I WAS A pretty good Gaelic player and we had a good Gaelic school, St Aidan’s CBS in Whitehall and we had this challenge match against a Galway team, was it St Jarlath’s? Nothing on it, it was just a challenge match. But, I had been picked to play for Ireland as an U15 and captain the team in Wales. And the head brother told me that if I missed the match against St Jarlath’s, don’t come back to the school. - Liam Brady, Second Captains, 2015
Given that his career saw him win two Serie A titles with Juventus, an FA Cup and PFA Players’ Player of the Year with Arsenal and more than 70 caps for Ireland, it’s fair to say that Liam Brady doesn’t regret his decision in 1971, at the age of 15, to choose a soccer match over a Gaelic football one.
That his school opted to expel him for that decision, something they denied at the time, is one that makes for an interesting historical footnote, especially when you consider their recent success in the 11-man game.
This year alone, St Aidan’s were U17 Dublin A Metropolitan League Soccer Champions as well as Leinster U19 A Soccer Champions and sent two players – Gavin Kilkenny (Bournemouth) and Robert Dunne (Sunderland) — to the Premier League.
The U16 GAA team celebrate their Dublin A final win. Michael Kelly / St Aidan's
Michael Kelly / St Aidan's / St Aidan's
That doesn’t mean they’re abandoning Gaelic football, however, as they claimed the U16 Dublin A GAA Championship and boast the current Dublin minor captain, Donal Ryan, among their students.
Advertisement
Part of the current success is down to the facilities in Whitehall. In September last year, they opened a brand new 4G all-weather pitch, one they share with St Kevin’s football club.
There’s also a basketball/badminton court with a fully functioning gym that gives the students the opportunity to work on their strength and conditioning; facilities previously the preserve of fee-paying schools.
Soccer coach and geography teacher Michael Kelly — as well as some of the students — explains how it all comes together:
The result of these efforts to improve facilities and coaching at the school speak for themselves.
Here, for example, is this year’s trophy haul:
Leinster U19 A Soccer Champions
U17 Dublin A Metropolitan League Soccer Champions
U16 Dublin A GAA Champions
All-Ireland Senior A Basketball Champions
Senior Dublin A Basketball Champions
1st Year Basketball A Shield Champions
Leinster Athletics A Champions
All Ireland Track and Field CBS Schools Champions 2016
Fintan Farry 64kg Individual Judo All Ireland Champion
5 Evening Herald Sports Stars of the Week
Healing
The rift between Brady and the school, and the school and association football, has healed to the extent that he is now a semi-regular visitor — sometimes handing out the Player of the Year award (soccer) — while St Aidan’s no longer need to accept old Ascoli jerseys for secret teams.
Brady in action against Luxembourg in 1987. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
The success, and facilities, of St Aidan’s may be the envy of a lot of schools but, speaking to the students, it comes down to two things; the hard work of the students and the dedication of their teachers:
The school that went from expelling Liam Brady for playing soccer to dominating the sport
Given that his career saw him win two Serie A titles with Juventus, an FA Cup and PFA Players’ Player of the Year with Arsenal and more than 70 caps for Ireland, it’s fair to say that Liam Brady doesn’t regret his decision in 1971, at the age of 15, to choose a soccer match over a Gaelic football one.
That his school opted to expel him for that decision, something they denied at the time, is one that makes for an interesting historical footnote, especially when you consider their recent success in the 11-man game.
This year alone, St Aidan’s were U17 Dublin A Metropolitan League Soccer Champions as well as Leinster U19 A Soccer Champions and sent two players – Gavin Kilkenny (Bournemouth) and Robert Dunne (Sunderland) — to the Premier League.
That doesn’t mean they’re abandoning Gaelic football, however, as they claimed the U16 Dublin A GAA Championship and boast the current Dublin minor captain, Donal Ryan, among their students.
Part of the current success is down to the facilities in Whitehall. In September last year, they opened a brand new 4G all-weather pitch, one they share with St Kevin’s football club.
There’s also a basketball/badminton court with a fully functioning gym that gives the students the opportunity to work on their strength and conditioning; facilities previously the preserve of fee-paying schools.
Soccer coach and geography teacher Michael Kelly — as well as some of the students — explains how it all comes together:
The result of these efforts to improve facilities and coaching at the school speak for themselves.
Here, for example, is this year’s trophy haul:
Healing
The rift between Brady and the school, and the school and association football, has healed to the extent that he is now a semi-regular visitor — sometimes handing out the Player of the Year award (soccer) — while St Aidan’s no longer need to accept old Ascoli jerseys for secret teams.
The success, and facilities, of St Aidan’s may be the envy of a lot of schools but, speaking to the students, it comes down to two things; the hard work of the students and the dedication of their teachers:
Additional reporting by Eoin Lúc Ó Ceallaigh
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Ascoli GAA Liam Brady school's in Soccer St. Aidan's C.B.S Times change none