Taoiseach praises Niall Quinn for Oscar Traynor book

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has vowed to further invest in football training academies as he praised Irish football legend Niall Quinn.

The Taoiseach made the comments at a Fianna Fáil Centenary Commemoration event at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin on Tuesday where the former Irish international footballer explored the life of revolutionary Oscar Traynor, who went from football player to rebel to Fianna Fáil cabinet minister and President of the Football Association of Ireland.

The Taoiseach described Ireland as a “sports-mad country” in the very best way because it has been “mostly about community and not tribalism.”

“I can assure Niall that we will continue to invest very strongly in academies in particular,” the Taoiseach said.

He also said there was a “very strong footbal tradition within Fianna Fáil which many people initially may not be aware of” and that Quinn had highlighted the depth of that in his work on Traynor.

He added that it was very appropriate that an emphasis was being placed on soccer in Irish history and public life. 

“It is important to challenge the idea that our sense of community and identity has been solely linked to one code or association,” the Taoiseach said.

“Our unique national sports are a wonderful inheritance, and they have had a major influence on politics, but it is wrong to see them as having an exclusive role.

“In fact, it was always ridiculous when some claimed that other games were incompatible with Irish identity and nationalism.”

Niall Quinn described Traynor as his hero as he outlined the significant contribution the Dubliner made to both political and football life in Ireland.

“He is my political hero and he is my football hero,” Quinn told the crowd gathered.

He commended the Taoiseach on the funding being spent on the development of young players.

“I think one of the good things, Taoiseach, which I will commend you for, is that your department has put money into academies now. That’s a huge thing,” Quinn said.

“It kick-starts our football industry. We’re in charge of it. We’re getting the best of coaching into the elite young players. We’re also bringing elite practices into every young grassroots players’ dressing room. That’s the difference because we have what it takes.

“It’s a well-known fact that up until 12 years of age, our kids are as good as, if not better than, any other teams. 12 up to 15 years, 16 years, is the critical period.”  

Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin South West John Lahart, who co-hosted the event, said the story of Fianna Fáil’s historic connection to the Football Association of Ireland  has been largely forgotten and is one that deserves to be told.

Lahart described Oscar Traynor as a “fascinating figure”.

“Born and reared in Dublin’s north inner city, Traynor played football professionally with Belfast Celtic as a young man, returning to Dublin to fight in 1916 Rising in the Four Courts,” he noted. 

“He was a founding member of Fianna Fail, a cabinet minister, started his career as a goalkeeper and ended his career as FAI president. He oversaw significant change in Irish football and Irish society. That’s why we’re delighted that former Irish footballer Niall Quinn will discuss Traynor’s lasting impact on football.”

Lahart added “Fianna Fáil is part of football rich tapestry historically in this country.  

“There is a really strong connection between football and Fianna Fáil since the foundation of the party 100 years ago.

“There have been three Fianna Fáil Presidents of the FAI – Oscar Traynor, Donogh O’Malley and Neil T. Blaney – who contributed significantly to the development of this sport. But this has been largely forgotten,” Lahart explained.