and, to make things worse, he kept thinking of how he had showed Mr Dunstan up last week in theinteractive games room in Croke Park.
‘Is your father okay?’
‘Savage! … I mean, he’s fine …’ answered Danny. ‘He was wondering if he could … Well not just him, but the club – our club – Littlestown Crokes, our GAA club…He was wondering if we could sort of have a loan of your school hall on Thursday night after training … my da wants to call an important meeting with all the players’ parents.’
Danny took a big breath of relief. There! He had managed to get it all out!
Principal Dunstan smiled. He appreciated the effort Danny was making for his football club.
‘Certainly Danny,’ he agreed, ‘but he’ll have to bring the hall back to the school when he’s finished with it. Is that okay?’
Danny just looked at him for a few seconds.
What’s he on about?
Then he realised that Principal Dunstan was actually being humorous.
Savage , thought Danny, but weird! The Grim Reaper’s not supposed to be funny.
Principal Dunstan raised his eyebrows in anticipation of an answer from Danny.
‘Great. I’ll tell my da. That’s super. Thanks very much. He’ll be over the moon.’
* * *
Mick had a great turnout for his meeting in the school hall. He had asked all of his players on Tuesday night to ask their parents to attend his meeting after training on Thursday and most of them came along. Some of the other managers from the club were there too, as well as all of Mick’s players. This meeting concerned everyone.
Mick sat at a table at the top of the hall with Jimmy sitting to the right of him and Maurice Clarke, the club’s president sat on his left. Danny and the rest of the team all sat together at the back of the hall.
Mick began to speak once it appeared that everyone was settled in their seats.
‘Thanks everyone for coming tonight. I think I know you all. For anyone I don’t know, and who doesn’t know me, I’m Mick Wilde, the manager of the under-14’s team. This is Jimmy Murphy, my assistant and to my left is our club president, Maurice Clarke. I’m sure you all know Maurice,’ smiled Mick. ‘Now, I have some good news to announce. The boys have probably mentioned the Féile. They all seem pretty excited about it – that’s probably the reason why most of you are here – and I’m delighted they’re looking forward to it so much. The main reason I called everyone here tonight is that I’m going to need your help and support if what I have to propose is going to work out …’
Mick went on to tell everyone that Cherrydale , one of the two teams who were supposed to host the under-14’s Division 1 County Féile could no longer do so due to pitch vandalism problems.
‘We’ve been asked if we want to step in. I know Cherrydale’s manager very well,’ smiled Mick, ‘and he’d be thrilled if we took over the hosting from them.’
Everyone looked at each other. Littlestown to host the Féile? The boys from the team could hardly sit still they were so excited. Splinter started cheering and had to be hushed by Jimmy who stood up and frowned at him.
A man put his hand up. It was Paddy Timmons’ father, Charlie.
‘I think that’s great news, Mick,’ said Charlie Timmons, ‘but we don’t have much time to get ready for this. The Féile’s only a little over a week away.’
‘Well! I think if we all pull together as we’ve done in the past for whatever reason, we certainly can do ourselves proud,’ answered Mick.
Both Jimmy and Maurice, the club president nodded in agreement and support of Mick’s answer.
Another hand went up.
It was Dolores Darcy, mother of Liam Darcy, the Crokes’ goalkeeper.
‘Howya, Mick!’ greeted Mrs Darcy.
‘Ah! Howya, Dolores, I didn’t see you there behind Johnny Kinsella’s big head!’ laughed Mick.
Everyone joined in, especially Johnny Kinsella, Kevin Kinsella’s dad. He and Mick were good pals.
Dolores Darcy took a few
‘Is your father okay?’
‘Savage! … I mean, he’s fine …’ answered Danny. ‘He was wondering if he could … Well not just him, but the club – our club – Littlestown Crokes, our GAA club…He was wondering if we could sort of have a loan of your school hall on Thursday night after training … my da wants to call an important meeting with all the players’ parents.’
Danny took a big breath of relief. There! He had managed to get it all out!
Principal Dunstan smiled. He appreciated the effort Danny was making for his football club.
‘Certainly Danny,’ he agreed, ‘but he’ll have to bring the hall back to the school when he’s finished with it. Is that okay?’
Danny just looked at him for a few seconds.
What’s he on about?
Then he realised that Principal Dunstan was actually being humorous.
Savage , thought Danny, but weird! The Grim Reaper’s not supposed to be funny.
Principal Dunstan raised his eyebrows in anticipation of an answer from Danny.
‘Great. I’ll tell my da. That’s super. Thanks very much. He’ll be over the moon.’
* * *
Mick had a great turnout for his meeting in the school hall. He had asked all of his players on Tuesday night to ask their parents to attend his meeting after training on Thursday and most of them came along. Some of the other managers from the club were there too, as well as all of Mick’s players. This meeting concerned everyone.
Mick sat at a table at the top of the hall with Jimmy sitting to the right of him and Maurice Clarke, the club’s president sat on his left. Danny and the rest of the team all sat together at the back of the hall.
Mick began to speak once it appeared that everyone was settled in their seats.
‘Thanks everyone for coming tonight. I think I know you all. For anyone I don’t know, and who doesn’t know me, I’m Mick Wilde, the manager of the under-14’s team. This is Jimmy Murphy, my assistant and to my left is our club president, Maurice Clarke. I’m sure you all know Maurice,’ smiled Mick. ‘Now, I have some good news to announce. The boys have probably mentioned the Féile. They all seem pretty excited about it – that’s probably the reason why most of you are here – and I’m delighted they’re looking forward to it so much. The main reason I called everyone here tonight is that I’m going to need your help and support if what I have to propose is going to work out …’
Mick went on to tell everyone that Cherrydale , one of the two teams who were supposed to host the under-14’s Division 1 County Féile could no longer do so due to pitch vandalism problems.
‘We’ve been asked if we want to step in. I know Cherrydale’s manager very well,’ smiled Mick, ‘and he’d be thrilled if we took over the hosting from them.’
Everyone looked at each other. Littlestown to host the Féile? The boys from the team could hardly sit still they were so excited. Splinter started cheering and had to be hushed by Jimmy who stood up and frowned at him.
A man put his hand up. It was Paddy Timmons’ father, Charlie.
‘I think that’s great news, Mick,’ said Charlie Timmons, ‘but we don’t have much time to get ready for this. The Féile’s only a little over a week away.’
‘Well! I think if we all pull together as we’ve done in the past for whatever reason, we certainly can do ourselves proud,’ answered Mick.
Both Jimmy and Maurice, the club president nodded in agreement and support of Mick’s answer.
Another hand went up.
It was Dolores Darcy, mother of Liam Darcy, the Crokes’ goalkeeper.
‘Howya, Mick!’ greeted Mrs Darcy.
‘Ah! Howya, Dolores, I didn’t see you there behind Johnny Kinsella’s big head!’ laughed Mick.
Everyone joined in, especially Johnny Kinsella, Kevin Kinsella’s dad. He and Mick were good pals.
Dolores Darcy took a few
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