Mickey Harte joins the Irish News

[yellowcard]

I see Mickey having a wee dig at Spillane in the Irish news the day with regards to Spillanes comments last week.

What did he say, he seems to want to pick a fight with everyone over the last year and its getting tiresome. 

[supersarsfields]

He had a pop at Spillane's outburst regarding the standard of football at the minute. Saying Spillane was never happy with the standard and that he didn't take into account that it's April not August. Also took offence with a few comments he made regarding Tyrone's demise, that he had predicted the same for Kerry this time last year and he had egg on his face!!

He has a point this week but i think he'd have been better not mentioning Spillane at all. We're well used to his yapping and the less coverage the better as far as i'm concerned.

[maximus]

Thought the article was very petty it would be better if Tyrone answered such critics on the field of play rather than in a meaningless column in the paper. Responding to Spillane's comments only serves to give them recognition they don't really deserve. He criticised Spillane for saying the squad was ageing and quoted the age profile of the team against Kerry. This however will not be the team which starts the championship with older players such as O'Neill and Dooher probably required if Tyrone are sucessful. Maybe the younger players aren't as good as the exceptional bunch of players that have produced 3 All Irelands which is probably a valid enough point with "ordinary" probably being an adequate description for the performances thus far this year.

[bamboo]

Lads,

Bit of a favour needed if possible. Can any of you kinds souls copy and paste Mickeys column today(07/01) in the Irish news?

The reason i ask is that he wrote today about a book that a very good mate of mine is wrting at the moment. Its a book about the London GAA scene. I promise you faithfully that this is'nt a sly attempt at a plug or naything like that. Mickey is actually doing the foreword on the book hence why he mentioned it today.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

[Craigyhill Terror]

Fascinating story of GAA globetrotter

AS the readers of this column would be well aware, I have immense admiration for all those dedicated to the promotion of Gaelic games beyond these shores. Whilst it is true to say that our games are now played in more destinations throughout the globe and these are destinations that our ancestors would never have deemed possible, the inside line on the difficulties, challenges and joys of making this happen is seldom told.
Traditionally, the United States was the furthermost outpost where our national games were promoted beyond this country. Today the GAA gospel has spread, however, tentatively to Australia and New Zealand, Australasia, the United Arab Emirates and numerous European countries. While it is a great credit to those who plough those often lone furrows abroad in the name of our Association and it is right that we should be proud that our games are continually finding new admirers because of this effort, we seldom appreciate the sacrifices made by those pioneers who make this growth possible. Indeed we don't necessarily have to go to far flung and exotic places to begin to understand the challenges faced by those whose Gaelic blood must flow outside these shores.
One such destination is London and in a book entitled 'A Different County' soon to be published by author Robert Mulhern, we are treated to never-before-collated insights of several life journeys that came together in the name of the GAA in England's capital city. In his 12-chapter tome Mulhern, a 32-year-old senior print and broadcast journalist working with The Irish Post newspaper in London, skilfully depicts the history of the GAA in London through the eyes of a variety of significant characters, right up to the recent St Paul's/Dulwich Harps success story previously documented in this column. The chapter with Martin Finn, a former Cork U21 hurler, will have resonance with many who find themselves displaced due to the current world economic crisis. Though now residing in London, the Cork man has hurled from New Zealand to New York, gracing Gaelic Park, Southie in Boston, Melbourne and Auckland with his uniquely Irish skills before 'settling' in the city of the 2012 Olympics.
After a period of not seeing eye to eye with some of those in officialdom in his native county (nothing unusual about that), Finn was soon on his way to a new city, a new life and to hurl for a new county, Westmeath. He was given a new name, Patrick Rice, with a matching social security number.
Having been sorted with an apartment, Martin's bi-location was complete.
He was Patrick the construction worker by day and Martin the pint drinker by night who hurled with Westmeath in the New York Championship.
Finn describes how he would have to avoid being eyeballed by the NYPD as he felt he would fold
under questioning and be on his way back to Ireland. The practicalities of simple things such as getting cash for his wages cheque was all part of the street learning. "You just slipped the bartender a $20 bill and he'd file your cheque" "'Big' was the fella's name and he didn't get that from being slim. Auld Big was the most important man in the Bronx," recounts Finn. Then came 9/11 and that changed everything.
The Patrick Rice persona would no longer be so comfortable. Many with similar identity documents had to leave town. Though Martin didn't leave until 2003, the hurling landscape had changed too. The players weren't coming out.
Homeland security saw to that. Immigration was now a major obstacle.
After some globe-trotting which took him to Sydney and success with the Central Coast team in the annual sevens in Melbourne, the pull of home club Dromina proved too strong and he exchanged the Sydney sun for the sheen of a junior championship medal. Then it was back to Australia again before a re-entry to the Big Apple where he reckoned "I must have been on my fourth passport by then!"
This time he became a Tipperary hurler in New York and played for the New York team which recorded an historic win over Derry in Gaelic Park to qualify for the Ulster final in 2006.
Then, of course, reality kicked in again when the Exiles couldn't travel to Casement Park to play Antrim (for 'Patrick Rice' reasons) and the Saffrons didn't want to travel to the Big Apple. Ultimately it ended well for Finn despite being defeated by 2-20 to 1-14, the idea of playing in the curtain-raiser to the Railway Cup final and being paraded Croke Park-style with bands and bagpipes before a sizeable crowd in Boston was something he, on his nomadic adventures, never envisaged being part of. For the last three years, Shepherd's Bush, London has been his home.
He had options to join several clubs, and sentimental reasons for joining the club his Dad had once hurled with, Thomas McCurtains in Goodmayes.
The desire to play senior hurling and the persuasive powers of a fella called Paddy Finneran convinced him to join the Gabriels.
That decision proved fruitful in terms of medals as Finn won his first senior championship medal with the London club. Just as his junior championship with Dromina was special, so too was this one - all championship medals are special. Representing the London hurlers followed and the disappointment of losing two Nicky Rackard finals to Meath and Armagh respectively still lingers.
There are many more twists and turns in the life of Martin Finn, the GAA man, which make for interesting reading but for me two reflections really stand out. These highlight the additional challenges of being a GAA person outside the comfort of these shores.
Martin reminded us that: "even if London kicked on and won the Nicky Rackard Cup, it may not be enough for some players to stay. "That's the ironic bit, success doesn't always bring more trophies. In lots of clubs, famine has followed a fantastic season." He also notes: "There's respect - it takes a greater commitment to hurl when you are living away from home, especially with all the distractions in place. "So you take time to talk because you might not see the same fella again, they could be gone when the Championship is over." With chapters devoted to a host of characters including Jason Ryan (current Wexford manager), Hannah Noonan, a Watford-born lady with an All-Ireland Ladies Football medal in 2008, to the story of the Met Police GAA team formed by a man from Ardoyne, to the contemporary success of St Paul's Academy, whose staff accept that soccer is the city's first sport, but who have made Gaelic football the most successful sport in the school, this book tells the story of the GAA in London like none before.

[bamboo]

Thanks a lot for that Craigyhill.

And also thanks to ziggy who pm'd me within seconds of my request.

Much appreciated lads, my mate is very happy with Mickey H's unexpexted write up.

[tonesfirstandlast]

When is the Irish News going to plug on this weekly article. Jaysus, it is boring stuff. Can he not come up with anything original by himself other than responding to something someone has written in the Southern press.
A brilliant manager there can be no doubt.[ But you would expect him to be more inspirational in his team talks than he is in this column].
A writer he aint!

I hope Micky will have the strength to keep writing this column for as long as he wants to. I will read it every week!

[wavesofTORRES]

Brian Carthy article replaced Mickeys slot in todays Irish News. A superb tribute to Michaela and her family. A wonderful example of  sensitive and respectful journalism. Pure class. Well done Irish News.   

[Club Rossa]

Fantastic tribute from Brian Carthy today.

[new devil]

Anywhere online i could see it?

[The GAA]

Post it up the lg

[maggie]

Lovely article written by Mickey. The man really is an inspiration. Beautiful picture of Michaela as well.

[ziggysego]

A lovely piece indeed Maggie. I do not know where he finds the strength. I wish I had the same faith as the Harte family possess.

[Over The Last]

A very corageous and well composed piece of writing from Mickey.
How would one even start to try and put pen to paper is beyond me but thats a measure of the man.

With the brother passing, it has been a terrible time for their family but with their great faith they will rally and pull through with great dignity as always.

[JimStynes]

Any chance anyone could post the article?