Local boy Dunne good: Ireland star returns home to lend a helping hand

AFTER A long, tiring and periodically painful season, Republic of Ireland defender Richard Dunne appeared pleased to be back in his native Tallaght yesterday.

Taking to the pitch at Sacred Heart FC’s ground in Killinarden, the Aston Villa man exchanged passes and banter with the assembled throng of youngsters. Dunne, who sat out last night’s friendly against Paraguay, was in town as the FAIs inclusion ambassador.

“Who’s the best player you’ve played against?” asked one fan.

“Probably [Wayne] Rooney or Fernando Torres,” Dunne said, prompting gasps of envy.

“How much did Man City sell you for?” probed another boy.

“£5 million,” replied a twinkling Dunne.

“And how much do you get paid, Richard?”

“Ha ha.”

Dunne then endured a second round of, slightly less personal questioning, from the gathered reporters. He was promoting an FAI initiative that aims to help the long-term unemployed back to work through football coaching and refereeing.

The Goal to Work programme, funded by the Office of the Minister for Children, is to run in Bray, Limerick, Waterford and Athlone this year.

It offers an education in coaching, intercultural awareness, first aid and a sporting code of ethics, which the FAI believes will help participants understand how to organise teams and games and engage with at-risk youths through the medium of football.

Dunne said he was only too aware of the difficulties people in Ireland had encountered since the economy soured.

“All my friends and family are still here. I know how difficult it is for every family because it seems countrywide people are losing their jobs left, right and centre,” he said. “A lot of people have lost their jobs and giving the opportunity to get back to work through football and working with kids is a good opportunity.”

“It gives people the confidence to say Yeah, Ive got a job and if they can go out and work and are happy and getting a wage, thats great.”

Fortunately for Dunne, who was selected in the Premier League team of the season, work is going well. But he does remember a time opportunities were harder to come by. “I was working in a pub (The Brittas Inn) before I left to go to England,” he said. “My da was manager at the time so I did a few shifts as a lounge boy.”

How did that go?

“I spilt a tray of beer and I think that was the end of it.”

Dunne, who received pain-killing injections to help him through the final dozen or so games of the season, admitted that he will need the summer break to recover.

However, there is clearly another way, injuries and all, he would have liked to have spent his summer holidays. “Richard, who’s your tip to win the World Cup,” a reporter asked.

“I’m not even talking about it.”