The bucket collection on match-days for St Francis Hospice.
Brendan was the first guest on RTÉ Radio 1’s Second Captains, a treat of the summer, co-hosted by Eoin McDevitt and Ciarán Murphy.
Ciaran has worn the jerseys of St Vincent’s, Templeogue Synge Street and the Dublin Masters. He’s the author of the best-seller, ‘This is the Life – Days and Nights in the GAA.’
Brendan recalled his time running in Croke Park in the Cumann na mBunscol Athletics. “That was considered a big deal.”
His brother, Barry, played for Parnell’s. He’d bring Brendan to watch the Dubs.
“Barry used to be talking about John Timmons and the way he used to solo. With the ball running up his shin, like a yo-yo,” smiled Brendan.
“I used to be out in the garden trying to do the same, but, unfortunately, without much success!”
Brendan follows Aston Villa, Con Martin’s team. Con played for them for ten seasons.
Con played Gaelic football with St Maur’s of Rush and St Mary’s of Saggart. He won the Leinster Senior Football Championship with Dublin. It was the days of the Ban. It was discovered that Con played soccer. So he didn’t get his medal.
Thirty years later, Con’s friend and neighbour, Jimmy Gray, Chairman of the Dublin County Board, ensured that Con received his much over-due medal.
Brendan was 14 when he began supporting Villa. “I picked them out of a FA Cup draw. My pal, Jack Fitzpatrick, told me they had a great tradition, and that they had won the FA Cup seven times.
“I liked their cool gear. The little stripes on the cuffs of their jerseys. They became my team.
“I’d have the pictures on my bedroom wall. I followed the League tables in the Goal magazine.
“But the following year, they were relegated to the third division! And, suddenly, it was hard to find any information on them at all.
“I used to be twiddling the knob on the radio trying to get the BBC to find out their results.”
In later years, Brendan would be featuring on the pages of the Fingal Independent.
In the St Finian’s of Swords match reports of Pat Rooney and Shane Cassells. Shane is a member of the Senate. He’s the nephew of the Meath All-Ireland winning captain, Joe Cassells.
Another respected Fingal scribe was Rory Kerr, a relation of the Gleeson family.
“When we got married, we moved to Rivervalley in Swords,” explained Brendan.
“A lot of Aer Lingus people lived in the area and they started a club. I thought it would be a good way for me to get to know people.
“It was the 80’s. I was in my late 20’s. I had great fun. I played for them for around six or seven years.”
The programme presenters had done their homework. Ciarán Murphy said to Brendan.
“We rang a few people in Finian’s. And the direct quote from one of the committee members was that ‘you were well able to look after yourself.’”
Brendan had a chuckle. “I am a firm believer in fair play, but there were a couple of incidents that happened.
“One day in Portmarnock, a fella was hanging out of my jersey. I swung around to free myself, and, completely by accident, I ended up clocking him on the nose.
“But what I noticed after that was that I had a brilliant game. I had frightened the poor fella and he was afraid to come near me! But it was something I never meant to do.”
Then there was another game Brendan had a laugh about.
“We began in the old Fingal League. We were regarded as a bit of a soft touch.
“We’d be more likely to break up a fight than join in.
“But one week, one of our hurlers was playing for us. We were short of numbers.
“He was a small fella. The opposition goalkeeper was huge. The ‘keeper kept insulting him.
“Eventually, our fella turned and clocked the ‘keeper. They were both rolling around on the ground.
“I was holding people off. Then one of their players had a kick at our lad on the ground. That was enough. The whole team piled in.
“A big melee developed. There was a hill at the back of the goal and we all ended up going down the hill.
“My wife, Mary, came along. My son, Domhnall, was three or four. She was bringing him to his first match.
“But when she saw the row, she headed straight back home, without breaking stride!
“Yet that incident helped to put manners on the opposition. And the message went around that these fellas will actually stand up for themselves.”
The lessons of his footballing days followed Brendan in his acting career.
“I had no interest in fighting on the pitch, but I do see the need for standing up for yourself. And being brave enough to stand up for yourself is to be lauded.
“It was very useful for me when I went into acting. I might have a situation where I’d say to myself: ‘this guy is trying to bully me here.’ I hate bullies. I always have.
“So that’s where the lessons of sport come in. I don’t necessarily like standing up for myself. I’d much prefer to get along with people.
“But my footballing days helped me to stand my ground that little bit more, and I’m grateful for that.”
Brendan played at full-forward. Dermot Deasy was one of Dublin’s finest full-backs. And the kindly neighbour of Jimmy Gray for so many years.
Dermot was manager on a famous day for Finian’s when they won the Dublin Intermediate Football Championship.
Brendan has his own slice of Finian’s history. He was selected on the club’s Team of the Decade.
“I had a burst of pace. And an eye for goal if I didn’t think about it. But I understand the yips. If I over-thought it, the chance was gone.”
He has thought a lot about his mother’s philosophy.
“My mother, Pat, was always talking about participation. And it’s one of the big arguments about sport – it is all about winning, or the joy of sport.
“My mother bred it into us that winning is not the be-all and end-all. She said that the winning is that you give your all.”
A belief shared by one of Jim Gavin’s favourite figures, John Wooden, the inspirational American basketball coach who said:
“Giving your all it seems to me is not so far from victory.”
Brendan gave his all for St Finian’s of Swords. He continues to give his all on big screen and small.
And for a cause dear to his heart, the Hospice.
Long may he keep raising the white flags, and the green ones too.
