By Frank Craig
Declan Bogue never intended to ruffle any feathers.
His idea, to write a book chronicling some of Ulster’s biggest footballing personalities going about their business was, at the time, as innovative as it was unique.
The Fermanagh native was 30 years of age back in 2010 when he first hatched the concept to Stevie McDonnell (Armagh), Paddy Cunningham (Antrim), Val Andrews/Terry Hyland (Cavan), Michael Conlan/Danny Devlin (Derry), Aidan Carr (Down), Barry Owens (Fermanagh), Dick Clerkin (Monaghan), Ryan McMenamin (Tyrone) and, finally, a certain Kevin Cassidy.
The magnitude of such a project, even now, looks exhausting but it was a measure of Bogue’s enthusiasm for Gaelic games. The fact that individuals from all nine counties within the province agreed to take part was a real endorsement of the writer. He was one to be trusted.
Even now, it’s hard to believe that his innocent enough looking project would have such seismic ramifications down the track.
Around about the same time Declan was piecing together a template for his first book, Jim McGuinness was stepping up to senior intercounty management for the very first time. They didn’t realise it then but they were on a collision course… To read the above article in full, subscribe now at www.donegalnews.com/subscribe