2001 Foot and Mouth Disease and how the GAA calendar was interrupted

OFFICIALS on the border near Newtownbutler in Co Fermanagh were taking
no chances on that Sunday in February 2001 as football fans from the
north made their way south for National League matches.

Ireland wasn’t quite in lockdown like today. But the seriousness of
the situation with regard to Foot and Mouth Disease was all too clear.

Put simply, with a confirmed case already near the shores of Lough
Neagh, the Department of Agriculture wanted to do everything to reduce
the risk and the fans from the north were on the frontline.

It didn’t matter whether they were in the farming industry or not
because everyone was treated with equal suspicion.

Cartons of milk as well as other dairy products were duly emptied on
the bank of straw by the roadside. Motorists were offered a
certificate of confirmation in return, but it’s doubtful whether
anyone used them to redeem their milk or cheese.

As time went on, the restrictions became even more strict. Louth and
Tyrone were both withdrawn from the National League due to having
confirmed cases, and the Red Hands were also denied the opportunity to
play in the Ulster U-21 final against Fermanagh which had already been
scheduled.

Then, there was the situation of the Loup players from South Derry
pictured on the terraces watching their county colleagues. It was all
about reducing the risks, and ensuring that the agrifood industry
wasn’t decimated.

Paul McFlynn, then a key and stylish defender with the Oak Leafers,
was one of just three players from the county directly affected. He
recalls the night at training when he, Johnny McBride and Ryan Dougan,
were informed that they wouldn’t be able to play because of the
restrictions.

Derry were the reigning National League champions in 2001, and set on
retaining their title and making a strong bid for championship
success. The county as a whole was allowed to continue its GAA
activities, all, that is, except for the St Patrick’s.

“I remember we were training up at Owenbeg when Eamonn Coleman, who
was the manager at the time came over to us. He had been talking to
Jim McKeever, the county chairman at that stage, just before,”
recalled Paul, now a lecturer at Ulster University.

“Anyway, Eamonn came to the three of us and told us that we weren’t
allowed to train or play against Fermanagh the following Sunday. I
thought he was joking because Eamonn had a habit of doing that, but he
was deadly serious.

“The thing was, we were still allowed to go to the match which was in
Brewster Park. So, along we went and going past the dressing-room
window, the rest of the lads were shouting out at us and for people to
stay away because of the Foot and Mouth.

“When you think back now, that kind of restriction was a bit silly and
maybe an over-reaction. The only benefit was that it gave me a bit of
a break which I was delighted with at the time.

“But things are a lot more serious now with the coronavirus and I just
hope that people stay safe,” he added.

That summer, Derry went on to defeat Antrim in the opening round of
the Ulster Championship, before losing to Tyrone in the provincial
semi-final. The disappointment of that result, though, was eased by
the introduction for the first time of the backdoor and an opportunity
to avenge that outcome later in the summer.

The two counties renewed acquaintances at Clones a few weeks later in
the All-Ireland Quarter Final and on this occasion Derry emerged with
the win. But it was to be a year of ultimate disappointment for them.

“We were going for the All-Ireland in 2001 and it’s still a huge
regret for me that we let that one slip. In the All-Ireland semi-final
we were five points ahead against Galway with minutes remaining and
ended up losing.

“The game against Tyrone was a big one especially after losing to them
in the Ulster semi-final. There were a few hard-hits in the first game
that we weren’t going to accept the next time and that’s what
happened. We got the win.”

The Tyrone against Derry rivalry at that time was at its height, but
the area around the Loughshore was united by the effect of the Foot
and Mouth disease. The images of animals being burnt on pyres or
loaded into mass graves are mostly forgotten now, but they were
shocking at the time.

One of the cases was in Ardboe, where 18 years ago a young Brian
McGuigan was beginning to make his mark on the inter-county scene
stage. He was combining the commitments as part of the squad – then
managed by Art McRory and Eugene McKenna – with leading the way for
the multi-talented U-21 team then seeking a second consecutive All-
Ireland under the management of Mickey Harte and he remembers that
period at the start of the century clearly.

“We had reached the Ulster Final against Fermanagh when the first case
of Foot and Mouth was found near Ardboe.

“Suddenly the decision was taken to ban Tyrone from all competitions
because of the fact that one case,” he recalls.

“Dominic Corrigan was the Fermanagh U-21 manager at that time and he
was making the case for them to go through and represent Ulster in the
All-Ireland semi-final at Tyrone’s expense. But that didn’t stand well
with us or Mickey Harte.

“It was all a bit surreal and I remember the case of the few Loup lads
who weren’t allowed to play for Derry.

“Yet they were still able to go and watch their county playing and
there was a famous photograph of them on the terraces at the height of
the crisis.

“Anyway, Mickey Harte really stood by us at that time, basically
making sure that we weren’t just going to be prevented from defending
our All-Ireland on the basis of one decision within the GAA. He talked
about how unfair that would be for the players to be basically
prevented because of one case, which for some on the Tyrone team was
far further away from them than it would have been for players in
Armagh, Derry and Antrim.”

Tyrone’s reprieve was secured, although there was no such fortune for
the seniors. The decision to oust them from the National League
effectively prevented them from challenging for a first title in the
competition at a time when they on top of Division One and on course
for that historic triumph.

Nevertheless, the experience of the U-21s was to have an important
impact on the development of a squad, most of whom went on to play
such a decisive role in the county’s successful first Sam Maguire
triumph just two years later.

“We beat Fermanagh comfortably in the Ulster Final and then in
September beat Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final at Parnell Park. I
suppose those wins and our subsequent All-Ireland title success were
vindication that the stance took on our behalf by Mickey Harte was the
right one,” added Brian McGuigan.

“The only comparison that I can think of is Liverpool in the Premier
League this year. But then when you look at what’s happening all over
the world you soon realise that nothing else really matters.

“Winning that All-Ireland U-21 title in 2001 really confirmed to us as
players that we were on the right track. It gave us the confidence to
make our mark and, with the experience of Brian Dooher, Peter Canavan,
Chris Lawn and Gerard Cavlan, we were able to do that two years later.”

The Derry and Tyrone players affected in that seminal year of 2001
went on to lead the way for their respective counties during
subsequent years.

Disruption caused by the crisis 18 years ago proved to be shortlived,
as the National Leagues, All-Ireland Championships and all the other
club and inter-county competitions proceeded without any real hitches.

For Derry, All-Ireland semi-final appearances in both 2001 and 2004
proved their formidable credentials, while Tyrone’s disappointment at
missing out on possible National League success in 2001 was soon
eclipsed by the Sam Maguire glories that were to follow later in the
decade.