Football

Boots on in Wellington... Kilcoo native Miceal Devlin all set for New Zealand football championship

Getting the buzz back. Miceal Devlin training with the Wellington team
Getting the buzz back. Miceal Devlin training with the Wellington team Getting the buzz back. Miceal Devlin training with the Wellington team

THEY say the three pastimes in Kilcoo are football, faith and farming so, with football off the menu, these are quiet times in the county Down parish. But one native of the GAA stronghold in the Mournes still has his boots on and, as his team-mates at home battle boredom in lockdown, former Magpie Miceal Devlin is preparing for championship action 11,500 miles away in New Zealand.

Devlin, younger brother of Kilcoo stalwart Anthony, will line-out for the Wellington/Hutt Valley club in this weekend’s New Zealand senior championship in Christchurch.

The Wellington squad includes players from 15 of Ireland’s counties as well as some Kiwis and former Down minor championship-winning captain Devlin hadn’t kicked a ball since he set out on his travels in 2015 until this season when he was tempted to return to action.

“It’s bad times when you’re ringing a boy in New Zealand for a bit of football craic,” says Miceal, with a chuckle.

Strange days indeed, and the role of the New Zealand government in giving Miceal the opportunity to do what former team-mates like Darragh O’Hanlon and Aaron Branagan are currently denied cannot be over-stated.

The New Zealand government has been applauded for their prompt and decisive reaction to Covid-19 and, because of their actions, the twin-island nation has been relatively unscathed by the pandemic. Sports continue as usual and fans are permitted to watch it.

“I feel very lucky to be where I am at the minute and be able to play a bit of football,” said Miceal.

“They seem to have nipped Covid in the bud very early on and life goes on as usual.

“Being an island nation, they seem to have controlled it well at the borders, so they’ve definitely done well - they’ve looked after us.”

Devlin came through the underage ranks at Kilcoo and was captain of the Magpie minor side that completed a minor-senior double in Down in 2009. From there he worked his way up to the senior panel but “couldn’t bust into the 15”.

“Too many bloody Branagans! They take up half the team,” he jokes.

He was biding his time, waiting for a breakthrough but when his girlfriend Michelle finished university they decided to go and see a bit of the world. They left Ireland in 2015 with a plan to travel for six months but, six years later, are still enjoying life overseas.

“When you’re on the road you keep travelling, the open road keeps calling you,” says Miceal, who lived in Perth, Australia for two years before moving on to New Zealand.

“We have stayed away for longer than we thought. I’ll be back sometime but it won’t be any time soon. I’ve got a couple of years left on my visa and then we’ll see what happens but at the minute I’m really enjoying life on this side of the world.

“The Kiwis have nailed it with the lifestyle ratio compared to the work ratio, so I can’t complain and if you like the outdoors, New Zealand is the spot for you.”

For years Devlin’s main connection to GAA was getting up in the middle of the night to cheer on his native club in a series of Down finals and of course the Ulster Championship triumph of 2019 and last year’s All-Ireland final. But that all changed when a friend of a friend enticed him to attend a Wellington training session.

It wasn’t long before that old “buzz” returned and now he’s looking forward to the New Zealand championships which also include hurling, ladies’ football and camogie competitions. The men’s football begins with a round-robin tomorrow and continues with the knock-out phase on Sunday against teams from throughout the country.

“I’m hoping we give it a good shot and come away with a bit of silverware,” says Devlin.

“The lads have trained hard – we were doing two nights’ a week and then, leading up to this, it’s been three nights’ a week so we’ve put in the training! We have boys from all over Ireland (including fellow Down native Chris McKibbin and Derry’s Tony Ling) and there’s a couple of good Kiwi lads in there as well

“The boys come from all over and from all walks of life and you can enjoy the football socially or as serious as you want, it’s a great mix.”

His story is an example of the enduring appeal of the GAA and the precious role it provides in allowing Irish people to stay connected with their roots, no matter where they are on the planet.

“It was full-on playing for Kilcoo, especially with the club doing so well and you do lose the enjoyment of it a bit,” says Miceal.

“I was out of it too long but once I got back I got that energy and buzz back. It’s hard to explain: When you turn your back on something and then you get the chance to play again, it all comes back, the enjoyment of it. You’re not taking it super-super serious but you’re still putting everything in that you can.”