My GAA Life with Paul McKillen

Which teams did you represent?

Antrim and Ballycastle, Ulster, Ireland, Gabriels London (1986)

What is your current involvement with the GAA?

Managing the Antrim camogs, and I took a few sessions with the Antrim minors.

What was your greatest moment in the GAA?

One of the greatest moments was the 1986 All-Ireland semi-final. We were playing in Croke Park. That was my first time in Croke Park, and I got man of the match. The other great moment was getting the All-Star in 1993. That was a shock because I was nominated nearly five years in a row from 1987 through to 1991 then I got it in 1993. I thought I had a good chance in the years before, but I don’t know why I was picked in 1993. Maybe they felt sorry for me after being nominated so many times. The other one was winning the first club championship in 1983.

What was the most surprising moment in your career?

The surprise I had was getting called up by Dermy Donnelly to play for the seniors in 1983 when I was 16. I was also surprised when Sean McGuinness asked me to play for Antrim in 1984. I was not expecting that.

Who was the best player you ever played with?

I would have always said Peter Boyle. As well as him, Tony McGrath from Dunloy. He was one of the most skilful boys I ever played along with. I played along with him in 1985 and then he packed it in. He played on with Dunloy but he didn’t continue with the county. He was a super midfielder. He had great intelligence. He was a super player to play with, it wasn’t so great playing against him. I had maybe 12 partners at midfield with Antrim, but I’d say if Tony had stayed on then it would have always been me and him.

What was the best score you ever saw in a game you were involved in?

There is only one, Klute in the All-Ireland semi-final against Offaly off his knees. The other one would be John Fenton in the All-Ireland final, the one he scored from 30 yards out. Klute was a fine player. The problem was that he was playing for Armoy (a small club). He played for Loughgiel one year, ‘89, and more or less won the championship for them. If you put that in, I’ll be shot!

Which manager made the biggest impact on you and why?

Dermy Donnelly. He got me into the seniors for the first time in Ballycastle. He was a great motivator, and if he had to tell you off he told you off. He could also put the arm around you. Him and Sean McGuinness were the best motivators. They weren’t the best technicians, but they got the best out of you. You wanted to play for them. Jim (Nelson) was a great manager as well, he was a great technician. If Sean McGuinness and Jim Nelson could have worked together it would have been a great management team.

What was the best piece of advice you ever received about playing?

What I always say to teams, just before they go out to play, is to enjoy the game. They should be thankful that they are fit to hurl. It’s what hurling is all about. Winning is not everything. You are playing the game because you enjoy playing. There’s many a person who would love to play but can’t.

What was the best thing about playing in your era?

I was one of the lucky ones because I got to play with a great Ballycastle team. I played with some of the best hurlers that Antrim ever produced. Peter Boyle, Eddie Donnelly, Dessie Donnelly, Brian Donnelly, Olcan Laverty, jeez I could name a whole county team. Paul Jennings too. I was very young on that team. They won three in a row from 78 to 80. I came on after that when we won in 1983, 84 and 86. I had three championship medals before I was 20 and Ballycastle hasn’t won one since.

What was the worst thing about playing your era?

Getting injured. You would have pulled your hair out. You didn’t know what to do with yourself. I only ever had one bad one. I pulled ligaments and I was out for the whole season. It took me six months to get back. It was a complete nightmare.

When did you know it was time to call it quits?

I think everyone knows this, it’s when your head knows where to be but your legs can’t take you there.

What interesting or funny story may readers not know about you or one of your former teammates?

In 1993 I was working in Tiger’s Bay, building houses. It was the day when they printed the All-Star winners. One year the hurlers would know and the footballers wouldn’t, the next it was the other way about. This year was the year the hurlers names were announced. I knew I had been nominated but I was keen to know if I had won. Though I had already decided I wasn’t going down to the event that year, because I had went down so many years and never got it. I had said to Hannah my wife, I said I couldn’t be arsed going down. She said we’ll not bother. So that day, there were no Irish News’s around Tiger’s Bay as you can imagine. You couldn’t really go into the shop and ask for an Irish News. So I went to work and then came home and didn’t know anything. I went in the back gate. I was doing the double at the time, that’s why I went in the back gate. When you have four wee’uns you have to find a way to get the money in. So I came in through the back gate, and there was the banners up, saying congratulations. There’s my wife and I said to her, what are you at you eejit? She says: “You got it!”

I said: “Got what?”

She says: “You got the All-Star!”

Then in comes my da, the house was full and the champagne was going.

Then I said that I had to go get a suit.