A late and sincerely missed friend of mine used to knock great sport out of telling what is a sizable Leitrim contingent in our locality that it took one of his people (Longford) to sing their ‘native’ song. Larry Cunningham and Lovely Leitrim. Given events in the last week or so, that little nugget of information has got me thinking. Now read on…
The people of the lovely county have given so much to so many people and places, yet, unfairly, in some ways, they still tend to be treated like the sh** on the shoe of the nation. Look, we all like a bit of a laugh, but you do have to wonder how the decision was arrived at the Leitrim would be the last county in the country to have a set of traffic lights installed. Or if looking for a more mundane example, look no further than what is now an embarrassing mess regarding the management of the county’s senior football team.
So that we’re all on the one page here, at the end of Leitrim’s playing season, Andy Moran stepped down as their manager. At the time, speculation was that he was going to take up a coaching role in Kevin McStay’s setup in his native county but that proved wide of the mark.
In the wake of Moran’s departure, the appointment of Mickey Graham as his replacement looked entirely the common sense move. With the Cavan native having been involved with Moran on the Shannon during the season just gone.
Now, chances are I wasn’t the only one feared the worst when the Cavan Gaels clubman abruptly abdicted from the role before it even began. Maybe it’s an Irish thing, to think the worst first. As if something awful had happened in his personal life which prompted the sudden change of heart.
Obviously, it’s good that such is not the case. However, it is very hard to fathom how things got around to playing out as it has. That is to say, that Graham’s departure appears to have been in order to take up a coaching role with Galway.
At this point, it’s hard to know where to begin deconstructing the whole situation. Granted, Padraic Joyce had to find a replacement for Cian O’Neill who himself showed rank disloyalty to Joyce et al by jumping ship back to Kerry.
I would be strongly of the opinion that if you’re part of a management team, you bust a gut to try and remain therein until the project is complete. Right, so Finian Murtagh and Donal Curtis did step down from their roles as part of Andy McEntee’s ensemble before his tenure had concluded. But not to go to another team and absolutely not one of our neighbours.
That said, it would reflect very poorly on Padraic Joyce if he approached the former Cavan boss after the latter had committed to Leitrim. Though not as bad as it looks for Graham himself if he did jump ship after committing to a job already. If a man hasn’t his word, he has nothing.
Even from a neutral perspective looking in, the two most perplexing aspects of the chaos are (a) Graham’s supposed reason of “A shorter commute” for switching from Leitrim to Galway and (b) the silence from the former named team’s Co Board has been deafening.
Let’s get one thing straight here – there is no way Cavan to Galway is a shorter one than Cavan to Leitrim. If you believe that, you probably have the tooth fairy on speed dial!
More likely is it that it wouldn’t take Einstein to figure out the motive. Which, though reprehensible, if true recalls a yarn spun by the late, great Niall Toibin. Warning: Colourful language incoming!
“A mean Cavan b****rd and cute Cork wh*re were at a corporate golf outing one day. The event was being played in pairs, with the only stipulation being that each player was to tip the caddy provided. Not a wage or anything, just a tip”.
On the first tee, the Cork man brings up the subject, “Here, John, boy, are we going to pay these caddies now or what’s the plan? ” To which the Breffni boyo replies” Yarra no Billy, hai, sure will fix them up half way round”.
“Right so, boy.” We re-join the lads at the 9th hole ‘Pit Stop’ where, as they inhale the free burgers and Fanta, Billy raises the thorny issue again “Well Johnny-Be-Good, have ye the readies on standby?”
Our Cavan hero goes rumagging in his pockets but ‘unfortunately’ appears to left his wallet in the locker room. No matter, they could sort their helpers before going for grub. Locker room chat: “Well, John, boy, did you find your millions”?
“F*** sake, Billy, hai, I’m mortally embarrassed here not having that there money. I’ve only the effin card with me. Will you pay them and I’ll pay for the grub in the bar?, Right no bother at all, replies the Corkonian, but this time with a mischievous grin…
About 20 minutes later, the two are on high stools awaiting their fodder – “Well, hai, did ya fix up those two boyos? Oh I did aye, I gave my lad €25 and your guy €5 in coins. Why in the name of God did you only give my lad a fiver?”
Corkman takes a gulp out of his pint – Murphy’s of course – and pauses for a second, “Well, Johnny dear, tis like this, if I gave him nothing from you he might have thought you forgot about him. Now he knows you’re a miserable b*****d!”
***
Yes, I know the veteran Cork comic was playing on an oft floated stereotype for humorous reasons. True also that I happen to know some very decent and genuine people from the Breffni County. But, even if it is said in jest, it’s hard to kill off said stereotype if it is continually fed. And, as much as one is loathe to do so, it’s hard to get away from the frame of mind when it’s the first thing that comes to mind when trying to make sense of the scenario of Mickey Graham’s leaving of Leitrim in the lurch.
Indeed, it would be very difficult to disagree with the stance taken by former Leitrim star Emlyn Mulligan when he posted the following on X as the story was breaking earlier this week: “Firstly, letting Andy Moran leave was the biggest mistake the county board could have made.
Then not advertising the job and having this mentality of ‘Mickey or no one’ has really shot them in the foot. Huge set back but good riddance to him. Our players deserve better”.
When this writer queried the supposed reason behind the sudden switch, it was neither a surprise nor in any way diffusive to observe the former St Brigid’s Blanchardstown player respond with “Easier commute”. Albeit the reply was fitted with quotation marks to signify that they were Graham’s words and not Emlyn’s. Plus, the eye-rolling emoji told it’s own story!
Mind you, all too clearly could I picture Sean Nealon seething behind a bar counter far away. Just as he did the day a Roscommon fan threw a Leitrim jersey on the ground and walked on it in a pub somewhere near Dr Hyde Park. When he – a publican himself who would never have a go at a disciple of the same trade – completely lost his rag with the barman in the said establishment for allowing one of his patrons to be so disrespectful. No matter where you end up in life, you must never forget where you come from.
Not surprisingly, chiefs in Galway strenuously denied that they – or Padraic Joyce – would ever approach somebody who had already committed to another team. Which means that either they (Galway officials) or Mickey Graham lied through their teeth.
Regardless of which of them it was – well actually they both must have, because the diminutive former corner forward didn’t just head for Pearse Stadium uninvited – both him and Joyce would go down a bit in my estimation pulling such a stunt if Graham had already committed to Leitrim.
Though not as much as the Leitrim Co Board who have, up to the time of typing, continued to adopt the ostrich approach to the situation. While the current mess is entirely not of their making, you do have to wonder was there not a Plan B somewhere on ice.
We’ve heard of Newbridge Or Nowhere, but, in this case, it appears to have been a case of Graham Or Nobody. The only slight reduction to the ignominy they find themselves in is that Derry and Clare find themselves in similarly inglorious positions. Hardly a good thing though.
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