The Irish Times' Leaving Cert diarist in June was on the Mayo team which lost to Meath on Sunday. And yesterday's results provided more disappointment.
JUST DAYS ago I was on the pitch in Croke Park. Mayo were four points ahead with 20 minutes of the All-Ireland quarter-final to go. I had played my part in the Mayo scoreline and victory against Meath was within our grasp.
My Leaving Cert results were chugging down the track and a business degree and a place on the DCU football team was on the horizon.
Things were looking good for Aidan O’Shea.
But disaster struck. The last 20 minutes turned everything around. The game went to Meath and I think my luck went with it.
With a modest total of 305 points in my Leaving Cert I’m widely shy of what I needed for business in DCU.
Barring some miracle when the offers come out next Monday I may not be playing for DCU in the autumn.
This is a strange and unsettling place to be. I’ve gone from being the busiest man in Ireland to sitting around, twiddling my thumbs with no idea what to do next.
When I spoke to you last I was doing my Leaving Cert, training for All-Ireland glory, and writing a column for The Irish Times.
Now once I’m finished writing this column, I have no idea what I’m going to do next.
I can’t remember the last time I had nothing to do.
I put business as my first choice because I was in line for a sports scholarship and I quite fancied the idea of a career in banking.
Now that I’ve failed accounting, I’m wondering whether I might have spared myself a big career blunder.
Mind you, a generation of skilled accountants have failed to balance the books in Irish banking, so maybe I could have brought a new perspective to the industry. We may never know.
My second choice was called education and training, also at DCU. I didn’t investigate it very thoroughly, though, so I’m not convinced it will be the answer to my prayers.
If it’s got something to do with teaching I could be in luck.
I have spent the summer training little ones to play football with some success, and even enjoyment. But 305 points may not be enough to get me on to that mystery course either.
I’ve been wracking my brains to remember what I put down as a third choice.
I was in such a whirl of training and studying when I filled out the CAO form that I gave it about as much thought as I gave that Facebook questionnaire How Dundalk Are You?.
Turns out I’m not very Dundalk, which I already knew.
What I didn’t know was anything about public administration in UL, except that it only comprises eight hours of lectures a week.
Well, I’ll have all the time in the world for Facebook questionnaires now that we’re out of the championship and I have, possibly, shattered my hopes of a future in DCU.
I can spend my days finding out which Sex and the Citygirl I am, or whether I should become a fan of Not Being On Fire.
There is the debs to take my mind off the fact that I have nothing on my mind.
Until this week I hadn’t even asked anyone to come because I was so sure I’d still be focused on the semi-final. Luckily Lisa has agreed to accept my late invitation so we’ll be off to the Breffni House Hotel for some messing about in posh clothes.
I like to scrub up, so I may give some time to planning my look.
Come to think of it, I haven’t let my hair down all summer on account of the training, so maybe I’ll get all bent out of shape and see how that works out.
Hopefully all the grooming and surfing will distract me from the ‘R’ word that is elbowing its way into my thoughts with increasing aggression. No, not Recession, although I suppose that could make life difficult if I’m cut adrift in the jobs market next month. Repeating.
The very idea brings me to my knees, but unless next week’s points plummet like bank shares I’m going to have to give the option some very serious thought.
It’s been a long time since I tried Very Serious Thought.
I may discover a new side to myself. I may go stir crazy and blaze around Castlebar pucking sliotars through the windows of friends and neighbours.
All moping aside, however, I’ve had a great year. Things haven’t gone according to the short-term plan, but the master plan is still very much on target.
You haven’t heard the last of Aidan O’Shea. I may even be next year’s Leaving Cert diarist.