Ikem Ugwueru is talking about being black and being Irish. For him it’s clearly a matter of pride and also stripping away any lingering prejudice, especially as a senior Gaelic footballer with Clare.
The 23-year-old, born in Dublin to Nigerian parents, is in his first full season with Clare, where he grew up and went to school. His superb physical conditioning is partly explained by his previous commitment to rugby, the switch to the round ball already rewarded with Clare’s progress to the Munster football final on Sunday week.
In Croke Park on Monday as part of Supervalu’s Community Includes Everyone campaign, which focuses on encouraging diversity and inclusion in Gaelic games, he’s straight up and open about some lingering racism in the game too, the latest callous example directed to Wexford hurler Lee Chin last month, during an intercounty challenge match against Tipperary in Carrick-on-Suir.
“Obviously what happened to Lee was disappointing,” says Ugwueru. “And it was upsetting, because no one playing the game should ever have to go through that.
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“Like, you’re putting on your county’s jersey. You’re Irish, and you shouldn’t really be called anything other than that.”
Chin’s team-mates promptly confronted the offending supporter, before the game was blown up by the referee.
“Look, what happened to him [Chin] was very, very bad. And the reaction from his team-mates especially, that was top class. Them getting behind him and showing that they’re there for their friend, their team-mate, because they obviously know him off the pitch. And that’s how it should be everywhere.
[ Charity hurling match abandoned after Wexford’s Lee Chin suffers racist abuseOpens in new window ]
“But I feel like it’s getting better. that’s why I’m here today with SuperValu, with this inclusive and diversity campaign. We’re just trying to battle this. And hopefully things will get better, but I’m all for this kind of campaign because it sheds light on it.”
He also talks about being a role model, because he sees so many others now of his own: sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke, also born in Dublin to Nigerian parents, still only 20 and who earlier this month ran another Irish record, taking the 400m mark down to 49.90 seconds.
“Being black, and Irish, is a very big thing for us,” he says. “Even Rhasidat, she’s doing unreal in Texas. That’s class – and she’s the first to do it, so fair play to her.
“Even myself, you’ve fellas like Boidu Sayeh for Westmeath, Lee Chin for Wexford, Jemar Hall for Armagh ... they’re doing massive things.
“I’m sure they realise it. Even if they don’t, they should know the big impact that they have. Like, they’re motivating me as well.
“I’d look up to Lee Chin, Boidu – and I’ve had chats with Boidu before. Dead-on guys. They’ve done a lot for sports in Ireland. Even Chiedozie [Ogbene] for the men’s soccer team as well – it’s massive. And all the young lads are looking at this, and motivating them.
“Even back in Ennis, there’s young black girls and boys playing for Eire Og now. I feel like we’re doing a really good thing in this country so, yeah, hopefully bigger and better things to come.”
Sayeh was born in Liberia, and moved to Westmeath at age eight; Hall is the son of an African-American father and Armagh mother; Chin was born in Wexford, his father from Malaysia and his mother from Wexford; there are plenty others too, Kerry footballer Stefan Okunbor, son of a Nigerian-born father and a Moldovan born mother, moving to Tralee when he was three.
All different stories, all one and the same.
For Ugwueru the immediate priority now is the Munster final showdown against Kerry, the possibility of it being played in Ennis too.
“Yeah, that would be unreal. Even for the day itself. Because if it’s on in the Gaelic Grounds, you would get a good crowd there but obviously the stadium wouldn’t be full. If it was on in Cusack Park, you probably would fill out that stadium and the atmosphere would be class. It would just make a good day out of it. And obviously home advantage would be class for us, coming against Kerry, it would be nice to play them down in the Park.
“But look, wherever it’s played, we don’t mind. We’re just going to have our minds focused on the game. We’re not going to let that distract us from anything. It’s a pitch at the end of the day, and it’s a neutral venue, so we don’t mind. Wherever we play Kerry, we’ll be happy to play them.”
