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Irish Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Against every prediction, Roy Keane has made a career out of talking, and Cork is embracing it
About a year ago the Stick to Football podcast decided that each member of the team should be the subject of a long interview about their life and career. When it came to Roy Keane's turn, Ian Wright opened the conversation with a question that he thought was a soft ball. 'So, Roy, Dublin , when you land back to Dublin, I know you …,' said Wright, before Keane jumped down his throat, studs first. 'To Dublin! What's in Dublin?' said Keane, taking a tone of high dudgeon. 'To Cork ,' his voice drifting towards a native shriek. 'I'm from Cork.' READ MORE Jamie Carragher picked up the thread with another question that started in the wrong place but hurriedly moved on. He wondered if Keane was badgered more by the public in Dublin than he would be at home. 'No, no, no,' he said. 'In Cork, I'd have the most people coming up to me. They know me really well and there are no boundaries. Cork would be the hardest place for me to duck and dive.' Throughout his life in the public eye he has never exhibited any desire to land in Cork and skulk from public view, like a diva. In recent years sightings of Keane have been commonplace, captured on the spot by the Boswells of the digital age. Keane was in Turners Cross to watch Cork City a couple of weeks ago and the image flew around social media quicker than his tongue-lashings from the telly. When he turns up in Páirc Uí Chaoimh for a Cork GAA match, it is never a secret either. Keane has given up going incognito in a baseball cap. It is interesting, though, how this relationship with home has evolved over time. On Monday night, in a giant big top near the marina in Cork, Keane begins a run of three sold-out evenings of conversation with Roddy Doyle , the celebrated novelist and ghostwriter of Keane's second autobiography. Roy Keane at a Cork v Dublin game in Croke Park in 2022. Photograph: Evan Treacy/Inpho In showbiz fashion, one night was put to the market, last November, and in the rush for tickets two more dates were added within days. At that time of the year, you can imagine Santa Claus' eyes lighting up. Three sold out nights amounts to about 24,000 punters. Onstage conversations with interesting people, in front of a live audience, are a satellite of the podcast universe, where Keane is now a star. Against every prediction, including Keane's, he has made a career in the media. In the book he wrote with Doyle, there is a chapter on Keane's nascent career in TV, as it was at the time, more than a decade ago. The overriding tone of the chapter was that it wasn't for him. 'The problem for me was that the TV work felt like a failure. Because I had failed at management at Ipswich ,' he wrote on page 261. Two pages later he writes about pulling out of ITV's coverage of the 2014 World Cup. 'I know that punditry is a huge part of the football life, but I didn't want to do it any more,' he wrote. 'I just felt it was sucking my spirit.' As his prospects in management continued to lose altitude, though, punditry became his fall back. He developed a sharp line in unpretentious analysis and curmudgeonly put-downs. And, in middle age, he cultivated a way of talking about himself that was attractive. He told stories against himself. He was self-deprecating and funny. In Cork, like in many other places in Ireland, talking about yourself is a high-wire act. You might get away with it for one sup of a pint, but don't chance if for a second sup. And yet, for the next three nights, Cork people who have read Keane's two books, and consumed hundreds of hours of podcast output, have paid €83.55, including booking fees, to listen to Keane talking about himself. Earlier in his life, all of this would have been unimaginable. In the early years of his fame and fortune, when Keane was still a man about town, he socialised in Cork whenever the opportunity arose. That wasn't always simple. Over time, how Keane was perceived around Cork inched closer to a consensus In his first autobiography he talks about bits and pieces of begrudgery around the place. Comments spat from the side of someone's mouth for cheap laughs. Small town stuff, outside a chipper, after hours. On the night of David O'Leary's testimonial match against Hungary, in May 1993, he flew from Dublin to Cork for a night out and was refused entry to a nightclub on Hanover Street by a power-drunk bouncer. Dave Hannigan, who was standing in the queue, wrote about the incident years later. 'Everybody in Cork would come to have their own Keane story about an incident inside or outside a nightclub or a pub,' wrote Hannigan. 'Some of them would even be true. On this particular night there was no gauche attempt [by Keane] to flaunt his new position. He just stood there for a moment, maybe hoping for a change of mind from the man in black with the earpiece, and then walked away.' There was one unsavoury incident where a woman, who grew up on the same Mayfield estate as Keane, claimed that she had been slandered by him on a night out and looked for £15,000 in damages. The court ruled in Keane's favour and, four years later, she withdrew her appeal. All that stuff is long ago now. Over time, how he was perceived around Cork inched closer to a consensus, or as close as you can conceive to a consensus about somebody whose life and times bristled with divineness. The stories that you would hear around the place now are about acts of generosity to charities or sports clubs – private donations that wouldn't be declared or acknowledged. Word would just get out. [ Roy Keane is a cranky middle-aged man selling things cranky middle-aged men like to cranky middle-aged men Opens in new window ] A couple of months ago, the family of an ailing man attempted to make contact with Keane through a local radio station, hoping that he would record a personal message for their father. Instead, Keane arrived into the Mercy Hospital and visited the man in person. That wasn't an isolated act of kindness. Keane will be embraced by Cork this evening, and for the next two nights. He mightn't say it, and he mightn't show it, but he'll get a kick out of that.
BreakingNews.ie
24-06-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Cork Super Cup expected to provide €6 million economic boost
Businesses around Cork are expected to benefit from a potential €6 million boost as soccer fans flock to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh for the Cork Super Cup. The event will see Scottish Premiership Champions Celtic FC travel to take on Cork City FC in a pre-season friendly at 6pm on July 8th, 2025. Advertisement Organisers have been engaging with local businesses, including those in the hospitality sector, as the event will bring significant numbers of visitors to Cork city and county. The Cork Super Cup is a joint initiative between Cork GAA and sports marketing agency Druid Sport to bring another record-breaking mid-summer event to the stadium. The match will only be the fourth ever soccer match to be staged at the historic grounds, and the first competitive men's game. Kevin O'Donovan, chief executive of Cork GAA said: 'It's fantastic to welcome football giants Celtic FC and our own local soccer club, Cork City FC, to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh for what is promising to be a really exciting evening of sport and family fun. Advertisement "The launch of the Cork Super Cup was well received locally and we have been getting a lot of support from businesses across all sectors including retail, hospitality and transport. Events such as this generate important funds for the stadium to be enjoyed by all.' Conor Healy, chief executive of Cork Chamber said: 'Events like the Cork Super Cup are critically important for Cork's business community, providing a welcome boost to the local economy. Such events also serve to enhance Cork's competitive offering, showcasing the very best of what the region has to offer to visitors and locals alike.' The winners will lift a specially commissioned Cork Super Cup trophy, designed by former Cork GAA legend Ger McCarthy. Iarnród Éireann has updated its schedule to facilitate those travelling to the game with the last service from Cork Kent to Dublin Heuston now departing at 21:25pm on the day. This train will also stop at Mallow, Limerick Junction, Thurles and Portlaoise. There will also be a late train to Limerick, leaving Kent Station at 21:25pm while match goers from Kerry will be able to avail of the Tralee train, leaving Kent Station at 20:55pm.
Irish Examiner
20-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Ireland's biggest lottery win — €250m EuroMillions jackpot sold on Cork's Shandon Street
The record-breaking EuroMillions ticket, which saw a lucky punter win €250 million on Tuesday, was sold at Clifford's Centra on Shandon Street in Cork city centre. The National Lottery confirmed the news on Friday morning, three days after the player claimed the biggest jackpot in EuroMillions history. They also said that the ticket holder who won the record jackpot has since contacted the Prize Claims team. The winning numbers were: 13, 22, 23, 44, 49. The two Lucky Stars were 3 and 5. Ireland's first EuroMillions winner was Dolores McNamara from County Limerick, who won €115 million in July 2005. She held the record for a long time until 2019, when a family syndicate from The Naul in County Dublin won €175.4 million in the EuroMillions. Until Tuesday, that win remained the largest lottery prize ever won in the country. Read More 'I'd buy Páirc Uí Chaoimh back from the GAA, put Cork City in there like they were in the 70s'
Irish Examiner
19-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Revealed: The winning €250m EuroMillions ticket was sold in Cork
The record-breaking EuroMillions ticket that saw a lucky punter win €250m on Tuesday was sold in a retail store in Co Cork, the National Lottery has confirmed. The National Lottery has also said that the ticket holder who won the record jackpot has since made contact with the Prize Claims team. The winning numbers were 13, 22, 23, 44, 49. The two Lucky Stars are 3 and 5. Spokesperson for the National Lotto, Emma Monaghan, said the name of the winning Cork shop "will be announced tomorrow". "At this point, our priority is to give them the necessary time and space to make arrangements and let this life-changing news sink in," she said. The win marks a new record for the largest lottery prize ever won in the country. The title was previously held by a family syndicate from Naul in Co Dublin in 2019, who won €175.4m. Ireland's first EuroMillions winner was Dolores McNamara from Limerick, who won €115m in July 2005. Tuesday night's winner is the 18th winner of the EuroMillions in Ireland. Read More 'I'd buy Páirc Uí Chaoimh back from the GAA, put Cork City in there like they were in the 70s'
Irish Daily Mirror
03-06-2025
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ireland goalscorer Saoirse Noonan on 'surreal' Páirc Uí Chaoimh homecoming
Saoirse Noonan described her Páirc Uí Chaoimh goals as 'surreal' - as the former Cork Gaelic footballer marked her return to her hometown venue in spectacular style. It wasn't enough to earn Ireland the margin of victory needed to secure automatic promotion to League A, as the Girls in Green needed to beat Slovenia by four to leapfrog them into top spot. But with a promotion/relegation play-off still to come in October against one of Austria, Iceland, Belgium or Denmark, Ireland will have a second bite of the cherry. And if they can follow Noonan's lead, and make it second time lucky, then Carla Ward's side can look forward to top-tier football next year in the World Cup qualifiers. The Celtic striker didn't score when she represented Cork at the iconic Leeside stadium in 2020, in a league match against Westmeath, but she found the net on Tuesday evening. 'It was a bit surreal,' she said of her goal. 'Obviously my first competitive start so I was just trying to find my feet, ease my way into the game and not get caught up in the moment. 'It's unbelievable, I'm absolutely delighted.' She added: 'Obviously the first thing was to go out and win the game but the bigger picture, we obviously wanted to get the goals. 'We started off well, that's something that we've spoken about the last few days, I think we did that. We had a lot of chances, possession, we played really well. 'They're a good team, at least we got the win and it's something we can build on going forward.' Ireland had plenty of chances to add to that lead before half-time, while they continued to create openings after the break. However, they couldn't break down Slovenia's stubborn resistance. 'I think we thought, a 1-0 lead, can we get another one before half time? That was the focus,' said Noonan. 'We were pushing, we were unlucky, one or two decisions we could have made better. 'Look, it's about building. This team is good, we're working hard every day, we're growing - you can see the growth. 'From the first time Carla came in to now, even for myself, I feel like each camp and each day, you feel like you're getting better.' As for playing again in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, she said: 'To come back wearing a different shirt, it's the same feeling, you're representing something you're really proud of. It's phenomenal.' Meanwhile, Ireland coach Ward confirmed that centre-half Anna Patton would have to sit out the first-leg of the play-off through suspension. She added that the performance last night, although lacking in the goals needed to top the group, offered much to build on ahead of the play-offs. Next up for Ireland is a friendly double-header away to the USA at the end of the month. 'We are still building,' said Ward. 'Through this entire campaign we have had five training sessions with the entire squad, so to build the way we are and to finish the way we did, I could not ask for more. 'A couple of more goals? Yes. But we got to be proud of that performance. That was an Irish performance.' Describing the performance against Slovenia, the former Aston Villa boss added: 'Probably the way I'd put it would be a Carla Ward team on the ball and an Irish mentality off the ball. 'That's what we need to build on. We have to build on. 'If we want to play in an exciting way going forward, and that's the way I like my teams to play, we have to be better off the ball. And that was the start of it tonight. 'Now we go to the US and play the best in the world and try to continue that work, but there is still a lot of work to do. 'What it does do is put us in a position to build. And I said to the group; that's something, firstly, you can be proud of, secondly, that you can build upon and, thirdly, if we can combine the two, the future is bright.'
