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.
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:
- 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.
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
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I remember that story at the time, i read it in the evening herald a good paper then, Liam went home and told his father about it and his fathers advice was you decide and we’ll back you. In that same year he was due to sit his inter cert and was left without a school to do the exam. luckily enough another school accepted him and he done the exam. I often that teachers bigotry could have ruined a boy who just wanted to play for his country in a sport he loved.
@Just Me: The teachers who were mainly christian brothers back then. Thankfully no brothers teaching in Aidan’s now.
@Reg: Or anywhere else. Perverted bigots – all they wanted was for pupils to speak Irish, embrace the culture, play GAA and be a Catholic. When I left, I gave up them all – which were little help in LA, Sydney or Brussels.
@Fank Pulman: noxious organisation instilled a lifelong distain of the GAA in me . I got a hiding from a brother for heading a ball in Gaelic training,said he was going to beat the sasanachs game out of me .
I attended St.Aidens at that time. Violence towards the kids by the teachers was a daily occurrence. The head brother nicknamed “Joe” was feared by all. He was a towering man who walked the corridors with his hands behind his back and his head held high. You did not mess with him.If you were sent outside to stand in the corridor for being bold in class you prayed that Joe didn’t appear.
@Tony O Neill: Only cowards beat children up – thank God, they’re gone…
@Tony O Neill: A common experience for most of us who went to religious schools at the time. Sadists.
@Reg: as a non religious person myself , it’s just not fair to brand all these religious brothers perverts and sadistic b@stsrds.
The finest Irish player ever – and would leave Keane on his arsenal…
Some mad teachers in that school in my time worped in the head some of them glad to see its changed a lot I remember asking the principal br cashel why did they expell Brady
Listen Beatty you mention that man’s name again and you will fallow him out the gate
That was in the nineties
Mad them brothers mad
@Robert Beatty: i went to a Catholic rugby school run by priests and they also threatened stuff if you went to play for your local Gaa club. Playing any GAA within the school was also completely frowned upon. In terms of violence, the most violent sadistic b*stards were all lay teachers. My primary school principal was one particular hard nut. The priests were angels in comparison
with that mullet he was asking to be expelled.
There are plenty of ex brothers walking around this country who should have multiple convictions for assault.
@Colm Buckley: Too true..I was one of the lucky ones in that I was good at GAA and hurling but hated their were some sadistic , mean spirited teachers and Brother’s in that school.
What is now forgotten, and I do hold a grudge against the organisation when it gets state or lottery support, is that I was banned from joining a GAA club and playing GAA because of the school I attended.
The mentality of these people who ran an organisation that discriminated against a Dublin born Irish person who can trace their Irish name roots back 2500 years begs the question as to whether they should be charged with the care of young Irish people. I am still waiting for a personal apology from the organisation and the individuals who said I could not play GAA because of the school I went to as it played rugby.
This does not take from acknowledging the great work that the organisation does but they should still hold their head in shame that they discriminated against so many Irish citizens with the exclusion and exclusive policy – some of what continues to this day with young players playing sport being told “if you play soccer you need not come back to the play GAA”
Ah Ireland, the land of saints and scholars…
Where every school seems to be named after some saint and we send our kids to be indoctrinated and have their minds warped.
They have stopped hitting the kids of course but the religious mind bending still goes on…
If we all just pray hard enough we might, just might be worthy enough to get into heaven…
Went their myself and had Mark Kinsella (soccer and future Ireland captain)and Jason Barry (actor) in same class.
One particular nasty teacher sticks out , he bore a strolling resemblance to Rolf Harris and used to love yanking the forelock of the pupils in his class and smashing a chalk duster over their head.
Another weird Brother who taught woodwork used to love sanding phallic wooden objects suggestively in class..and you were nobody if you didn’t embrace GAA.
@Patrick Kavanagh: Padear McCroistal .. a pr1ck of the highest order. This man was a straight up bully and should never have been allowed be a teacher. Thankfully things have changed there now from what I believe.
I went to a CBS primary school. I thought it and the Brothers were ok. I liked the school and the Brothers.That said it was unfortunate that the poorer or single parent children were picked on mostly.
The lives these men ruined are many, over decates. Violence by them was acceptable to the authorities – as was paedophilia with priests. It’s no wonder the quality of our politicians, police, healthcare etc. – is so low. Undoubtedly, the rot stated with our flawed educators.
Went their myself and had Mark Kinsella (soccer and future Ireland captain)and Jason Barry (actor) in same class.
One particular nasty teacher sticks out , he bore a strolling resemblance to Rolf Harris and used to love yanking the forelock of the pupils in his class and smashing a chalk duster over their head.
Another weirdo Brother who taught woodwork used to love sanding phallic wooden objects suggestively in class..and you were nobody if you didn’t embrace GAA.
@Patrick Kavanagh: role harris lookalike was that bobar Mr odwyer was his real name is think absolute w
***er
@Robert Beatty: it wasn’t him Rob..his name was mc crystal
@Patrick Kavanagh: ah yeh he was nuts too
Brilliant read and story loved it. The Catholic Church and the messengers of God. Headbangers. More of these tales please.
@Paul Foot: bullsh*t
@Brian O’Faolain:
both of them in the center of midfield would be the perfect combination.
Joe! Shit nickname
My brother played for Naas CBS in a Leinster colleges final and marked him but only found out 20 years after the star he played on. A true legend
The Aidan’s soccer team was set up by Tommy Broughan 2-3 years before Graham Kavanagh was playing on the team.