In conversation with FRANCES O'ROURKE
BRENT POPE
is an RTÉ rugby pundit. He came to Ireland from New Zealand in 1991 to play for St Mary's, Templeogue, and then Clontarf RFC. He writes children's books to raise funds for charity and runs the Outside In Art gallery in Stillorgan, Co Dublin. In June, his charity Brent Pope Rugby Legends, along with Habitat for Humanity, will go to Zambia to build houses
‘I’D BEEN PLAYING rugby in New Zealand for three or four years when someone at St Mary’s club in Dublin called me at three or four in the morning. So I came over for three months, that was the original plan.
“I’d played rugby in England and had come to Connemara for Christmas in 1988 and loved it. Both sides of my family came from Ireland.
“So I got on a plane and arrived. I was met by representatives from St Mary’s. I was 29, had never been in Dublin before, was taken into town, ended up on Leeson Street. And then there I was, alone at 3am on the street with my bags, and didn’t know where to go. So I got a taxi, asked the driver to bring me to St Mary’s, and slept in the foyer.
“The next morning someone tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘Are you our foreign player?’ I was one of the first batch of foreign players. Noel, who was in St Mary’s management, said, ‘Move into my house’ and I stayed for a couple of months. I went back home to play, but every Saturday night the guys would call me from Leeson Street. I really missed the new friends I’d made, missed the craic.
“I’d spent my life going to school, university, to having a job, all those years training hard for rugby, being disciplined. And being in Ireland was fun. So I came back to Mary’s, still thinking it would be temporary. Noel and I had hit it off, and he’s my best friend in Ireland. He’s a very modest guy, very popular at the rugby club, very loyal, and an extremely generous, kind-hearted man. Nothing’s ever a bother for Noel, for me or his other friends. You can call him up and he’ll be round, even if it’s midnight. We’ve seen ourselves through lots of ups and downs, travelled a lot together.
“We’ve had the odd row: I’m more emotionally open, Noel would be more reticent. I would say, if you’re feeling a bit bloody low, just tell me. I was trying to force things out of him. I’d get angry, and I’d have no right to be.
“I think we’re both empathetic people. Two or three years ago, I decided that for the next couple of years I’d work on a few charities. I’d heard about Outsider Art from my brother, who’s a psychiatrist in New Zealand, and I’ve an interest in mental health – I’ve suffered from panic attacks most of my life. I set up the Outside In Art gallery – it’s now in the Stillorgan Shopping Centre – showing and selling works from people who’ve faced adversity in their lives.
“And for the second year, we’re going to Zambia next month to build houses in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. We’ve got high-profile rugby guys like Paddy Johns and Bernard Jackman going. It’s great to have Noel going this year – he’ll love it and he’ll put his back into it.”
NOEL KENDRICK
is an electrical contractor who grew up in Rathmines, played rugby in St Mary’s secondary school and has been involved with St Mary’s rugby club in Templeogue in Dublin since then. He is one of the Brent Pope Rugby Legends team going to Zambia next month
‘BRENT AND I met in St Mary’s rugby club in Templeogue. In 1991, I was involved in its management and we were looking for a foreign player to enhance the team. Mike Brewer, an ex-captain of the All Blacks, gave us the name Brent Pope. We hadn’t really heard of Brent although he was well-known for rugby in New Zealand; was on the All Blacks panel. We were looking for somebody for two months. He ended up staying in my small terraced house in Kimmage and we’ve been friends ever since.
“I’m about five or six years older than Brent. I’m from Rathmines, went to Mary’s and played at junior level, then helped out at management level. Rugby is a great sport for friendship, 90 per cent of my friends are from rugby. Brent fitted well into Mary’s, it’s full of characters. It’s contributed a lot of players to the Lions and Irish teams.
“We’ve been on umpteen holidays together, to Cuba, to the States a few times, and to Brent’s home in New Zealand. We’re good mates. I’m going to Zambia in June with Brent’s charity, to build homes.
“I sponsor a few children through ChildFund International in Brazil and Kenya and have standing orders to Concern, Barnardos: those would be the last things I’d cancel – I hate seeing poor kids affected by things they’ve no control over. I’m the youngest of eight children, have 27 nieces and nephews. I’m looking forward to Zambia.
“His father is a gem: he’s a hard-working man. He came over for a month when Popey bought a house in Deansgrange, and built a fine fence. His dad represented New Zealand in athletics.
“I’m not from a rugby family. My brothers finished school in the 1960s: rugby then was down the line after soccer, Gaelic and hurling. Rugby’s bigger now, with a lot more secondary schools playing it. I know that some people on the outside think it has a snobby image, but not at all – it’s a sport for every Tom, Dick and Harry.
“I don’t go to all the matches. Brent has Sky Sports, if there’s a game on Sky, I’ll drop down to watch it in his place. It was in my place that his broadcasting career started: Niall Cogley rang up and asked him to be on the panel for an Ireland/New Zealand game – that was the start of it, back in the 1990s. I’m not involved in coaching/managing in St Mary’s any more, but I’d know everyone up there. Brent is a bit of an idol there. Popey would be mentioned in the same breath as Tony Ward, Denis Hickey.
“The thing about Popey is he’s so diverse: the rugby is the pinnacle, but there are so many more strings to his bow, he loves his garden and he’s a good cook too.”
