Only hurling has such a rising effect on Clare — Fr Harry Bohan

RISING TIDE: Fr Harry Bohan, Clare selector, at the 2004 League game against Tipperary at Cusack Park. Pic: Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE

SHOULDERS back, chests out, Fr Harry Bohan has taken great delight in how his fellow Clare folk have been carrying themselves these last six weeks.

Only hurling, he says, could have such a rising effect on the county. From the seniors’ win over Limerick at the end of April to the county’s second-ever All-Ireland minor title secured last Sunday, the mood of the 85-year-old’s parishioners in Sixmilebridge and beyond is positively beaming.

For a man who for so long tried to make Clare teams believe they were better than they themselves envisaged themselves, the assuredness of the minors last week astounded him. “I thought their confidence was extraordinary, although I thought Galway kind of thought all they needed to do was take a stroll down to Thurles to beat Clare,” says Bohan. “But this Clare minor team are under a super man in Brian O’Connell. They worked hard as do the senior team under Brian Lohan.

“There have been huge developments. Clare now know they are among the best and are capable of winning All-Irelands now. They’re not easily done but they’re at their level now. Years ago, in Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary, hurling didn’t have to be taught, it was caught. But nowadays I feel that the leadership Clare are showing is bringing that about.”

Gone are the self-perceptions of inadequacy that dogged Clare and Bohan as manager and Justin McCarthy as coach railed against in the 1970s. “When I took over the Clare team, there was a huge inferiority complex in Clare that people almost expected Cork and Tipperary to win everything. I believed there was no reason why Clare couldn’t win All-Irelands. That’s why I deeply believed if we put in an extra bit of work, we could do it.

“But this inferiority complex was very bad. A fella who was a selector on the Munster team couldn’t go to the game asked me to do it. It was 1977 when the selectors included Donie Nealon, Mick Mackey, Frank Murphy. The Clare man told me, ‘You’ll be very lucky to get one Clare man on the team’. I’m not saying this for myself but we got five on.

“I always remember the debate for goalkeeper was between Martin Coleman and Seamus Durack, Frank put up Martin and I put up Seamus, and I fought on my back that he got on. That wouldn’t have happened before. We must have spent hours deciding it.

“When we finished picking the team that night, I was sitting beside Mick and he said, ‘Well, Harry, there’ll be white blackbirds in Clare in the morning’ because there were five Clare men on the team. I thought all those things were important.”

Bohan is keen to stress the under-age structures that are now reaping rewards were established in Pat Fitzgerald’s time as county secretary. After retiring from the position last July, his friend’s efforts shouldn’t be forgotten, he insists.

“I’d like to give huge credit to Pat Fitzgerald, the man who was secretary for years. In a quiet way, he was doing a lot of great work developing Clare GAA. A lot of his work, the rewards are coming now. Not everyone in the county would say that but I would. He made a huge contribution.

“In his time, they bought the ground between Ennis and Tulla (Caherlohan), Cusack Park was redone under him and it’s a credit to Pat. Then he got the county offices developed in Clarecastle. Pat’s a very quiet man but had a great relationship with the clubs and a great knowledge of the county.

“The Pat Fitzgeralds of the GAA world should never be underestimated. He did a lot of the work as a volunteer before the position became full-time. He’s a marvellous man. I’d hate to think he would never get the credit because he deserves it.”

Fitzgerald was secretary when Clare last delivered a Munster title 25 years ago and Bohan wonders if the pursuit of a seventh provincial crown preoccupies managements and players to the point of obsession with each passing season.

“Clare have to move on. Somebody said to me that within the camp Clare are nearly more interested in the Munster title than anything else it’s been so long since they won it. I don’t know if that’s true but I wouldn’t be surprised. It would mean a huge amount.”

As mighty as Limerick have been, Bohan feels Clare’s April win over them was an indication that they are feeling the strain of being on the road so long.

“I think lads would be worn out of requests from people. No matter how good John Kiely is or (Paul) Kinnerk is, the team they have is still human. Everywhere they go and even in games themselves there would be lads throwing things at them. I’d have sympathy for the likes of Cian Lynch and (Gearóid) Hegarty. Inside the white line, fellas don’t spare what they say to them.

“I’d just feel there is some kind of tiredness in Limerick and it’s taken all management expertise to keep them doing what they’re doing. They have achieved so much. When I see Limerick people criticise the Limerick hurling team, that team owe their people nothing. At the same time, there is a kind of a freshness in Clare. They have a good panel, a lot of good young fellas. They do need the stars and they have the stars like Tony Kelly. Clare seem to have what it takes to win.”

Bohan won’t pray for his county to win, mind. “No. Johnny Leahy, who trained Tipperary, had a famous one. The Tipp team were travelling up past the cathedral in Thurles to play Cork in a Munster final and somebody said, ‘We’ll go in and say a prayer’. Johnny Leahy said, ‘We won’t. We’ll bate them fair or we won’t bate them at all’.

“That stuck in my mind. People often say to me do I pray for Clare, and I quote Johnny Leahy. At the same time, we’ll be wishing they win.”