The Derry Raconteur

Bonagee United  3  Finn Harps Reserves  2

Ulster Senior League – League Cup

“Hugh Kelly knows half of the town, and then the other half know him!”

Those were the words said to me at the Altnagelvin Hopsital bus stop from the gentleman that had just been accosted by Derry’s finest raconteur, via his car passenger window.

Hugh Kelly and I met over ten years ago, on the railway station platform at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. Derry City were playing Paris St Germain in the UEFA Cup and I was stood on my own wearing a City shirt. Hugh, who was wearing a Brentford shirt (I know), was with his family, they were curious and started to talk to me, from that day onwards we have all become good friends. I try to get to Derry twice a year and catch up with them, and when Hugh is around, life is far from dull.

You can’t walk more than a few yards without Hugh stopping to talk to someone, you can’t drive far without him suddenly stopping and winding down the window to someone. Mostly, those on the receiving end know him, but at times, they look at him blankly wondering who it is.

In fairness though, he does know an awful lot of people, and that comes from many years of refereeing, working at one of the City’s major employers, and also being pretty active on the social scene.

We’ve had some bizarre moments though, the best was without doubt when we were in a pub and having a conversation with a local that had been jumped upon by Hugh and introduced to myself. We got talking about football and that lead to a conversation about the ex Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and Northern Ireland full back, Gary Fleming.

I though no more of it until he was taking me to my bed and breakfast, only for him turn down completely the wrong road and pull up outside a house. He told me to wait in the car, then suddenly I got a shout to join him. Two minutes later I was sat in Gary Fleming’s parents front room drinking tea. I still to this day don’t know if Hugh actually knew them, or just turned up by chance and invited the both of us in, either way, it was different.

He’s an absolute diamond though, and as soon as I told him I fancied going to the game at Bonagee United, he was arranging to pick me up. This is what Hugh’s like, he can’t do enough for you….

The Stand At Dry Arch Park

I’d had confirmation via a message on the clubs Facebook page that the game was taking place, I was mindful it may not as I saw a game at Cockhill Celtic had been called off, but all was ok. The drive over the border into the Republic gave me the opportunity to once again see some fantastic scenery, notably the Drongawn Lough which sources from Letterkenny.

Bonagee United play at Dry Arch Park which is a couple of miles outside Letterkenny on the East side of the town. It’s a really nice ground, fully enclosed with a covered terrace on one side which tucks in to the corner of the pitch. It’s also floodlit, while the pitch looked in fantastic condition.

As you would expect, Hugh was soon in conversation with a club official, whereas I was itching to get a quick pint over at the Dry Arch pub. I got my way. We re-appeared just before kick off and paid the five Euro entry fee taking up a position in the stand, and once again Hugh found a couple of people he knew, a goalkeeping coach from Sligo Rovers and a millionaire bookmaker from Derry!

Bonagee Score From The Spot

The game was a very entertaining spectacle. Gareth Doherty gave visiting Finn Harps Reserves the lead from the penalty spot. Jamie Lynagh levelled for the hosts but Harps re-took the lead again, also from the penalty spot via JD Alawiye.

Bonagee produced a tremendous fightback though when Mickey Funton scored with a header before the winning goal came from Dean Larkin. It had been a great game to end the Irish tour, but the day wasn’t finished.

After some food in Letterkenny we made our way to the Iona in Derry where the bulk of the inhabitants had clearly been on the pop for some time. Hugh’s arrival created something of a stir, you see, when a former local referee enters a pub, and the locals have all had the pleasure of his decisions in years gone by, the welcome is sure to be warm!

The Sun Came Out

That night we ended up at a quiz, where I was introduced to a former Finn Harps player. Before I explain, a couple of years ago Hugh introduced me to two footballers, who were something of legends.

Firstly, Tony O’Doherty, a Derry City and Finn Harps star from the Seventies and Eighties, who also won caps for Northern Ireland. Secondly, Charlie Ferry, a goalscoring hero who also played for the Harps. It was interesting talking to two former Harps players, especially as a Derby County supporter who’s side beat Harps 12-0 at the Baseball Ground in 1976 in the UEFA Cup. O’Doherty played in the game, Ferry was conveniently injured and took no responsibility!

Anyway, the player in question this particular evening was Terry Leake, who Hugh explained to me had appeared on Question Of Sport, twice!

There was a bit of banter and then I was told to put the words ‘Terry Leake Own Goal’ into YouTube on my phone. What I found was one of the greatest own goals of all time, but not only that, a Derryman, playing for local rivals Finn Harps, at Derry’s ground against Derry, lobbing his own goalkeeper in spectacular fashion. It made the ‘What Happened Next’ section on the TV programme.

Watch it here   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYhBDrPydnc

Apparently, nearly thirty years later, Terry can just about walk the streets without being ridiculed, but clearly Hugh’s arrival in the pub that night re-opened some old wounds!

The 11am bus back to Belfast saw the end of the long weekend on Monday morning, but not before Hugh turned up at the door with some breakfast for me, the diamond that he is. Clearly he had to give me a short lift to the bus stop, and I knew it would never be a brief farewell. He found someone from the one half of the Derry population that he knew, whereas the rest of the folks at the bus stop, without actually knowing him, had certainly heard of him!