Ginola meets Michael D

Setanta Sports brought former players David Ginola and David James over to Dublin

Former France international David Ginola: popped into Doheny & Nesbitts.  Photograph: Boris Horvat/AFP/Getty Images
Former France international David Ginola: popped into Doheny & Nesbitts. Photograph: Boris Horvat/AFP/Getty Images

With fans licking their chops in anticipation of the upcoming English football season, Setanta Sports brought former players David Ginola and David James over to Dublin this week to promote its coverage with BT Sport.

Before his flight home, Ginola popped into Doheny & Nesbitt bar on Baggot Street in Dublin for a swifty and a pulling lesson (for pints, that is). Who ambled in to use the facilities only President Michael D Higgins, who stopped for a chat with Ginola, presumably after someone told the Frenchman who he was. Higgins is a former president of Galway United FC and I hear he has a jersey of the now defunct club on the wall of his Áras office with the number 9 on the back, as he is the ninth president of Ireland.

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Mark Paul

Mark Paul

Mark Paul is London Correspondent for The Irish Times