Double joy for inmates in historic Dalymount cellout

A TEAM of inmates from Mountjoy made history earlier this month when they became the first ever prison team released so they could play in a soccer match.

The plucky prisoners took on top junior soccer side, Sandyhill Shangan FC, from Ballymun and while they were outplayed on the day, the insiders managed to hit the back of the net twice in a 6-2 defeat.

The match was historic as it’s believed to be the first time Irish inmates have been allowed play outside the prison gates and it’s all thanks to an initiative by the Bohemian Foundation.

Started by former Bohemian FC director Tommy Hynes, the foundation works to improve the quality of life for local communities and is now an integral part of the Northside club.

With Mountjoy just a stone’s throw away from Dalymount, the prisoners, for good or bad, are a part of the club’s local community.

Hynes takes a non-judgmental approach to prisoners and works with inmates on behalf of Bohs, helping organise various events, bringing in soccer coaches to train players and most importantly, building up trust.

That trust culminated in the recent Dalymount match where only two prison service staff were on duty for the 16-man squad – and they were team coach, Tony Moran, and a water carrier.

The build up of trust began following a chance meeting a couple of years ago in a local coffee shop between Hynes and Deputy Governor of Mountjoy Prison, Donacha Walsh.

“He was talking about Bohemians and I was talking about Cork City as I’m an avid fan,” Walsh says.

Walsh was working at St Patrick’s youth detention centre next to Mountjoy at the time and took up an offer from Hynes to bring coaches from Bohemians into the institution to train inmates.

“It was very popular and it became part of the fabric of St Pat’s,” Walsh continues. 

When St Pat’s was closed and young prisoners transferred to Wheatfield Prison in 2014 adult inmates were moved into the prison, which became Mountjoy West.

“We continued with the coaching and started building up to five-a-side games. Then Bohemians players started coming down to play in competitions.”

Sandyhill Shangan FC offered to join Bohs and the prison team for a triangular tournament called the Conway Cup, named after the patriarch of the famous Bohs supporting family.

No less than six Conways – Pat, Ronnie, Graham, John, Thomas and Terry – wore the famous red and black shirt, and Jeff Conway is manager of Sandyhill Shangan FC.

Naturally, the prison team always had home advantage for Conway Cup matches so it was a major breakthrough when the Prison Service determined that enough trust had been established to allow them play at the historical home of Irish soccer.

“This is our first away game,” said Walsh, who was at Dalymount in an unofficial capacity to support the inmates.

“The guys on the pitch today would be mostly coming towards the end of their sentences or are out on day release. They’re ready for re-socialising programmes and this fits in perfectly with that.”

Some former players of the prison team have taken up football following their release and are now with leading junior soccer clubs. Others are taking part in official FAI coaching courses, something that Walsh is proud of.

“That’s a progression,” he says. “Football and sport are great levellers and are great for breaking down barriers. Plus, it might just keep prisoners away from offending behaviour.”

Walsh believes that soccer in Mountjoy allows the prison to offer a more holistic rehabilitation service to complement existing modules like education and career training.

“The prison staff saw the prison training unit being underutilized for years when it can be doing things as progressive as this,” Walsh adds.

The historic match at Dalymount was watched by only a handful of supporters, including Bohs fan, Cllr Larry O’Toole, who was representing the office of the Lord Mayor.

But those who were there saw more than a hotly contested game of soccer. They witnessed what could be a significant breakthrough in prison rehabilitation.

The inmates who played did themselves and their volunteer trainer, Bohs coach Dave Woods, proud.

Despite being under constant pressure from their more experienced opponents for most of the game, their behaviour was impeccable and sportsmanlike.

There was no hiding their excitement over playing at Dalymount and their two goals were celebrated as wildly as any Premier League strike.

Off the pitch, they were the same as any other group of young men; joking, laughing and happy to engage in friendly banter with everybody.

After the game the players were treated to a buffet meal of chips, chicken nuggets, sausages and onion rings, cooked beforehand in the prison.

Watching them enjoy their historic day of freedom, one couldn’t help but believe they deserved a second chance from society.