'It feels like home' - Ruairí Keating delighted to return to Cork City 

The Turner's Cross favourite left St Pat's to make a Leeside comeback.

ROVERS RETURN: Ruairi Keating during his first Cork City stint. Pic: INPHO/Tom Maher

It’s been a hectic week or so in the life of Ruairí Keating.

Last Thursday, the 30-year-old was an unused substitute for St Pats’ 3-1 Uefa Conference League win over FC Vaduz but by Sunday afternoon, he sent Cork City’s social media into meltdown when it was announced he had re-joined the Rebel Army on a two-and-a-half-year deal with the option of a further year.

Yet the hecticness would come in the days that followed.

“I rented a van from Cork Airport, I went back to Celbridge after training on Monday and I loaded it up. I was going until three o’clock in the morning, me and my brother, put the head down for a few hours then came back down to Cork.

“I had to hire a storage unit in Little Island to store all the gear from the house until I get something here. So, yeah, I’ve been busy.” 

But he’s not complaining, it must be said. Far from it.

Despite this being the second time since November – when he left City to join Pats – that he’s had to move houses with his partner Emily and their two children, this time he’s glad to be moving back “home” after a short and difficult period in the Dublin.

“I’m absolutely delighted. Honestly, I can’t tell you how happy I am. It’s been a really tough time so coming back to somewhere where I know I’m happy and I know I’m appreciated and highly thought of is, it’s nice to be in that environment. I think that’s what I need going through what I’m going through at the minute.

“When it got down to the end of the window there was a few clubs in for me, but I was never going to go anywhere other than back home.

“It wasn’t anything to do with game time or anything like that. When I was available, I pretty much played every game. It just got to a point where the club knew I was leaving so they just left me out.

“In fairness to Pats they understood that my situation is a unique situation. It’s not very often these things happen. It was personal, personal problems. I couldn’t settle. There was an awful lot going on off the pitch and I couldn’t settle in. That was all.

“I know there is a lot of talk that I couldn’t get on with (Stephen) Kenny, things didn’t really go too well, but it wasn’t really that. It was just… I needed to be somewhere where I’m happy because I was struggling.” 

Keating also endured difficult times during his first spell on Leeside. The first anniversary of his father’s tragic passing occurred recently on July 15th, and it was that outpouring of emotion and support from the people of Cork at the time that he still holds dear.

“It’s a special place, it’s a special county, it’s a special football club. My mom and dad used to spend a lot of time down here and we just had great times.

“The people were with me through it all and the support I got down here after that was really, really special.

“Everything just worked. I just love it down here, it feels like home and I’m happy down here.” 

Cork City left the number nine shirt available for this season in the hope of signing a striker capable of filling the void left by Keating, who scored 13 goals on their way to winning First Division title in 2022 before he hit that number again in 2023 in the top tier of Irish football.

But had they defeated Waterford in the promotion/ relegation playoff, the Mayo native wouldn’t have departed in the first place.

“I would never have left. It was a really difficult situation because I love it here and the club means so much to me. But I had to, I didn’t have a choice.

“Dermot (Usher) has spoken about it, but it is a different scenario for a football club when you’re not playing in the top division.

“The money coming into the club is not the same, so it was really, really difficult for me to stay and for the club to keep me. It wasn’t a possibility for me to stay, I had to go.

“It’s worked well now because the boys are doing so well and now, we’re building to be back in the Premier Division and that’s where we want to stay. That made it all possible.” 

His second coming may even come as early as tonight as the runway First Division leaders – they are 15 points clear of second-placed Athlone Town with 11 games remaining – head to Treaty United although Keating, and the club, as proven by his signing, are already thinking about top-flight football in 2025.

But before then there is a title to be claimed and a potential cup run – Keating will be available to face Derry City in the third round as he isn’t cup-tied – to be enjoyed.

Shortly after winning the second tier in 2022, Keating and his teammates quickly made their way to the Corner Flag bar in Turner’s Cross for his rendition of his uncle Ronan’s song ‘When you say nothing at all.’ Asked if we can expect to see similar scenes in the near future, the forward responded; “Absolutely. If I can hit the net in the next couple of weeks and help the boys along the way I will definitely make the most of it.

And will Ronan be there to hear it? “As soon as we get back into the Premier Division and we get flying again he’ll be down, don’t worry.” 

It’s been a hectic week or so for Ruairí Keating, which just goes to show that life is rollercoaster, you just got to ride it.