Sunday, June 29, 2008

Where it all began...


About 4 years ago (never one to rush into things), I heard the story of Fermanagh Gaelic footballer Liam McBarron and how the only way he was going to make his own wedding, was to fly in a helicopter provided by local billionaire Séan Quinn.  The problem was, his team's success in the Championship, meant he was playing a match on his wedding day.  At the time the talk was all about how generous Mr. Quinn was (indeed he was) - but what was revolving around my head was how generous the impending Mrs. McBarron was to accept this behavior!  In my subsequent years sitting alongside the all-knowledgeable Paul Collins to bring the nation the news on Ian Dempsey's Breakfast Show, I heard this story time and time again - maybe not with as glamorously dramatic circumstances, but similar tales of brides twitching at the alter awaiting their beau, or indeed proud mammy's waiting nervously at the baptismal font for their co-producer to change out of his shorts and into the suit! So I decided to make it my business to find out just what the wives and partners of some of our finest footballers put up with.  After securing funding from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland I hit the highways and byways of Ireland in search of some of the nation's most patient, dedicated and committed women...