ON A FREEZING afternoon in early December, as the fog shrouded the Croke Park stands eerily empty of fans, the 2020 Tipperary football journey drew to a close.
The last championship game Alan Campbell and Bill Maher played together for their native county.
They manned the defensive posts that day against Mayo, just like they had a fortnight before in the November sunlight in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, architects of history as Tipperary’s 85-year wait for a Munster senior football title ended.
A chapter closed at home.
Two years and four months later, another one began miles away.
12 days ago, Campbell and Maher were back playing a championship game together. Standing on the Gaelic Park pitch in a corner of the Bronx, underneath the subway line and the Saturday night lights. Side by side in defence as New York carved out a slice of Connacht history, overcoming Leitrim on penalties and planning a transatlantic trip to face Sligo this Saturday.
“I didn’t think I’d ever be playing for a different county, full stop,” says Campbell.
“Never mind playing with Bill. It’s mad the way it’s all worked out.”
If they didn’t see this intertwined sporting journey coming, who else could have? Years spent in Tipperary dressing rooms as Moyle Rovers and Kilsheelan-Kilcash products was one thing. That life would take them both to sharing an apartment in Upper East Side in Manhattan at the same time as New York GAA took a major leap forward, was another.
They took different paths to get here. Campbell was a software engineer for Bloomberg in Dublin. He’d toyed with the idea of transferring to their New York office, looked into pursuing it in late 2019 and then Covid applied the brakes a few months later.
Still there was a spin-off of good fortune. The pandemic kept him playing football at home and available for Tipperary’s momentous provincial breakthrough. Missing that would have sparked a lifetime of regret.
He played the 2021 league with Tipperary and by that summrr was ready to take flight.
“I’ll be here two years in June. Live close to the work office, about 20 blocks down. Settled in well.
“Although it’s more like home than I would have envisaged with club and county football. But it’s all good.”
Maher moved over last November. He started seriously looking into it in the summer, but it was always an idea swirling around in his head. His parents lived in New York for a few years, his older sister Nicole was born there before they moved back to settle south Tipperary.
“It was always something I wanted to do. Australia, Dubai, London – none of them never really appealed to me, if I was going to move abroad, it was always going to be to New York.
“After 2021, I said I’d have one more season with Tipp and head off then.”
There are family roots in the area. His uncle Jim is a Grangemockler native and long-time New York resident. Cousins of his parents are based there. Amidst the chaos in Gaelic Park after the seismic Leitrim win, familiar faces popped up.
“Jim moved here over 30 years ago, same time as my parents. He’s pretty involved in the GAA here, with the Tipp hurling club.
“I saw them after the game. Made it a bit more like home, when you stand out on the field after a win and you’re talking for ages.
“Jim and his wife Maureen rang Mam straight away. So I was on the phone to her and Dad on the pitch. It was great to have that family connection.”
Maher works for J.T. Magen. In Ireland he is a quantity surveyor, in the USA an estimator. Same line of work. On his first day, he was put sitting in the office next to another newcomer – Kerry’s Gavin O’Brien, the midfield director for New York.
When it came to finding an apartment, he linked up with Campbell and another friend from home, Ardfinnan’s Mickey O’Sullivan. Alumni of High School Clonmel, their UL college days had crossed over and they all previously shared a house in Sandyford in Dublin.
As transitions go it has been seamless.
“It’s an Irish company, nearly every estimator is Irish. We do a lot of fit outs – offices, shop fronts, store fronts. I’d be on jobs all around New York, a couple in Miami as well. We’re living here on 65th Street and the office is on 28th, about 20 minute commute.
“Really enjoying my job, the city and the GAA. Didn’t have to worry too much about settling in. It’s been a pretty easy move.”
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Landing in a strange city and attempted to acclimatise, they both reached for an accessible tool.
“Declan Browne, my club-mate, asked me was I sorted for a GAA club before I left,” says Campbell.
“He put me in contact with a few people. The night I landed, I was training with Brooklyn Shamrocks. I didn’t know anyone over here before I came. The GAA has been a great outlet.”
The New York county team hadn’t been high on the agenda.
“Maybe I was sub-consciously thinking about it but I wasn’t seeking it out. Then I got the call from Johnny (McGeeney, New York manager),
“I thought, ‘Sure why not? Let’s give it a go.’
“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. Didn’t know any of the players. I was aware of Adrian Varley and Eoghan Kerin from playing against Galway, the Kerry guys were bit younger.
“But I knew the Brooklyn lads and it did’t take long to get to know the New York lads. They’re a great bunch.”
His debut arrived last year in the near miss against Sligo and he played in the Tailteann Cup meeting with Offaly. Over Christmas he sold the idea to Maher on joining them.
“I took my time. First, try and get him on board with Brooklyn and then next up was New York. I knew we’d great lads and he’d be a great addition. I think he’s relished the opportunity.”
For Maher playing some ball was a gateway to meeting people. The experience has left him marvelling at the magnetic draw of the GAA abroad, the volume of underage players at the Rockland pitch when they train, the crowds that packed out Gaelic Park when Leitrim came to town.
Approaches came from all directions. Campbell, New York selector Brian Henry, his old Fitzgibbon Cup team-mate Johnny Glynn.
“I got back after Christmas and the second week, went up to train with them. One or two CrossFit sessions, then got back on the field end of January. It’s only half hour from work on the subway, go up with Mush (Gavin O’Brien), and then 20 minute Uber back home with Campbell.
“How it’s taken off, how close all the lads have become, it’s just been really enjoyable. You just don’t want it to end.”
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Starting a new life means there is an old one left behind. Club ties had to be cut.
“It was hard,” says Campbell of his departure from Moyle Rovers.
“You dedicate so much of your life to Tipperary, you feel like you owe your club more. Typically you retire and give a few years to the club. There was an element of guilt there that I couldn’t do that. Life gets in the way.”
Congratulations to @alancampbell6 & @NewYorkGAA on making history winning the Connaught Quarter final.. 👏👏🎉 pic.twitter.com/uxA4qP8Snv
— Moyle Rovers GAA (@moyleroversclub) April 9, 2023
“Kilsheelan was the hardest thing to walk away from,” says Maher.
“I do think there’s something coming, we’ve a great bunch of young players. We went to one of the pubs in the village the week before I left and it was one of the best nights I’ve ever had in there.
“I’d be constantly in contact with them, I’m still in the Whats App group, keeping an eye. It was tough but I’m sure everyone that leaves would tell you the same thing.
“Look once I weighed it all up, the move was just something I needed to do.”
They got back at Christmas for Tipperary’s delayed 2020 Munster medals presentation, savouring the reunion with old team-mates and close friends.
Tipperary got relegated this spring, their league results followed closely from Manhattan. The day after beating Leitrim, the pair were tuned in to the win over Waterford. After the game on Saturday, they’ll log on to GAAGO for Tipperary’s challenge against Kerry.
“The league results would affect your mood,” says Maher.
“We’d be getting the results by 11 in the morning here, then you’d be going up training in Gaelic Park, and there’s few of the Westmeath or Down lads giving you stick over the result. It wasn’t easy.”
“It’s been difficult with so much turnover of players,” notes Campbell.
“I don’t think there’s any county who could deal with that, never mind one where hurling is predominant.”
Off the pitch, Tipperary related news hit them with a gut punch last month.
The sudden death of Liam Kearns, their former manager and the hand at the tiller for their wondrous 2016 summer run, was difficult to comprehend.
“A massive shock,” says Maher.
“I’d a good relationship with Liam, got my senior debut in football from him. You could talk to him for hours, he was great company.
“Being over here you did feel so far away from everybody. Me and Alan would have reminisced about the times with him. It was disappointing not to be able to get back to the funeral and sympathise with his family, because he did do an awful lot for us.”
Campbell was a permanent fixture in the Kearns era in Tipperary, starting every championship game under his watch.
“We were all exceptionally fond of Liam as a character and then you add the memories we had with him as our manager. It definitely shook us. I was speaking to a lot of the players. Just utter shock.
“He brought real power to his team talks. The way he ran a team was military-like in preparation. But then he wanted us to celebrate our wins and tried to get a club atmosphere in a county setup. On the big nights out, he was a great driver of the craic.”
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In New York, the county footballer moves to an alternative rhythm.
With Tipperary the seasons began with a blizzard of games – a full range of league experiences from Division 4 scrapping to chasing promotion to Division 1.
This setup is all geared towards one shot at a Connacht opener.
“It’s a massive disadvantage,” says Campbell.
“People ask how are you going and it’s impossible to tell. You’re coming in cold. Everything is on this one game. It’s all or nothing.”
The year is about a gradual build-up then. It allows some room to breathe that way. USA residency affords exposure to other sporting attractions. In February, Campbell headed to Arizona. First the Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, home to the loudest hole in golf. Then later Super Bowl LVII.
He had a San Francisco-based friend Kevin Bates for company. At Glendale Stadium, they were sitting with the golfer Seamus Power and his caddy Simon Keelan to watch Kansas City Chiefs defeat Philadelphia Eagles.
After years at home defined by NFL Sundays, here was one abroad with a twist.
“It was an unreal weekend. Just so lucky they were both on in the same city. The spectacle of the Super Bowl was incredible – the flyover before, the national anthem, the half-time show, the game itself.
“And the golf in Phoenix, I think a lot of people saw on the Netflix documentary (Full Swing), what it was really like. Normally it’s very formal at a golf tournament, but there’s no rules at that 16th hole.
“That’s the great thing being here. New York has plenty to see and do, but there’s also the chance to see other places that would be out of reach from Ireland.”
For every county player, travel is part of the deal. For some it is factored in more heavily than others. New York is no exception. Pull at the strings of the idea that their squad is fortunate to be based together in a single city and it quickly unravels.
“There’s big commutes,” outlines Campbell.
“Lads coming from the depths of Brooklyn. There’s two guys out in Long Beach, they’ve two hour plus drive to training. Shane Carthy is in Boston. People getting the subway, trains, buses, everyone is putting in an effort.”
“We used to give out at times about the trek to Dr Morris (Park) from Dublin,” says Maher.
“The commute time over here is one big difference. Nothing like it was at home. You’re back in the door here at 10 at the latest, in Dublin it was closer to midnight.”
They were the ones on the pitch when all that effort generated the winning outcome. For those outside the wire that had shaped New York GAA, the sense of reward was greater.
“Paddy Boyle was slagging a few of us after that we didn’t appreciate it,” says Campbell.
“Played a year or two and win straight away, thinking it’s easy. He’d been slogging it out for years, coming close and losing.
“There’s people there years, it means a lot. I’m coming in from the outside and can recognise that.
“Championship day up there is special. You’re marching behind the band, massive crowd and great atmosphere. It reminds you of home and those games we played in the past.”
Maher has had a front-row view for groundbreaking GAA moments. Played for Tipperary’s first All-Ireland minor title win in 77 years in 2011, their first Munster senior win in 85 years in 2020. He packed in hurling achievements as well, captained Tipperary to the All-Ireland minor crown in 2012, a senior panel member in 2015.
He is fresh to the New York scene, but aware of the meaning of this for those with deep-rooted links.
“It was very surreal, completely different to anything else I’d experienced. We were in Gaelic Park an hour and 40 before the game, the crowd at that stage was ridiculous. There was a noticeable buzz around the place. Lot of Leitrim supporters over on their holidays added to it. We fed off all of that.
“A lot of the biggest days of my career, Alan would have been there playing beside me. At the final whistle, Mickey, our housemate, was there celebrating with us. Having people there that you’ve known for so long, does make the experience more special.”
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They boarded on Wednesday afternoon at JFK AIrport and flew to Dublin. The team base is Bundoran in Donegal, just over the border from tomorrow’s venue. Work schedules were juggled, both grateful for accommodating employers.
The Mahers have had another inter-county stake this year, younger brother Paul part of the Tipperary setup but injury rules him out of tomorrow’s trip to Killarney.
The Campbell family were out in Gaelic Park for last year’s game against Sligo, they’ll spin up to Markievicz Park.
“They thought that was it in terms of travelling to games to see me play when I finished with Tipp. They really enjoyed last year so it’s nice to get them another few games out of it.”
The euphoria of the Leitrim win hadn’t died down and the New Yourk squad found themselves back training on the Wednesday night. There’s been little time to digest it all but they know the importance of shifting focus to Sligo.
“We have this opportunity that New York teams never had,” says Maher.
“The carrot of getting to a Connacht final, when did I ever think I’d be trying to do that? It’s a massive opportunity. Sligo will see it the same way. Everyone is embracing it. We’ve a great team bond and great management.”
The new journey rolls on.
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