Loyal subjects come for a taste of Royal Blood

Hundreds of Meath football fans flocked to the Headfort Arms Hotel last Friday to pay tribute to one of the greatest players ever to wear the Green & Gold. Jimmy Geoghegan was among those there to wish Martin O'Connell well as he launched his autobiography 

Bruce Springsteen sang about 'Glory Days' with his characteristic gusto.

Some of the glory days of Meath football were evoked at the Headfort Arms Hotel, Kells last Friday night as hundreds of people showed up a the launch of Martin O'Connell's autobiography 'Royal Blood: The Making of a Football Legend.'

O'Connell sustained his share of injuries to his legs and body during a long, success-strewn career but on Friday night he was in danger of incurring a bad case of wrist-cramp as he and Sean Boylan sat at the top table and signed copies of the book for over two-and-a-half hours. 

It took that long for all the people to file up through the hotel's main hall and get the clearly much sought after signatures - and there were many who also wanted a picture of themselves with one or other of the legends of Meath football.

Acting as MC for the night O'Connell's former Meath colleague Liam Hayes spoke about how the St Michael's man was part of a great team of the 1980s that was made up of “psychopaths, generals and geniuses!!” Hayes also quickly added how the St Michael's man was very much part of the latter group. 

“Strangely for somebody from north Meath, Martin was stylish, ambitious, humble and respectful!” he said provoking loud laughs and good-humoured cheers from the hundreds of people who packed into the hall to listen to the speeches. “And in true north Meath style he could be thick and stubborn too.” Cue more laughs.

Hayes - whose company HeroBooks published the book with the support of Gaffney Mechanical - outlined how he got the idea for the autobiography when he was in the GAA Museum in Croke Park and “saw a life-style portrait of my team-mate Marty O'Connell and he was glowing.” O'Connell, selected on the Team of the Millennium, was also to have his portrait on a postage stamp. “What an amazing thing to have, your face on a postage stamp,” added Hayes. 

Dave Sheehan - known to many as the polished presenter of the sports programme on LMFM on a Sunday afternoon - was the book's ghost writer. 
Sheehan, a passionate Meath supporter, spoke about how as a youngster he was constantly made aware of the great, heroic exploits of the team of the 1980s and '90s - and when Liam Hayes approached him about writing the book he felt it was an “unbelievable” opportunity he simply couldn't turn down.

 The LMFM presenter (who by day works in the financial services sector with BNY Mellon) spoke about how he collected 20 hours of audio that took 60 hours to transcribe. Despite the challenge he said it was “a great experience” and one “he was very lucky to be part of.”

He told the tale, provoking more laughs, of how one night in the O'Connell household Martin's wife Samantha said: “I hope you are including all the other stuff in your life. 'Martin turned around replied: 'What other stuff?!'” 

With members of his immediate and extended family in attendance O'Connell thanked all those who helped him along the way; though the “great years” for Meath football when he won four All-Ireland SFC medals and four All-Star awards. He dedicated his book to his parents - Paddy and Marie. 

Sean Boylan told the story about how when the Meath panel were flying to Scotland for a brief trip in 1991 the pilot announced: “We are now flying over Carlanstown.

”The pilot was, no doubt, encouraged to say that by some of the Meath players as part of the general banter but it gave some indication too of the high esteem O'Connell was held by his colleagues. The line of people who wanted him to sign his book on Friday night was further evidence of that undiminished esteem. 

FROM 'ROYAL BLOOD' 

MARTIN O'CONNELL ON....

THE DAY HE FEELS HE CAME CLOSE TO DYING BECAUSE OF FOOTBALL 

"I was lucky in my career that I was rarely injured, but the worst belt I ever got happened in a National League game against Westmeath in Athlone in March, 1993. I'd say I came very close to killing myself. 
"I was playing centre-back, and a high ball came in. I was backing up for it, and you're always a bit vulnerable in that situation, but I didn't get a call from anyone. The Westmeath full-forward came out from behind and pushed me into John Cooney, who was coming from in front. I was sandwiched in between the two of them. I just remember getting a bang on the head, and I fell in a heap on the ground. Out cold. 
"The next thing I remember was coming around briefly in the dressing-room, because Jack Finn had the smelling salts out. Jack and Sean were there, and I was put into an ambulance. They were very concerned. I've never seen it back and I don't want to ever see it back. It was an awful belt. It was nearly as bad as the one Colm (O'Rourke) got in the fourth game against Dublin. No cuts or anything, just a bad clash of heads. 
"I don't remember anything about the ambulance journey at all. I came around in Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe with a nurse at my side. I felt so, so tired and I was mad to sleep, but she wouldn't let me. She kept me awake all night because I was definitely concussed. ....I was working for myself at the time, so the van was off the road for a while. It was a terrible belt, I still get headaches to this day. I just had eyes for the ball, and ...BANG!. 
 

ON PLAYING IN TYRONE SOON AFTER THE CONTROVERSIAL 1996 ALL-IRELAND SEMI-FINAL 

"In the winter of 1996, we played Tyrone in Omagh in the league. I got dog's abuse from their supporters. Sean had asked me beforehand if I'd prefer to be left at home, but I said no way. I didn't want people thinking I was afraid to go up. 
"I was called very name under the sun. At that time in Omagh, the dressing-rooms were a bit away from the pitch. We had to tog out, then run out through the crowd and down a tunnel into the field. We were well beaten at the end, but coming off the field at half-time I was met with all sorts of abuse as I made my way through the crowd back to the dressing-room... 
I have to say there was nothing from from any of the Tyrone players - no hitting and no verbals. The verbals came from the crowd only, but that happens. If the roles had been reversed, the Meath fans would no doubt have given the same abuse to a Tyrone player. There's always a few."
 

ROYAL BLOOD IS IN ALL GOOD BOOKSHOPS NOW!