Man who saved for Roscommon wants to save Roscommon

There is a story in Shane Curran's autobiography Cake in which he recalls the final moments of the Connacht minor final of 1989.

Galway are beating Roscommon by a point. Roscommon are awarded a penalty. It is the last kick of the game. If freetaker Peadar Glennon chips the ball over the bar, he will ensure a replay. It is the safe, sensible option, but Curran has other ideas.

He barrels forward and lashes the ball to the back of the net. "There's a sort of unspoken pressure on people to keep the head down, don't be different," he recalls in Cake. " You've got to stand up to that sort of attitude and show some courage. It was said at the time that what I'd done in that minor match was irresponsible. But I think the opposite. I think I'm actually taking responsibility."

The impudent teenager is now the Fianna Fáil candidate for Roscommon-Galway. Curran (44) was approached by the party and added to the ticket in a decision which seriously discommoded the sitting Fianna Fáil candidate Cllr Eugene Murphy. It was the political equivalent of that penalty kick.

His presence has electrified a race which many thought had been a foregone conclusion. Roscommon-Galway is a new three seater. The conventional wisdom was the two independent TDs, Michael Fitzmaurice and Denis Naughten, would retain their seats with Fine Gael's Maura Hopkins taking the seat vacated by retiring Frank Feighan.

Curran's entry has changed the calculus and on a canvass on one of those dank west of Ireland afternoons, it is easy to see why.

Everybody knows Curran or knows of him. There are players with drawers full of medals who do not have his profile. He charges around Ballinasloe mart like he used to charge around the square when he was the goalkeeper for Roscommon or for his beloved St Brigid’s club.

He is trailed by retired Fianna Fáil minister Noel Tracey. "This is Shane Curran, " he tells many mart-goers but the introductions are superfluous.

Then it is on to Athlone to a flood protest. In 2009, Curran co-founded Global Flood Solutions which has won international contracts to deal with flood relief. Being an entrepreneur is something he is keen on stressing.

Finally, he returns to the streets of Ballinasloe for an afternoon canvass. He is used to dealing with a lot of people. “People say that politics may be new to me,” he says, “it is and it isn’t. Whether I like it or not, I have been a public figure for 25 years and I’m only 44”.

He stresses that “contrary to popular belief”, he has been a member of Fianna Fáil for some time. “Fianna Fáil policies are closely aligned to my own. I believe they are a party of the people. I believe they represent what I represent – they represent everybody not just the strong and the rich, but also the weak and the poor.”

The big issue in the area is boundary review proposals which would see roughly 35 square kilometres of south Roscommon around Athlone becoming part of Westmeath.

"We have invested a lot in that particular area to invest in the pharma industry supported by Roscommon County Council. We need that economic rate base to support the county further in every part of the county," he states. "This is our land, this is our people, this is our culture."

For decades, Curran saved for Roscommon. Now his literature states simply, “save Roscommon”.