McGourty Doesn’t Stand for Queen’s
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Former Antrim player and current St Galls player Kevin McGourty has lambasted his alma mater Queen’s University, Belfast for their plans to give an honorary degree to fastest man in the world Usain Bolt. It is to be surely the biggest cash in on a sportsman who has absolutely nothing to do with sport in Ireland.
Although no-one from Queen’s was available for comment last night according to the Irish News, Bolt has one strong local link in that his manager Ricky Simms hails from Milford in Donegal (that perhaps explains the colours Bolt runs in, or is that because he runs for Jamaica?).
That excuse won’t satisfy McGourty who took time out from celebrating St Galls progress to another All Ireland final to put a hefty boot into Queen’s. McGourty of course helped Queen’s to a Sigerson title a couple of years back having been on the losing side several time. He points out that Queen’s is happy to honour a Jamican fella with nothing to do with the University yet has ignored the likes of Down legend Sean O’Neill and local rugby star David Humphreys.
Surely Kevin should see the wood from the trees – when he says this is a shameless PR exercise from Queen’s he is absolutely right. But it is an attempt by the University authorities to attract coverage in a way that winning the Sigersonnever could. Unfortunately however most people in Ulster aren’t thick gobshites and they will realise this.
“I have no issue with Bolt or his achievements in the world of sport. . . am only interested in gaelic games. Then university has only in recent years recognised its contribution to the community here in the North by awarding Mickey Harte an honorary degree. The fact is that over th course of the last fifty years some of Ireland’s leading gaelic footballers and managers have had direct connections with this institute but have constantly been bypassed.”
Just for the record he would be referring to the likes of Kieran McGeeney, Anthony Tohill, Diarmuid Marsden, Cormac McAnallen, Dessie Ryan, Henry Downey, Ciaran Barr, Greg Blaney, Sean O’Neill, Ger Manas to name a few.
As for their record over the last fifty years. . . it’s no so long a fair employment investigation found over ninety issues of concern. Also, at the time when Downey and co graduated, students were still supposed to stand for ‘the Queen’ at graduation.
So, this week’s prize for boldly saying what everyone else is thinking goes to Kevin McGourty. Maith thú.
