it's it always kind of kind of confuses me a little bit to see that because even this is no reflection of you whatsoever at all. I'm just talking generally, I hadn't walked down sharp Street between one thing and another in absolutely ages. And I walked down at again last Saturday morning like but maybe nine or 10 o'clock. And there is I couldn't get over it was telemarketers, over the closers. Beautiful cupboards are terrific and over what the hell is going on here. When I'm stepping in our cars common I was like, the hell is going on this, this this. There's so much improvements that could be made. If it was if you encourage people to get out there. Yes, the bypass is a huge priority. But you've got to get people into the city centre to spend their money to get into businesses and stuff like that and make it accessible for people and we do it. Some people might turn the nose over, but we do have to become that more I think European way as well. And again, these are only my personal views but it would be so much better experience for everybody. Everybody talks about taking a stroll down shop street key Street, listen to music or having a coffee or whatever so that I think there's this huge benefits into in the future. Would it be interested without getting too much into it? Would that be something you're kind of vision for golfing for the future, it's within you would like to say

 

1:08:15

I suppose given the streets back to the people and like I said with the bypass part of that is more sustainable modes of transport in the city centre. And that would be footpaths, widening footpaths, and more pedestrian areas, more cycling lanes. And so again, it's it's a really I'm looking forward to seeing it and I just hope that people stick with us and embrace the change because I think we have a better city center for us and Galway. definitely can. I think embrace as I said, I hope people do embrace it. And and like I said people sometimes are forced to change bush. If they stick with that I firmly believe that God will be better for us.

 

1:09:00

No, absolutely. And again, from my point of view we're personally experienced and to get people in there would be it would be such a more positive place the benefits I think are completely tangible they're gone back to you then as well it before we let you go I know you're quite busy. Where's your what's what's next you're obviously have your term of the counselor is obviously is dependent on people. I suppose the people ultimately decide how far you go but from your own aspirations is, is the is the dial is taken the next further in your career in politics, something that would interest you. I suppose at the moment,

 

1:09:33

I tried to fulfill the mandate that I was given a snake and that's my biggest priority is to repay the faith and the people that the people of God have shown me. And obviously my next milestone from appellate politics point of view will be the the local elections in 2024. That is give me a good gauge of progress that have made our haven't made and realist going back to it. Everyone has a vote. And people will decide and democracy is, is the great thing. So I'm looking forward to, I suppose working hard rock and diligently with the locals and and so on some of the broader issues like I said, As chair of the transport SPC to try and work and deliver some tangible good change for the people of Galway. And like I said, some things might be popular, but I think time sometimes will, will be the biggest judge. But look, I'd be probably looking no further than the next local elections in 2024. But definitely anyone that steps into the political political world, their ambition would be probably to go further and the dollar will be the obvious next step. And absolutely, at some point in the future, I'd love the opportunity to have a tilt, gone to dollar and then represented a broader base of gold, where people but ultimately, my focus is on the next three and a half years and fulfilling the mandate that I was given last year. And if I do that, to the best of my ability, and God to the people in 43 years time, I go on the belief that I have done everything that I can do, and then it's up to the people to decide ultimately, but yes, from a political point of view, my ambition most likely would be to transition and progress to the next level, which will be I would see would be lenstra house with the dollar. But like that it's as I said, a week is a long time and

 

1:11:25

but you're enjoying it I can see that you're it's not as if you've you've you've taken this and go along Oh, that's for me, I'm gonna get off if I wasn't involved in politics from an elected being an elected member,

 

1:11:36

I'd still be involved in terms of been actively involved in terms of liaising with officials, canvassing and following us on Twitter or bH trying to in various different channels. So it's just now that I'm an elected member, I'm actually working on behalf of people and I've been given a mandate both regardless of whether I'd be elected or not, I'd still be still you still have the love the love I still be following it all the time. So it really does change push, what has changed is a big responsibility and not just the responsibility but an opportunity to deliver good change for the people of Galway and the greater good of its citizens and I'm more than happy and willing and hopefully able to to play a big part in

 

1:12:20

that perfect are you how are you managing all it's kind of tricky to get my head around over obviously been used to kind of manage your time a lot with the go away and your football career. And of course you did all your accountant exams that were true. I remember even chatting to Tonio Greg on there for I think was last week and he was describing that challenge of you know, work study. intercounty scene as well. It's something he like he said he openly said like he struggled a bit a times as well. Having to produce stuff. We used to have a full time job here knows when all the intercounty scene is is gone to one side, but how you how you mentioned that was the juggling act of combining you can't have as much free time as it last night.

 

1:13:02

I've said before, this has been the common violent and politics in the last year and a half in terms of being elected. As a councillor, it sort of nearly takes me back to my to my intercounty to his free time. And I remember coming out of college and I was applying for various different roles and wasn't sure what I wanted what I wanted to do. My mother was an accountant. So that was obviously a big decision a big I suppose factor in me deciding to go down the accountancy route is very, I suppose fortunate that punches case in D h KN. They're probably the biggest accountancy firm here in Galway. And with 6070 staff, they gave me an opportunity to do the training, Tony Regan, in fact, trained with them as well, very good for me, but I got a great opportunity. But at the time, it wouldn't have been possible to probably train in Dublin or in terms of a training contract to Dublin, Galway was where was that if you wanted to be but for me to play in the county and to continue my commitment on the field. And go back to the politics i suppose myself and punches case i courses for three and a half years. And with th Ken in order to then progress to corporate finance with markets, but I set outside purchases office for a number of years. And the two things that were always discussed was generally was football on a Monday morning but also politics because obviously that the kids are immersed in politics and the history and obviously being seen again but we always had great conversations on politics. But just going back to I progressed as follows through my training contract and the objective and ultimate goal was always to transition into the family practice being hired chartered accountants, my mother was working there. for 30 years she had her practice built up so it was either her objective would have been for me to come in. And as it happened, I decided that last in February 2019 and it coincided with my my pushing my move into politics as well. So in a way, it sort of worked out very well, because it gave me that opportunity that that, I suppose in terms of working for yourself in terms of working for artists, I get more flexibility, a bit more flexibility, being able to pick up a call, I've been able to take, let's say, a zoom call like this, being able to turn out your press releases to the media, but just being able to be common go to meetings, it just gives you that more flexibility. But like that, it's very, very rewarding work in here and the practice, we're building it up. And really, as I said, rewarding, it's great just to see the the work that my mother would have put into the practice that that's just not going to waste that we're building us and progressing it hopefully to the next level. And, and for me transitioning in a really been refreshing for both her for me in the practice as a whole. And like that you're learning every day. And what I learned to D hkn. Really stood to me coming into the firm here and to be fair to DHS, and I owe them a lot in terms of the opportunity that they gave me because potentially maybe coming out of NY g of n, prioritize sigerson maybe over you're becoming some some firms might and might might might might take a more stern review, but no th can give me the opportunity. This I suppose the personal qualities, the personal traits in me, and I hope and I think I have rewarded them in terms of the work that I get back to them. And like I said, it works. It works both ways. Bosch just in terms of in terms of time, it is difficult. And as I said, it's like going back into the intercounty cauldron time is is of an essence, obviously, as I said, engaged as well recently, so planning

 

1:16:46

another another ball to juggle there

 

1:16:49

to be time consuming as well. But again, it's a another chapter and something I'm looking forward to as well.

 

1:16:55

Now, just before I let you go, you seem to have taken a lot from your whole family circle in terms of your political allegiance. And same same traders and traders, your mother as well. I'm obviously a tight knit community as well, I guess I don't I don't know maybe all time is first. Yeah.

 

1:17:12

accountancy really the reason I took an interest was my mother being a chartered accountant herself. And obviously, like I said, the firm was there and if a family member wasn't going to when you were probably going to sell it and if you sold us the maybe images, piece or output, absolutely a great opportunity for me and proud to be able to progress it on and continue on what's been there for 30 years and Spindletop like I said very big influence and even go back to influences as well. My own grandfather, his brother would have played with them with me on one in Ireland and 36. And there

 

1:17:50

was a rare few people

 

1:17:52

want them and he again paid for me also again football and politics very much front and center of my family background. And like I said from my father's point of view, he was always very very into sports he and politics. So I think family is sort of so important and it's the old fashioned Irish ethos and philosophy but your family roots and be proud of them and they really instill in you a lot of the traits that you bring forward. And it's gone back to the gap and really the gap is like a bigger family and that that's ultimately what it is. And like be it I mentioned St. Michael's obviously is is my club. You have your likes your Saltillo, James's, we're all trying to do the same thing and for the common good. And it's like I said St. Michael's it's a really like a wider family goal a football is a bigger family. And it's that's what that that's what it is. And like I said to the GA to the communities, the guys that I mentioned that the john Lennon's the Pat Reagan's the returns that john Kenny's these guys believe in silence and the goal of skit I owe so much to them. Because when, obviously your mother and your father are going to be a big influence on your family in general. But those guys who just put time, energy and effort into progressing the game progress and other people's not just their own family members, but other members of other families and the community as a whole. It's, it's what it's about. And that's what the GA is about. And that's why I suppose I also wanted to do the GA because as I said, I progressed to St. Mary's College because of you and your family. It was a big part. And then again, with the election last May, it was when I went canvassing It was my friends within the GA and locals within my parish that came out to support me and canvass with me. So again, it's it's it's it's, it's a full transition right away true. Absolutely. And

 

1:19:50

of course your back coach now as well. You're given you're given back a bit now as well. It's not as hectic. Which is great to see because it's not as if you don't have enough things to be doing. Yeah, no,

 

1:20:01

I think the influence that other coaches had on me as a young guy. And let's say that, as I said, Come back to the game, salmons, and what he had done and I saw what their influence had on me. And the least I can do was give an hour or two hours a week to the young guys in our club. And I know they have seen the lesser play maybe not as heights of some some some of the gold players but they would have seen me in the room jersey and and blue and white or St. Michael's and they'd look up to those costs, like me, and I, at least I can do is just give that little bit back. And when I am handed my blue jersey over a few years, I hope to hand it over with someone with

 

1:20:40

some of the qualities you might you might hold on to for a bit longer yet. Let's see how things go. Yeah, no, no doubt when you were going for that, because I'll preempt it here. When you were going for the big election, you'll be rounding up every ga contract you have around to try and soak up all those those vital books.

 

1:20:57

Using your followers and Twitter to get a

 

1:21:02

very good listener. It's been an absolute pleasure. I feel like we could take this up again and and have another chance to do things that are volatile, because obviously we didn't get into today. But politics has changed a lot in Ireland in the last couple months alone, it almost feels like if there's been another election in the morning, it would be a different result to what we saw in just recently as well. There's so much happening it's it really is a dynamic time so we might touch base again. Next time I'll go

 

1:21:25

casual with no time.

 

1:21:27

Ever the pro ever the pro like he told the talk like a pro addresses like pro puts us all to shame. Listen, if anybody I know you're very productive. Anyone wants to touch base with you with a query or anything like that? What's the best place to to get hold of you.

 

1:21:39

And the best place you can get me probably get me on Twitter or by email, you have my email there. And probably the best way to connect is probably to the email is probably the best selling strike message on on Twitter. So any queries or questions I'm here to help I'm here to

 

1:21:53

answer perfect and go easy on the hate mail. I'm enjoying listening to you. Thank you so much for your time, every feature being so valuable. It was a pleasure to hear a bit more about you. And I know that we'll be hearing a lot more about you in years to come as well. Thank you so much for

 

1:22:09

the series. Okay, Jonathan, talk to you. Thank you