Pictured is AIB ambassador Eoin Bradley (Glenullin) ahead of the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland intermediate club championship final between Glenullin and An Ghaeltacht. Dan Sheridan/INPHO
Eoin Bradley
'It's the top': After colourful GAA and soccer career, an All-Ireland club bid at 42
Nothing compares to wearing the green and gold of Glenullin in Croke Park for Derry dual star.
“LIKE A FINE wine, get better as you get older,” Eoin Bradley quips before the interview begins in earnest.
After a long and colourful career which included inter-county football with Derry and Irish League soccer with Coleraine and Glenavon, Bradley is gearing up for an All-Ireland club final, aged 42.
Wearing the green and gold of Glenullin in Croke Park, nothing compares to this.
‘Skinner’ doesn’t hesitate when he’s asked where it ranks.
“It’s the top. I’ve no bother saying that. I’ve won club championships, the senior championship in 2007, a couple of intermediates and I’ve won Irish Cups with Coleraine and Glenavon.
“But this year, the first time the club’s ever won Ulster and now the first time ever in an All-Ireland final, I don’t think anything will ever top this year…unless I play for another 10 or 15 years, but I can’t see it!
“This year’s the best ever. Growing up, for a youngster, in GAA terms, to run out on Croke Park for his club, that’s the ultimate goal. I’m getting to do it on Sunday, I don’t think anything will ever beat that.
Bradley celebrates with Chrissy Dempsey and Ryan McNicholl after the Ulster semi-final. Dan Clohessy / INPHO
Dan Clohessy / INPHO / INPHO
“From when I was no height at all, it was always Glenullin. I’ve played soccer, I’ve played for Derry, I’ve played everything, but it didn’t matter. Daddy had it drove into you that Glenullin is all that matters. You start with your club and you finish with your club. Everything else in between is great, I’m not being disrespectful to nobody, but at the end of the day, this here is the be all and end all for us.”
Naturally, the memories come flooding back. The ties that bind. Just how much this means.
His father is Liam ‘Baker’ Bradley, former Glenullin and Derry player and Antrim manager. His brother Paddy was also a legendary player for club and county. A family steeped in Gaelic football.
“Dad’s just fanatical,” says Bradley. “Anything I’ve ever done, whether it’s soccer or Gaelic, it didn’t matter, he supported me. But it’s always been Gaelic.
“From when me and Patrick were no height, like four or five years of age, on the road, we’d sit in the back and we used to sing songs going to training. He was always involved. I think he made me and Paddy the players (we became). He used to tell us, ‘Take men on’.
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Reeling in the years: Eoin and Paddy Bradley pictured in 2011. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
“Me and Patrick were renowned for taking players on throughout our careers, and he had that drove into me from when I was young: ‘Take players on, never turn back, take men on, take men on, take men on.’ I think throughout my career, that’s probably one of my biggest attributes, taking men on. It’s stood me in good stead, and that’s just one of the things.
“It means so much to, not just Daddy, everybody in the club. There’s so many people who have done so much work in the club, and I can’t thank them enough. Maybe a way to thank them would be if we could win on Sunday.”
No lying in front of the fire for these men!
Pre-season Training? ❌
Training for an All Ireland Final? ✅
A big thank you to the Glenullin Ultra's Army for their work yesterday and today in trying to clear enough of the pitch for our All Ireland finalists to train on.💚💛 pic.twitter.com/PY3xTb9iSl
From the back of the car singing songs, to some of the biggest stages in Ireland and further afield, it has been some journey. A rollercoaster, at times.
There were good and bad inter-county days with Derry. European nights with Coleraine and Glenavon. Two games some days, first with an Irish League side and then home to Glenullin. Trips to Boston, London and Australia playing ball. Croke Park to Windsor Park and back again.
“I don’t think players could do it now — I don’t think it would be fair to ask players to do it, but I was lucky enough just at that time in my career it worked, and it worked well, lucky for me,” Bradley smiles.
Pointing the way for Derry in 2006. Andrew Paton / INPHO
Andrew Paton / INPHO / INPHO
Enjoyment and ‘very little training’ — he laughs — have been key in keeping the show on the road into a fifth decade.
“The thing that really helped me, I’d say over the last 10 to 15 years, was the soccer. I didn’t do pile of training, but the soccer kept me sharp, and then the Gaelic, physically.
“I wouldn’t be big into gym work, it’s more stretching and recovery. Strength and conditioning, you need it, but me at 42 years of age, I don’t need it. I’m not dissing it, but there’s things you need and there’s things you don’t. If I’m out plastering or out on a site working, I don’t need to be going to the gym that evening and doing strength and conditioning.
“It’d be more just maintaining my body, not putting on any excess weight and stuff like that. There’s no point in slogging me. It’s prolonged it a wee bit, and hopefully I can prolong it a bit further.”
Celebrating a goal for Coleraine in 2021. Presseye / Matt Mackey/INPHO
Presseye / Matt Mackey/INPHO / Matt Mackey/INPHO
His perspective has changed somewhat through the years, enjoyment and appreciation levels increasing with age. How couldn’t they be on the road to Croke Park with his club?
“I probably enjoy it more. I’ve never got nervous in my life. The bigger the game, probably the better I think I play. Hopefully I’m not scudding myself!
“There’s no point being nervous, that’s what you train for. If you enjoy yourself, you’ll play with freedom. I think that’s been my motto through all my career, and I think that’s why it’s been such a long and good career.
“As you get older, you probably appreciate it more, because you know you haven’t many games left, so you probably enjoy it even more. You’re trying to tell young boys, ‘enjoy it,’ and they maybe think, ‘Well, it’s going to happen every year,’ but it doesn’t.”
Encouraging younger team-mates and sharing experience and knowledge is part of his MO now. “It’s all about people coming behind. If I don’t help them, who’s going to help them? You have to be a senior player. It’s not about Eoin Bradley anymore. I’m not going to do what I done 10 years ago.”
He’ll still roll back the years here and there, with a breathtaking score or two:
🏆🏐 @GlenullinGAC@skinnerlad with the last touch of today’s McFeely Group IFC final with a two point free 😮💨 What an impact he had in the closing stages!
Bradley was happy to sacrifice the festivities and silly season for a bigger prize.
“I have another 30 or 40 Christmases in front of me, I don’t have another 30 or 40 All-Ireland finals to play in,” he grins.
One is all that matters.
The R word is floated at one point. He knows he’s in the twilight zone and the time will come, but Eoin Bradley will enjoy the last of the summer wine while it’s still there.
Bradley with Aidan Walsh (An Ghaeltacht) ahead of the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland intermediate club championship final. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“I’ll not make that decision yet, but if we won on Sunday, you can’t really top it at my age, can you? I don’t know. The body’s not getting easier, it’s taking that wee bit longer to recover.
“But look, I’ve had some time of it, so I don’t really mind either way. Maybe Michael (O’Kane, Glenullin manager) will retire me anyway, it wouldn’t matter!
“At the end of the day, it’s all about Sunday. Say if we won, celebrate it for a while, that’s all that matters at this stage.”
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'It's the top': After colourful GAA and soccer career, an All-Ireland club bid at 42
“LIKE A FINE wine, get better as you get older,” Eoin Bradley quips before the interview begins in earnest.
After a long and colourful career which included inter-county football with Derry and Irish League soccer with Coleraine and Glenavon, Bradley is gearing up for an All-Ireland club final, aged 42.
Wearing the green and gold of Glenullin in Croke Park, nothing compares to this.
‘Skinner’ doesn’t hesitate when he’s asked where it ranks.
“It’s the top. I’ve no bother saying that. I’ve won club championships, the senior championship in 2007, a couple of intermediates and I’ve won Irish Cups with Coleraine and Glenavon.
“But this year, the first time the club’s ever won Ulster and now the first time ever in an All-Ireland final, I don’t think anything will ever top this year…unless I play for another 10 or 15 years, but I can’t see it!
“This year’s the best ever. Growing up, for a youngster, in GAA terms, to run out on Croke Park for his club, that’s the ultimate goal. I’m getting to do it on Sunday, I don’t think anything will ever beat that.
“From when I was no height at all, it was always Glenullin. I’ve played soccer, I’ve played for Derry, I’ve played everything, but it didn’t matter. Daddy had it drove into you that Glenullin is all that matters. You start with your club and you finish with your club. Everything else in between is great, I’m not being disrespectful to nobody, but at the end of the day, this here is the be all and end all for us.”
Naturally, the memories come flooding back. The ties that bind. Just how much this means.
His father is Liam ‘Baker’ Bradley, former Glenullin and Derry player and Antrim manager. His brother Paddy was also a legendary player for club and county. A family steeped in Gaelic football.
“Dad’s just fanatical,” says Bradley. “Anything I’ve ever done, whether it’s soccer or Gaelic, it didn’t matter, he supported me. But it’s always been Gaelic.
“From when me and Patrick were no height, like four or five years of age, on the road, we’d sit in the back and we used to sing songs going to training. He was always involved. I think he made me and Paddy the players (we became). He used to tell us, ‘Take men on’.
“Me and Patrick were renowned for taking players on throughout our careers, and he had that drove into me from when I was young: ‘Take players on, never turn back, take men on, take men on, take men on.’ I think throughout my career, that’s probably one of my biggest attributes, taking men on. It’s stood me in good stead, and that’s just one of the things.
“It means so much to, not just Daddy, everybody in the club. There’s so many people who have done so much work in the club, and I can’t thank them enough. Maybe a way to thank them would be if we could win on Sunday.”
From the back of the car singing songs, to some of the biggest stages in Ireland and further afield, it has been some journey. A rollercoaster, at times.
There were good and bad inter-county days with Derry. European nights with Coleraine and Glenavon. Two games some days, first with an Irish League side and then home to Glenullin. Trips to Boston, London and Australia playing ball. Croke Park to Windsor Park and back again.
“I don’t think players could do it now — I don’t think it would be fair to ask players to do it, but I was lucky enough just at that time in my career it worked, and it worked well, lucky for me,” Bradley smiles.
Enjoyment and ‘very little training’ — he laughs — have been key in keeping the show on the road into a fifth decade.
“The thing that really helped me, I’d say over the last 10 to 15 years, was the soccer. I didn’t do pile of training, but the soccer kept me sharp, and then the Gaelic, physically.
“I wouldn’t be big into gym work, it’s more stretching and recovery. Strength and conditioning, you need it, but me at 42 years of age, I don’t need it. I’m not dissing it, but there’s things you need and there’s things you don’t. If I’m out plastering or out on a site working, I don’t need to be going to the gym that evening and doing strength and conditioning.
“It’d be more just maintaining my body, not putting on any excess weight and stuff like that. There’s no point in slogging me. It’s prolonged it a wee bit, and hopefully I can prolong it a bit further.”
His perspective has changed somewhat through the years, enjoyment and appreciation levels increasing with age. How couldn’t they be on the road to Croke Park with his club?
“I probably enjoy it more. I’ve never got nervous in my life. The bigger the game, probably the better I think I play. Hopefully I’m not scudding myself!
“There’s no point being nervous, that’s what you train for. If you enjoy yourself, you’ll play with freedom. I think that’s been my motto through all my career, and I think that’s why it’s been such a long and good career.
“As you get older, you probably appreciate it more, because you know you haven’t many games left, so you probably enjoy it even more. You’re trying to tell young boys, ‘enjoy it,’ and they maybe think, ‘Well, it’s going to happen every year,’ but it doesn’t.”
Encouraging younger team-mates and sharing experience and knowledge is part of his MO now. “It’s all about people coming behind. If I don’t help them, who’s going to help them? You have to be a senior player. It’s not about Eoin Bradley anymore. I’m not going to do what I done 10 years ago.”
He’ll still roll back the years here and there, with a breathtaking score or two:
Bradley was happy to sacrifice the festivities and silly season for a bigger prize.
“I have another 30 or 40 Christmases in front of me, I don’t have another 30 or 40 All-Ireland finals to play in,” he grins.
One is all that matters.
The R word is floated at one point. He knows he’s in the twilight zone and the time will come, but Eoin Bradley will enjoy the last of the summer wine while it’s still there.
“I’ll not make that decision yet, but if we won on Sunday, you can’t really top it at my age, can you? I don’t know. The body’s not getting easier, it’s taking that wee bit longer to recover.
“But look, I’ve had some time of it, so I don’t really mind either way. Maybe Michael (O’Kane, Glenullin manager) will retire me anyway, it wouldn’t matter!
“At the end of the day, it’s all about Sunday. Say if we won, celebrate it for a while, that’s all that matters at this stage.”
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Eoin Bradley GAA Skinner