THEY’RE LIKE THE three wise men in the corner, holding court in one of Prague’s many Irish pubs and putting the world to rights.
Like the majority of Republic of Ireland supporters here in the Czech capital, these Donegal men are on the phones tapping up contacts to try and source tickets for tomorrow’s World Cup play-off.
On the left is Bobby Cunningham, now in his 70s and a veteran of away days following the international team since 1988.
On the right is Stephen Burke, a decade or so younger, who only really got hooked just before the Covid pandemic.
“I realised after a while why they wanted me around, it was to be their carer, to look after them,” he teases.
And, in the middle, with his green trilby, is Frankie Murrin. He celebrated his 77th birthday last week and is still hoping for a belated present in the form of a precious ticket.
If he really wanted to push his luck, he has an ace up his sleeve, although it’s not a favour he likes to call upon.
“In Killybegs I’m known as the manager who first played Seamie Coleman in a game . . . but I’m also known as the man who didn’t pick him for the Under-12s,” Murrin laughs.
A stalwart of the Ireland international’s local club, St Catherine’s, Murrin speaks like a proud grandfather as he recalls young Seamie being led down to their small pitch by his father Henry.
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“He said ‘we’ve a young fella here who is very keen’. Seamie was already togged out at the house and ready to go. Straight away we could see he was keen.”
Frankie is quick to point out coaches John Conwell and Brian Dorian as key figures in Coleman’s development as he rose into the St Catherine’s first team before joining Sligo Rovers.
“They could see him going up the wing, he would beat two or three players, he’d cross the ball. He didn’t want to be beaten. And from the word go he was dedicated.
Maire Coleman, his mother, comes from a big GAA family and while countless cousins are all involved with Kilybegs, Seamie was destined to follow a different path in football.
His older brother Francis was “a GAA man” while the eldest sibling Stevie, who turns 50 later this year, has Cerebral Palsy and was actually the first member of the family to represent Ireland when he was part of the team that won a bronze medal at the Special Olympics World Games in 2003.
“He never got big-headed about what he was doing. He’s still the same Seamie now as when he was going to school,” Frankie says.
When he first got into the Everton reserve team, Fawltys in Killybegs got a subscription to the Premier League club’s web channel so they could show games in the bar.
When he would then return to the family home on St Cummin’s Hill estate, word would spread of his presence.
“There could be groups of kids, five and six-year-olds, knocking on the door asking him to come out onto the green to play football. He could be out there with 10 or 15 kids but he would always do it.”
He’s not quite a Pied Piper figure but Coleman’s influence certainly extends to this young Ireland team. He was brought back into the international squad for the second half of qualifying as Ireland finished the campaign with three wins in a row and a thrilling, dramatic crescendo in Budapest courtesy of Troy Parrott’s hat-trick.
“Seamie was back in the dressing room, that was the secret,” Burke says. “He’s got the magic touch.”
They were there to savour it in Hungary, and Cunningham, a Kilcar man as he is keen to point out, is hopeful of returning to the World Cup stage having travelled to Italia ’90, USA ’94 and Korea/Japan in 2002.
“And with Seamie there it would be even more special.”
They’re not fussed how it happens or how they get together. “We were there for Ray Houghton’s goal against Italy in ’94. We were behind the goal but so far up in the air the planes were going below us,” Murrin laughs.
The hope now is that Ireland can reach another improbable height.
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'He’s got the Glen blood in him' – Seamus Coleman's first coach in Donegal has made it to Prague
THEY’RE LIKE THE three wise men in the corner, holding court in one of Prague’s many Irish pubs and putting the world to rights.
Like the majority of Republic of Ireland supporters here in the Czech capital, these Donegal men are on the phones tapping up contacts to try and source tickets for tomorrow’s World Cup play-off.
On the left is Bobby Cunningham, now in his 70s and a veteran of away days following the international team since 1988.
On the right is Stephen Burke, a decade or so younger, who only really got hooked just before the Covid pandemic.
“I realised after a while why they wanted me around, it was to be their carer, to look after them,” he teases.
And, in the middle, with his green trilby, is Frankie Murrin. He celebrated his 77th birthday last week and is still hoping for a belated present in the form of a precious ticket.
If he really wanted to push his luck, he has an ace up his sleeve, although it’s not a favour he likes to call upon.
“In Killybegs I’m known as the manager who first played Seamie Coleman in a game . . . but I’m also known as the man who didn’t pick him for the Under-12s,” Murrin laughs.
A stalwart of the Ireland international’s local club, St Catherine’s, Murrin speaks like a proud grandfather as he recalls young Seamie being led down to their small pitch by his father Henry.
“He said ‘we’ve a young fella here who is very keen’. Seamie was already togged out at the house and ready to go. Straight away we could see he was keen.”
Frankie is quick to point out coaches John Conwell and Brian Dorian as key figures in Coleman’s development as he rose into the St Catherine’s first team before joining Sligo Rovers.
“They could see him going up the wing, he would beat two or three players, he’d cross the ball. He didn’t want to be beaten. And from the word go he was dedicated.
“He’s got the Glen blood in him.”
Different path
Maire Coleman, his mother, comes from a big GAA family and while countless cousins are all involved with Kilybegs, Seamie was destined to follow a different path in football.
His older brother Francis was “a GAA man” while the eldest sibling Stevie, who turns 50 later this year, has Cerebral Palsy and was actually the first member of the family to represent Ireland when he was part of the team that won a bronze medal at the Special Olympics World Games in 2003.
“He never got big-headed about what he was doing. He’s still the same Seamie now as when he was going to school,” Frankie says.
When he first got into the Everton reserve team, Fawltys in Killybegs got a subscription to the Premier League club’s web channel so they could show games in the bar.
When he would then return to the family home on St Cummin’s Hill estate, word would spread of his presence.
“There could be groups of kids, five and six-year-olds, knocking on the door asking him to come out onto the green to play football. He could be out there with 10 or 15 kids but he would always do it.”
He’s not quite a Pied Piper figure but Coleman’s influence certainly extends to this young Ireland team. He was brought back into the international squad for the second half of qualifying as Ireland finished the campaign with three wins in a row and a thrilling, dramatic crescendo in Budapest courtesy of Troy Parrott’s hat-trick.
“Seamie was back in the dressing room, that was the secret,” Burke says. “He’s got the magic touch.”
They were there to savour it in Hungary, and Cunningham, a Kilcar man as he is keen to point out, is hopeful of returning to the World Cup stage having travelled to Italia ’90, USA ’94 and Korea/Japan in 2002.
“And with Seamie there it would be even more special.”
They’re not fussed how it happens or how they get together. “We were there for Ray Houghton’s goal against Italy in ’94. We were behind the goal but so far up in the air the planes were going below us,” Murrin laughs.
The hope now is that Ireland can reach another improbable height.
Written by David Sneyd and posted on TheJournal.ie
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2026 world cup play off child of prague Republic Of Ireland Soccer Three amigos