One life, one club, and ideally, one parish. It’s one of the core GAA values for a club like St Vincent’s in north Dublin. Except Eamonn Fennell believes it’s mostly nonsense.
He is living and breathing St Vincent’s, counting the hours and minutes before Saturday’s AIB All-Ireland club football semi-final against Ballinderry.
What Fennell can’t help being reminded of, however, is he starting out living and breathing O’Toole’s, a rival club in north Dublin, before a long and controversial transfer saga concluded two years ago.
What annoys Fennell is some people still can’t seem to separate life and club. He feels justifiably central to the chances of St Vincent’s beating Ballinderry on Saturday, yet also feels some fingers of suspicion being pointed at him, that somehow he’s not “proper” St Vincent’s.
"Yeah I still get it said to me the odd time," says Fennell, "and there are always people that are going to chirp in now and again with that stupid remark. And I do hate it.
O'Toole's
"Things didn't go the way I would have liked in O'Toole's, and people can say what they want about it.
“But it’s not really an issue with me. My mam is from Scotland, but she’s lived in Marino since moving to Dublin, was head of the Marino Credit Union for years.
“My granddad played for Vincent’s. So there are strong connections with Marino, and I’ve got that bond there with the area anyway. I knew what I wanted to do, and I know the response I’ve got from the people in Marino. That’s all I care about.”
What no one can deny was Fennell’s determination to see the transfer through: O’Toole’s initially refused his transfer, later upheld by the Dublin county board, who quoted their transfer bye-laws, which state “a player is considered to always owe allegiance and loyalty to the club he first legally participated with in club competition”.
Fennell ended up being sidelined from any club participation throughout 2009, but now, having won a first Dublin and Leinster title with his adopted club, it’s all making sense.
“These are the things you sort of hope and pray for, and really dreamt about. It was really tough at the time, but winning a Dublin and Leinster title has made it all worthwhile.
"But there's a lot of work gone into it, too, and I really had to make a step up this year, because I hadn't had too much of an impact with Vincent's since I got the transfer. Being away from the Dublin camp allowed me to focus a bit more with the club, and it was great for me to fully experience everything that goes on in the club, and to try and get more involved a from a social side as well.
Buzz around the club
"That's what I've done and it's been great. Because once you're winning you always have that bit of buzz around the club. So I think it has all been worth it. I don't know if they'll ever get rid of me now."
He’s also got the chance now to help St Vincent’s win through to another All-Ireland club final on St Patrick’s day, and recapture the title the club last won in 2008.
There are still some big players from that era – especially ageless forward Tomás Quinn.
Fennell is also primed for his first full impact showing, having played mostly bit parts in the Dublin championship due to injury, before the hectic run through Leinster climaxed with a brilliant final showdown against Portlaoise.
Saturday’s game, set for Newry, is likely to raise the physical stakes yet again, and while St Vincent’s were without both Diarmuid Connolly and Ger Brennan at certain stages, they’re back to full strength now – the memory of 2008 still fresh enough to add whatever extra incentive is needed.
“I think that experience is vital,” says Fennell. “And someone like Tomás Quinn, he’s incredible. He’s like Benjamin Button. And when he talks, you listen. He has that kind of presence about him and he has so much respect, not only in Dublin but once you come into Vincent’s, people just look up to him.
“He’s great on the pitch but more so off the pitch. He’s very good at creating space when there’s no space there and he’s very good at bringing others into the game. He’s been vital for us and we need him on all cylinders now for this game.”
Whether this latest St Vincent’s journey ends on Saturday or on St Patrick’s Day remains to be seen, and so too does Fennell’s future with the Dublin team.
The 2011 All-Ireland winner hasn’t given up on a recall from manager Jim Gavin, but that’s talk for another day. At 29, and fast establishing himself a regular DJ with Phantom FM, Fennell won’t force the issue, if only because that rarely helps.
“I’ve been through a few operations now (hip and ankle) and that takes its toll on your body, but again, you don’t know until you’re back in there what you can and can’t do. But at the moment I’m just focused on Vincent’s, what I can do for the club, helping the players around me, and getting the most out of myself in a Vincent’s jersey.”
As only a true St Vincent’s man could be.
