DUBLIN historian Shane MacThomais was honoured at a soccer match in Mountjoy Prison last week when a team of inmates took on a side representing the Bohemian Foundation.
The match was organised by the Foundation -the philanthropic arm of Bohemians FC – and it pitted inmates trained by Bohs in regular coaching sessions against players who play locally with Sandyhill Shangan FC from Ballymun.
In a highly contested match played in a friendly atmosphere, the inmates were narrowly beaten by the Foundation team but the defeat was accepted gracefully.
The match is an annual event for the Conway Cup – a trophy donated by family of Bohemians members in honour of their father Jimmy Conway Snr.
This year a special man-of-the-match trophy dedicated to Shane MacThomais was also presented to the best player on the day.
MacThomais, who died in 2014, was a popular historian at Glasnevin Cemetery and his charming personality captivated a global audience in the documentary movie, One Million Dubliners.
The Shane MacThomais Memorial Trophy was presented to a player from the prison team by his nephew, Niall Bracken on behalf of the MacThomais family.
Bracken is following in the footsteps of his Uncle Shane and grandfather Eamon MacThomais as an engaging, informed tour guide at Glasnevin Cemetery.
The soccer work with prisoners was started by Bohemian Foundation President, Thomas Hynes, and Deputy Governor of Mountjoy Prison, Donacha Walsh is a big supporter of the project.
"It has had a very positive effect,” he said. “Lads have left here and taken up playing football when they leave and have reintegrated into the community.
"Most importantly, they haven't returned here. Anybody who doesn't return to Mountjoy is a job well done."
The relationship between the prison and Bohemian Foundation saw an amateur team representing Ireland play in an international tournament held at an open prison in the Netherlands last year.
The Irish team won the competition made up of teams from soccer foundations in Germany, Norway, UK, Belgium and the Netherlands and will return to defend their trophy in June.
Hynes thanked Mountjoy Prison for facilitating the Bohemian Foundation’s work and Sandyhill Shangan FC for their involvement and support.
“There are so many people benefiting from this work and we really couldn’t do it without them,” he added.
