To whom do we owe our allegiance today?

Erin in the Lion's Den

Luke Kelly's poem, For What Died the Sons of Róisín, which appeared first in The Dubliners album Revolution in 1970 is perhaps most resounding over 40 years later, in 2012.

"To whom do we owe our allegiance today
To whom do we owe our allegiance today
To those brave men who fought and died that Róisín live again with pride?
Her sons at home to work and sing,
Her youth to dance and make her valleys ring,
Or the faceless men who for Mark and Dollar,
Betray her to the highest bidder,
To whom do we owe our allegiance today"

Over the past few years I have grown tired of being viewed as being a lesser breed of Irish. In more idealistic times, I would rile against it, but both time and reflection have wearied my mind. Growing up in Donegal and Derry, no one ever told me that I wasn't "really Irish". Maybe it's because the people of the northwest, in general, know what it's like to be forgotten. It was only when I moved to Galway just over three years ago that the notion entered my consciousness.

For years after partition, the Dublin government laid claim to the entire island of Ireland and claimed the allegiance of its people. In 1969, when civil unrest was growing in several northern counties, Jack Lynch told us that the nation would not stand by and let people suffer or worse. Constrained as Lynch's government may have been, the sentiment was one of warmth and genuine concern.

Fast forward to 1998 and, after the Troubles, the Irish government relinquished their claim to the entire territory of the island. Bye-bye, Schizo-Six, take care. They did, however, maintain that there was a "firm will" to reunite the people of the island - in what form, remains to be seen. There might very well be a will to unite the people, but is there a will to unite the territory? If anecdotal evidence is worth anything at all, it would appear not. In which case, I believe Irish nationalists and republicans in the north must demand answers from the Dublin government. They must actively assert their role in the Irish nation and strike back at the condescension. They must ask, to whom do we owe our allegiance today?

So welcome (or not, as the case may be) to proper Ireland 2012, all 26 counties' worth. Where being an Irish citizen has no worth (see the case of Cork man Paul Casey). Where democratically elected government representatives believe that referenda are not democratic (Leo Varadker, 2012), toy with the idea of filtering a little bit more of the people's money into their pockets and readily relinquish their people's hard-fought sovereignty.

Ireland and the world have changed since the early twentieth century. So too have principles.

----
I close with some lines of my own:

Forgotten Son
Cleansed by a tide of despair,

Chilling, sobering.

A disappointing dawn, so unfair

I rebel. I sing.

Not wanted here, they say

Your ilk need not apply,

Céad míle fáilte, go'way!

I question, why?

Abandoned, terribly sold out

No son of mine are ye.

Indignant I snarl and shout,

But never mind me.

Get out, don't come back

This is not your centre

Veneers soon crack

Abandon hope, ye who enter!

A Rocky Road to Recovery

"This man shouldn't be playing football. He's made an almost Lazarus-like recovery from a ruptured artery. Lazarus was a great man but he couldn't play football like Shane Duffy." 
- to paraphrase Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh

On a fine summer's day on the coastal town of Malahide outside Dublin, the Republic of Ireland senior squad were preparing for a behind-closed-doors friendly. Having already defeated the U23 League of Ireland team managed by Paul Doolin they were about to take on the amateur Republic of Ireland team. Giovanni Trapattoni prowled back and forth on the training ground, watching his troops train, pulling one or two of them to the side to emphasise his instructions. 18 year old Shane Duffy among them.

After defeating the under 23 Republic of Ireland team 1-0, Liam Lawrence said, “Shane Duffy is only a young lad but if he keeps his head down, he'll have a good future.”. The youngest player in the training squad, Duffy was part of a defence which included Darren O'Dea, Paul McShane and Greg Cunningham. His first performance in an Ireland shirt elicited the highest praise from football critics across the country. It would normally seem quite unusual to associate certain superlatives with a centre back, but the Evening Herald described the young Derry man as an unearthed 'gem'.

“... with top-class Irish central defenders very hard to find at the top level, Duffy is a real find. He proved that last night as the Derry native was the stand-out player in the Republic of Ireland senior side which defeated the U23s 1-0 thanks to a 21st-minute goal from Anthony Stokes.” 

The Irish Star suggested that his maturity on the field belied his tender years, comparing him to two of Ireland's defensive stalwarts when they suggested that he was 'a Mick McCarthy with skills more akin to David O'Leary'. There was a resounding atmosphere of expectation surrounding the Everton youngster.

But disaster soon struck. Early into the first half of the game against the amateurs, Duffy fell to the ground clutching his chest after colliding with goalkeeper Adrian Walsh. Failing to stand, he rolled over, and repeatedly smacked the ground, writhing in agony. In what was a freak occurrence, he had ruptured his hepatic artery and were it not for the remarkable and courageous work of the FAI's medical team, Professor John O'Byrne and Alan Byrne, as well as the expertise of Gerry McEntee, Irish football may have suffered a terrible tragedy.

Amazingly however, Duffy left the hospital a mere week after the incident, walking out to greet reporters with a huge smile on his face. “It's Lazarus!”, exclaimed one excited journalist. Doctors suggested that he would not be playing again until December of 2010, at the very least. Duffy had other plans. Just thirteen weeks after surgery in August 2010, he was playing in a pre-season friendly against Sligo Rovers.

Fast forward just under 20 months and two short loan spells later and the Everton players travel to Villa Park to take on Aston Villa. 20 year old Shane Duffy among them. He looks set for his first Premier League start. His journey has been unbelievable.

Compensation and "Bigotry"

In recent radio discussions regarding the nature of FIFA's eligibility rules as they apply to Ireland, the chairman of the AONISC, Gary McAllister, argued for the introduction of a system compensation.

However, the whole idea that the principles of club football should apply to international football is fundamentally flawed. In fact it is best described as a "hopeless non-starter".

Daniel Collins wrote, in a comprehensive study of the eligibility situation in Ireland*, that there were many problems with the idea that the FAI should recompense the IFA when individual players decide not to play for the IFA and instead opt to hold out for a call up to FAI representative teams. Indeed, he argues that the IFA would be liable for so-called "poached" players such as Oliver Norwood and Lee Camp and even Johnny Gorman and Alex Bruce.

"The problem with a compensation argument is that it casts individual players as possessions of associations. The reality is that choice still ultimately rests with dual national players as to for who to declare, regardless of an association's future hopes and intentions for that player."

He continues to cite cases whereby players are adjudged to have retired "prematurely", namely George McCartney:

"Even if a Northern Ireland-born player was not to declare for the FAI, it would still be his right to refuse to represent the IFA regardless. By the same token as above, ought there be calls for individual players such as George McCartney to recompense the IFA for any losses accrued by the organisation in their development due to their later refusal to represent Northern Ireland?"

Perhaps most importantly, Collins suggests that, if the IFA attempted to introduce a contractual obligation for young players to remain "loyal" to their association, the consequences could arguably be much more severe for them:

"Beyond the hurdle of having a minor enter into an agreement of a legal and binding nature, such a contract, whilst, for the sake of argument, maybe having legal standing under the law of the state, would have no standing whatsoever under FIFA’s statutes. It would be in breach of the regulations and FIFA would in no way condone it as they expressly endorse the idea that not even a friendly game ought to tie a player to an association. Essentially, it would amount to an attempt by the IFA to transcend or subvert their rules, whichever way one wanted to view it. If a player breached such a contract, it would make no difference to FIFA as such a contract would not be regulated by their statutes. However, if the IFA then proceeded to ensure the contract was upheld in a court of law after what they considered to be a breach by the player concerned in order to deny this player his right to switch association under the Regulations Governing the Application of the Statutes, FIFA would promptly threaten to suspend the IFA from competition under what would amount to third-party involvement in the running of the association; a breach of articles 13 and 17 of their General Provisions."

If McAllister and those enlightened and inspired souls at the AONISC have not already read Daniel Collins' essay on the matter, they should do so soon, preferably before they clog up the airwaves with more uneducated and blindly pro-IFA babble.

Interestingly, on the same radio show, McAllister complained that certain callers and even the show host, Wendy Austin, were acting on an agenda and "sectarianising" the argument. He did so without foundation, I must add, and to my utmost amazement, it was not challenged. Similarly, when I asked McAllister, via Twitter, what exactly Gerry Armstrong was doing when he was "working tirelessly on player eligibility", the chairman of the AONISC scathingly, maybe somewhat intolerantly, told me, "As if I'd tell someone who opposes a cross-community NI team!", before adding the hash tag, "#youlittlebigot".

Firstly, McAllister's crude assumption is false; I am not opposed to IFA's representative teams being cross-community entities and why would I be? I believe that their football teams are, always have been, and always will be, comprised of players from all communities and I contend that the idea of the FAI causing "football apartheid" is simply and utterly ludicrous. Secondly, as you might imagine, I don't think that I am "a little bigot". I am merely someone from a different background to McAllister, who happens to be a proponent of dual-national players having the choice of which national team they wish to represent. I do not, as a bigot might do, castigate any player for their choice, or try to remove that choice, regardless of who they choose to represent.

McAllister, and others, too often get away with labelling those who are in favour of the choice of people from Northern Ireland to play for either the IFA or the FAI as a result of their nationality as intolerant, divisive, sectarian bigots. In McAllister's case, as the chairman of the AONISC, should he really be leading from the front with such blinkered accusations? I'm sure that has endeared him to potential fans and players. On what grounds exactly, one also wonders, does McAllister come to these conclusions? I have yet to get an explanation.

I suppose I can seek some consolation in the irony of the fact that I was chastised and excluded by a man who says he champions all-inclusiveness.

*The entire essay can be found at this address: Player Eligibility in Ireland

Why Devine's Right

"I'm overwhelmed and honoured to be in the position of manager of Derry City Football Club. It's a club that is close to my heart and it has been since the first time I walked in the gates for the game against Home Farm in 1985."

- Declan Devine 

Just a few short weeks after Stephen Kenny decided to quit the Brandywell for the bright lights of Tallaght, two of the Dubliner's former assistant managers have been revealed as Derry City's new management team. Declan Devine, who was Kenny's number two at both Derry and Dunfermline has been handed the reins, while former Finn Harps and Institute manager Paul Hegarty will take on the role of assistant manager.

In a couple of weeks which saw a number of quite high profile names linked to the Derry City job, the news has generally been greeted with a positive response from the fans, who have lavished praise on the board for selecting two men who are held in high esteem by the Brandywell faithful. In addition to being involved with Derry as coaching staff during successful periods, both Hegarty and Devine played for the Candystripes during their playing careers and are fondly remembered by locals. The cynical fan, however, points to Devine's lack of experience in top-flight management and criticises the Derry City board for pinching pennies at the expense of ambition. Nevertheless, Devine's experience in Irish football is vast, and he more than anyone has an insight into the philosophy of success that was instilled during the Kenny era. Such a dismissive attitude also completely denigrates the quality and knowledge of Devine's number two, Paul Hegarty, who steered Finn Harps to promotion, managed the Ballybofey side in the Premier Division and also managed Institute F.C.. Derry have certainly appointed an experienced team.

"Sometimes what you're looking for is under your nose and sometimes if doesn't come from Derry you think it must be better than what is in Derry; but I think we've were quite exhaustive in the process and I think we've ended up picking the right man for the job."

- Philip O'Doherty

Briefly entertaining the notion that the board could or should have appointed a different man, consider the realistic alternatives in light of the sensible principle of frugality applied by the board. Paul Cook, who is one of the most valued managers in Ireland, was mooted as a possibility, with the City board even making a formal approach. However, unlike Derry, Sligo Rovers is prepared to flood resources into buying players and without knowing the exact financial details of the west coast club, it is safe to say that such practice can and has been a recipe for disaster in Irish football, especially in recent years. The Derry City board wishes to create a strong foundation for the club which will ensure its financial survival and, one hopes, breed long-term success. Jim Magilton is another man whose name was mentioned in connection with the job, but, considering his managerial CV, the Belfast man would surely have wanted a substantial fee relative to others.

Current Stockport County assistant manager Willie McStay was also said to have been among the contenders, but would he have really been more suitable than Devine and Hegarty? McStay hasn't managed in Ireland since the mid-90s, so his knowledge of the league is undoubtedly not as comprehensive as that of either Devine or Hegarty. Granted, he was quite successful with Sligo Rovers in the early-to-mid-90s and would probably command respect as a result of his history with Celtic, but when compared with Devine and Hegarty, it is McStay who lacks experience. It is also rumoured that the Scot wanted to be flown in to Derry from Scotland and if there is any truth to the rumours, it displays an outrageous lack of respect for the club and its fans, not to mention a lack of genuine interest in the job. To think that a Conference National team assistant would demand to be regularly flown in to complete his duties as the manager of one of the biggest football clubs in Ireland is quite unbelievable really.


There is no denying that Declan Devine faces a difficult task in steadying the ship vacated by Stephen Kenny. An alarming number of first team players have already left the club and considering the club's expected frugality, Devine will need to cast his net far and wide to come up with appropriate replacements. It is likely that we will witness the promotion of a few more of the club's talented youth players and the recruitment of those plying their trade locally, but Devine and Hegarty may spring a surprise or two. Stalwarts Gerard Doherty, Eddie McCallion and Ruaidhri Higgins have already nailed their colours to the City mast and hopefully many more will follow their lead. If Devine can keep hold of young talent such as Stephen McLaughlin, the McEleney brothers, Daniel Lafferty et al, Derry can certainly challenge, but as yet, things remain unstable. Expectations of a top three finish should probably be readjusted, but until March, you never know. All eyes are on the Brandywell.

Who will be the next manager of Derry City?

 This article appeared on SportsNews Ireland


Back in early November, when Michael O'Neill was first linked with the Northern Ireland job, alarm bells were ringing in Derry. It seemed certain that, in light of their remarkable European and league success, Shamrock Rovers would be seeking the best manager in Ireland. And his name was Stephen Kenny.

Sure enough, as O'Neill quit the Rovers post in December 2011, Kenny's name was touted in the media and sure enough, the Dubliner had had talks with his hometown club. Many fans were livid with the apparent submission of the club to the financial might of Shamrock Rovers; they said it demonstrated a lack of ambition by the board. Derry had allegedly stalled on showing Kenny a budget - a claim that the Derry board strongly denies. However, when one considers all of the factors, it was always going to be difficult to keep Kenny.



So who will take up the reins at the Brandywell?

Derry City chairman Philip O'Doherty has stated that the board have set a deadline for applications at Friday January 6 and when questioned he gave the impression that he was not averse to having a local man take up the mantle. Speaking to the Sunday Journal, O'Doherty said that they had received "about 12" applications, but were keen for more. Sligo manager Paul Cook, arguably the most desirable candidate, ruled himself out following discussions with the club.

Jim Magilton (Guardian)

Jim Magilton
The Derry Journal has reported that the Derry City board have contacted former QPR and Ipswich manager Jim Magilton. A former Northern Ireland international, Belfast man Magilton was included in the Irish FA's three man shortlist for the job as Northern Ireland manager, but missed out at the expense of his former colleague, Michael O'Neill. Magilton's experience as a manager in England and as Michael O'Neill's assistant at Shamrock Rovers places him in an advantageous position, but he is likely to command a lucrative wage, something which might be a stumbling block.

Felix Healy (Donegal Democrat)

Felix Healy
Arguably one of the most gifted footballers to come out of Derry, Felix Healy enjoyed a successful football career which saw him line out for Coleraine and Derry City, picking up 4 caps for Northern Ireland along the way. He has also experienced relative success as a manager, which includes time steering the fortunes of Derry. In the period from 1994 to 1998, Healy won the League, League Cup and FAI Cup with Derry before resigning. The Derry man also managed Derry's local rivals Finn Harps where he guided them to promotion in 2004 before being sacked the following season. While he is currently employed in the role of Director of football with Finn Harps, Healy has not managed in quite some time. Nevertheless, his previous success with Derry would bolster his case

Peter Hutton (BBC)

Peter Hutton
Current Finn Harps manager Peter Hutton is one of the most respected characters in the League of Ireland, having enjoyed a successful playing career predominantly with Derry City, but also with Dublin club Shelbourne. A no-nonsense centre back, Hutton was a long-serving captain of his hometown club and has actually managed the club briefly on two occasions in 2004 and 2007, albeit in a caretaker-capacity. "Pizza" as he is known to fans, has been struggling with Finn Harps and he is relatively untried as a manager. Therefore, despite his iconic status, appointing Hutton would be a bit of a gamble by the Candystripes board.

Paul Hegarty (Sportsfile)

Paul Hegarty
Donegal man Hegarty has been linked with the vacant Derry City post and his appointment would not come as a surprise. A former Finn Harps and Derry City midfielder, "Heggsy" has had a number of forays into the world of coaching and has an abundance of experience managing teams in the north-west. Hegarty was the player-manager of Drumahoe side Institute from the period of 2002 to 2005, before joining Stephen Kenny at the Brandywell as assistant manager. Like Felix Healy and Peter Hutton, Hegarty has also managed Finn Harps, guiding them to promotion in 2007. However the Ballybofey side were relegated from the Premier Division in 2008 under Hegarty's stewardship and the Donegal man left the post in 2009.




Declan Devine

Declan Devine (Extratime Photos)

Devine could be an outside candidate for the role as Derry City manager, given his experience as assistant to Stephen Kenny. Devine plied his trade as a goalkeeper for a number of Irish clubs, including Derry City, Institute and Glentoran, before becoming a coach and he is a respected figure within the club. In 2006, Devine reluctantly followed Stephen Kenny to Scotland to become a coach at Dunfermline and followed him back to the Brandywell upon the Dubliner's return in 2007, so it has been suggested that Kenny will seek to have Devine as his number two at Tallaght. However, Devine may find the allure of management too desirable to pass up.