by Donal Keenan
These were happy times in Ulster football. Down, Donegal and Derry created history by winning three successive All-Ireland senior titles. Tyrone had lost to Down in the 1994 Ulster final. It was progress. In 1995 they reached the final again and beat Cavan. They beat Galway by three points in the All-Ireland semi-final. The community went wild. The build-up was colourful and fun. The players enjoyed every moment. They felt prepared and were without fear. Peter explains: ‘Winning the under-21 All-Irelands had changed attitudes. Up to then winning an Ulster title was an achievement and anything else was a bonus. But we had gone down to Croke Park and beaten the likes of Kerry and Dublin, and that was a big boost psychologically. The 1986 team had also inspired us. It had so many great players like [Eugene] McKenna, [Damien] O’Hagan and [Kevin] McCabe, as well as Paudge [Quinn]. We enjoyed getting to the final and everything that came with it.’
The final is memorable too, one of the most infamous in history, for which heartbreak was to be Tyrone’s lot. Peter Canavan scored eleven of Tyrone’s twelve points. Dublin scored one goal and ten points to win by one point. Peter had made the pass that led to an equalising point, but was penalised for picking the ball off the ground and the point did not stand. Dublin’s Charlie Redmond was sent off, but actually played on for a few minutes before referee Paddy Russell insisted on his removal. Peter’s performance was hailed as one of the best ever in a final. ‘I actually think I played a lot better in many other games, including that year’s semi-final,’ he insists. ‘I got a lot of scores from frees and I would have preferred to have been on the ball a lot more. It was a stop-start game. It wasn’t a free flowing game and can’t have been a great spectacle for the supporters.’
Pascal says: ‘It is only when you look back that you realise how poorly both teams played that day. Peter’s scoring was terrific, but our performance overall was not good enough. There was a lot of anger with the referee and a lot of regret. It was understandable at the time. But these things happen. We didn’t play well.’
Peter’s best memories of 1995 are of the build-up, of the pleasure he got from having his brother on the team and some close friends. Did he pick the ball off the ground? ‘No,’ he answers emphatically. ‘It was a marginal decision but it is one he [the referee] got wrong.’ There isn’t a hint of anger as he tells it. ‘I don’t hold a grudge against that man. I said that day and I have said it since that the Tyrone players made a lot more mistakes that day than Paddy Russell did. We didn’t do ourselves justice that day. I have never held it against him. There was a lot of controversy at the time and talk about objections but we wanted none of that. They had won on the field of play and that was it.’
He does display signs of annoyance when he reflects on 1996. ‘Losing the final in 1995 was heartbreaking but we did bounce back from it. We put two Ulster titles back to back and that hadn’t been done since the 1970s. And we played some great football in Ulster that year. We were young and still felt good enough. We thought we were stronger in 1996 and then we took a hammering in every sense of the word from Meath in the semi-final and we didn’t recover from that for a long time.
‘We had played Meath in a few challenge games and that was a mistake. They knew that if they went out and played football with us that we were younger and fresher. They knew their strength was their physicality and they used it. They used their strength to the full. Gradually they wore us down. I shouldn’t have remained on; I had damaged ankle ligaments in a heavy tackle in the first half. Brian Dooher was injured. Ciarán McBride was injured. The manner of the defeat that day was harder to take than any other and it took us years to recover.’
The late 1990s passed them by. A team that should have been reaching its peak was struggling. They lost the competitive edge, became pedestrian. But hope was sparked at under-age level. ‘Some of us were wondering about the future,’ Peter remembers, ‘but the emergence of a new group of young players was the spark. These guys were different. Stevie O’Neill, Cormac McAnallen, Brian McGuigan, Ryan McMenamin all came through. They were seriously good footballers with a great mentality and they were such a disciplined group. I’m not saying we had a problem with discipline. We didn’t. But some of us were living in the past, following old routines after games. These new guys were ambitious and they were tight, very disciplined and knowing what they wanted and how to get it. They had a really positive effect on the likes of myself and Chris Lawn. No doubt, they extended my career by a few years.’
* * *
The new kids grew up in a different era in Ulster to Peter and Pascal Canavan. They were historically aware, but had little experience of the troubled times in the 1970s, 1980s and much of the 1990s in the six counties in the north-east of Ireland. They were never subjected to roadblocks and searches, being detained on the side of the road and prevented from getting to training or getting home. They grew up at a time when the politicians were talking and arms were being laid down, fortifications were disassembled and a sense of normality returned to everyday lives.
‘We lived it,’ says Peter now, ‘but we took it in our stride. It was only when people pointed out how different our lives were that we took notice. And looking back now it does seem strange and unusual and we can understand why it was all so off-putting.’ He doesn’t go into too much detail. It was life. The security forces set up checkpoints. Inter-county footballers felt targeted. No one took responsibility. It was never official policy. But it was too much of a coincidence and happened too often not to be orchestrated in some way.
‘Whenever you went out of the house you expected to be stopped. We grew up with it and became accustomed to it. It was second nature. You didn’t look up when helicopters flew low overhead because you were used to it. Boys jumping out of ditches didn’t alarm you because it happened all the time. You knew when you were going to county training sessions that you were likely to be stopped. Your bag would be searched and your gear thrown around. And coming out of training afterwards they were waiting for you again and went through the same thing all over. I remember lads coming straight to training from the building sites and on the way home they would be held up, left standing on the roadside for an hour before they were let go home. They wouldn’t get home until after midnight.
‘It is unreal to think that it was allowed to happen. But it didn’t prevent us from going out again the next night because we loved what we were doing and we would not be stopped. The people in our communities and all over Tyrone had a great passion for football and we took great pride in representing them. It was annoying that it was happening just because we were training to be inter-county footballers, but we got on with it.’
Having lived through it, he has an ever-greater appre-ciation for life today. ‘Great strides have been made. I remember when I first went to college in Belfast and we were told not to wear our gear on the streets or around the college campus. Now you go to the colleges and the flags and banners are flying and on the streets people are wearing their county colours with pride and without fear.’
As the political situation changed, so did the GAA. The lifting of the ban on members of the security forces joining the GAA and the opening of Croke Park to soccer and rugby caused real anxiety in Northern Ireland. Peter Canavan shared that feeling. ‘I remember at the time of the debate about the opening of Croke Park and I said that it would be a sad day for the GAA to see a Union Jack flying over Hill 16. That was how I felt. When it did happen it wasn’t gratifying to see it. It wasn’t gratifying to see England playing in Croke Park. But it was the right thing for the GAA to do. The majority of people here realised it was the right thing to do, but they were coming from the same position I was, having experienced what we did.
‘It wasn’t easy and our feelings were being diminished by some people in the south who said that we were living in the past. It was hard to swallow. But opening Croke Park was right without doubt and the association generally has benefited from that decision. It was a courageous step to take. Our games have become s
tronger as a result. More people around the world are aware of Croke Park now and they have become curious about Gaelic games and that is good for everyone.
* * *
Tyrone may have endured a lean period in the late 1990s, but Peter Canavan was enjoying his elevation to international status. He enjoyed playing with some of the great Ulster teams during the decade, among forward lines that contained some sensational talent. But to get the chance to play for his country and to prepare in an environment as close to professional as a Gaelic footballer can experience meant a great deal to him. He enjoyed the highs of back-to-back test series victories in 1998 and 1999 and endured the lows of defeat and the violence which sometimes occurred during those games and which earned him a suspension. He acknowledges the problems with the game but is a staunch supporter.
‘As a Gaelic footballer you watch other Irishmen playing for their country in soccer and rugby and you would love to be in that position. The International Rules series gives us that opportunity. It is the nearest thing we have to an international game and the players value it tremendously,’ he insists. ‘There is more to it than just the games. It is the training, being involved in a set up that is like being involved with a professional game. We got to see the lifestyle of being a full-time sportsman, training and playing with the best footballers in Ireland, and being well looked after and made feel important.
‘My experiences over the years have been largely positive. You have to take the odd hiding now and again but I would gladly do it all over again. The violence in some of the games during that time does leave a stain, but only a small bit. Some of the games in the 1980s were a total disgrace, but I think the authorities are trying everything to get rid of that element from the game. There is now a mutual respect between the two associations and the two sets of players, and as long as that exists we have the basis of a great game. It can’t happen every year but I think a bi-annual event is worth holding on to.
‘Gaelic games are now played all over the world, but we are nowhere near a situation where you could have competitive games. International Rules gives our players the chance to play for Ireland and that is very important. It also gets people talking about Gaelic football; it gives them knowledge of our game. More people are aware of our game as a result of the series with Australia and that is good. We should continue to promote our own game as well.’
At the same time he was instrumental in the setting up of the players’ representative body, the Gaelic Players Association. It was a controversial move that was not readily appreciated by the authorities locally and nationally. They were regarded as rebels who were operating against the spirit of the GAA. Canavan understood the concerns of some people. The spectre of professionalism created fears within the GAA and he recognised that. The GPA was never about professionalism and he always believed it should be adopted as the official voice of the players. ‘I just didn’t think it would take so long for the GPA to be officially recognised. Now that it has happened it will be good for the players and the association in general.’
He has witnessed the enormous changes that took place in the game during his playing career. The commitment and sacrifice have magnified beyond all expectation. Even since he retired in 2005 he has noticed the increased demands faced by players. This needs to be recognised and addressed. The GPA has to be part of that process. ‘The GPA was born out of necessity,’ he says. ‘We need to look after our players properly. We need to create pathways that will allow our players to train and play, give the commitment that is now required, without having concerns about external issues. All their needs, including medical, must be taken care of. It is not about being paid. No one wants that.
‘Of course there are some players out there who would jump at the chance of being a professional. I was never in favour of professionalism. The game couldn’t sustain it. The majority of players are realistic that it is never going to happen. Of course players would love to have the lifestyle of a Brian O’Driscoll or Ronan O’Gara. It is a natural instinct. But that is not what drives you to play Gaelic games. If it is what drives you then you can go and play soccer or rugby or something else. GAA players don’t look for too much, just basic welfare issues. We need to encourage our players and ensure that they are taken care of. Any youngster who is going to give the amount of time required to play our games at the highest level needs the assurance that he will have access to the best support systems and the best advice.’
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Between 1990 and 2007 Pascal and Peter Canavan played together for club, county and province. Their last game was the Tyrone Championship quarter-final of 2007 when Errigal Chiaráin lost to Dromore. No one was better placed to pass judgement on the talent of the man known nationally as Peter the Great than his older brother. ‘It was always very enjoyable playing with him,’ says Pascal, ‘and with him in your team you always knew you had a better chance of winning. The fact that we were brothers and had played together all our lives obviously helped. He was a special talent and not just because of his score-getting. He had this drive about him. He got the best out of himself, but he also got the best out of others. His motivation techniques were very important. He was a leader on the field and in the dressing-room.’
Though Peter had relinquished the captaincy, his leader-ship qualities shone throughout 2004. Their young team-mate Cormac McAnallen died suddenly in March. Things were put into perspective. Peter and the senior players rallied those around them. They got back to their football and dedicated themselves to winning another Championship in memory of their friend. Peter remembers the 2005 All-Ireland final against Kerry with affection. ‘There was a new belief in Tyrone. From scraping on our hands and knees to win an All-Ireland, we had developed the confidence to go out and win a final playing some of the best football against Kerry. We took on Kerry at their own game and beat them. Some of the scores were outstanding that day. It was very gratifying.’ In the dressing-room after the game Peter announced his retirement.
He became club captain and with Pascal again alongside him they won the County Championship. Both of them retired from club football in 2007 – and went directly into management. Pascal has been heavily involved in coaching teams at St Kieran’s in Ballygawley where he now teaches. Peter had created the coaching structures at Holy Trinity in Cookstown that would bring that school many major successes, including the 2010 All-Ireland Under-16 Vocational Schools title. Pascal, along with Brendan Trainor, coached Mullahoran in Cavan before taking on Kilrea in Derry. He is also involved with the Errigal Chiaráin under-14 girls’ team.
Pascal and Una have four daughters, Catherine, Fiona, Emer and Maeve. Peter’s plans for some quality time with his family (he and Finola have two daughters, Áine and Claire, and two sons, Darragh and Ruairí) away from football were disrupted when old friends persuaded him to take charge of Errigal Chiaráin in 2009.
So, is he a future Tyrone manager? ‘I can’t say I have or haven’t an ambition to manage Tyrone. I’m not sure. It’s definitely not a target. If it was I would have a route marked out as to how I would do it and I don’t have that. I don’t have any designs as yet and I am certainly not near ready for a jump of that magnitude. Anyway I would be quite happy if the man we have in charge stayed for another ten years.’
Determination: Peter Canavan in action for his club, Errigal Chiaráin. © Oliver McVeigh/SPORTSFILE
The Brogan Brothers
Bernard (left) and Alan Brogan celebrate Dublin’s success in the Leinster football championship in 2007 when both were goalscorers. © Brendan Moran/SPORTSFILE
Do you remember the summer of 2002? Can anyone forget? Roy Keane and Saipan. A national crisis of quite different proportions to the one currently being experienced, but one which nonetheless divided opinions and from which there was no escape on the airwaves, in the newspapers and in daily debate. The Republic of Ireland eventually got around to playing soccer in Japan, opening their World Cup campaign against Cameroon in the city of Niigata on 1 Ju
ne. On the other side of the world Alan Brogan, a keen soccer player in his teens, took an interest in the international events but had a series of distractions to contend with at home.
While the nation seemed paralysed by the drama taking place in East Asia, people were actually getting on with their lives, business and sport other than soccer. The provincial football Championships were getting under way. The Dublin football team was scheduled to play in the opening round of the Leinster campaign against Wexford in Carlow’s Dr Cullen Park on that Saturday evening. The game had a 5.30 evening start to avoid a clash with the big soccer game. Alan Brogan was making his Senior Football Championship debut. The return of the Brogan name to the Dubs for the first time since the early 1980s created sufficient stir to qualify for some space in the national media.
As momentous as the occasion might have been, Alan himself had other things on his mind. Then a student at NUI Maynooth, he was due to sit an exam on the day of the game along with team-mate Barry Cahill. The exam was scheduled to start at 2.30 p.m., which would have prevented them from making the journey to Carlow in time to start the game. The university guardians were alerted to the quandary. They met and agreed to a dispensation for the two footballers. Alan and Barry were allowed take the examination together in the morning, but under strict supervision.
‘Willie Hughes was a garda sergeant at the time,’ recalls Alan, ‘and he had won an All-Ireland medal with Dublin in 1983. The deal was that he would escort us for the day, wouldn’t let us out of his sight. The other students were sitting the exam at half-past two, so we couldn’t have any contact with them. Willie stuck with us until we got to Carlow to play the game.’ It was a gesture from the college that is still appreciated eight years later. The game itself is not as fondly remembered by Alan. ‘I only played okay. Got a point. Jayo [Jason Sherlock] came on for me and got two points.’ Others were more impressed. The manager of the time, Tommy Lyons, stuck with the young prodigy as Dublin embarked on a memorable Championship run that ended in agony in the All-Ireland semi-final when they lost to Armagh by a point. But the Brogan bloodline was back with the Dubs. A new career was born.