IN WHAT has become a trend for Irishmen playing in the Australian Football League, the Laois native Colm Begley has spoken about his aspirations to return to Gaelic football at the tail-end of his career.
Now in his second season with the Brisbane Lions, where he has been joined this season by Mayo's Pierce Hanley, Begley returned home to play for Stradbally in the Laois championship during the AFL off-season.
"It's because we've grown up with the game of Gaelic football back home and it's still a massive part of who we are," he said in today's Sydney Morning Herald.
"It's something you miss, so it's something I can do as well - maybe have a good career here, go home aged 29 or 30 and just play one or two years back home.
"There's always that pull. You know, home's home, and it's always there at the back of your head, no matter how much you want to stay here - things can happen back there, even happen within you that will always make you think about going back home.
"But at the moment, I'm fine, I'm looking forward to the year fully and the family's coming some time in the middle of the year, so that should help."
Down's 20-year-old Martin Clarke made similar comments recently and also featured for his club, An Ríocht, after completing a remarkable first season with Collingwood.
Tadhg Kennelly has long voiced hopes of returning to Kerry to win an All-Ireland on completion of his contract with Sydney Swans.
The Carlton Blues franchise - home to the Cork trio Setanta and Aisake Ó hAilpín and Michael Shields - were accused of "tanking" (throwing) matches last season by their then-assistant coach, Tony Liberatore. The club lost their final 11 games to finish second from bottom of the league, a placing that guarantees a priority draft selection.
"I never heard (a directive to lose), but I could feel it, if that makes sense," said Liberatore. "Nobody ever said we're not going to win today but the feeling in the group was it was a bit of a laugh."
This comes just days after the AFL asked the Blues to clarify the actions of operations manager Steve Icke when he was in Ireland to sign Shields last October.
Four young players, including the Laois teenager Zach Tuohy, were supposedly signed and are due to arrive on completion of their studies.
Down's Paul McComiskey is the latest player to be connected with a move to AFL. He is expected to join Begley at the Brisbane Lions next autumn.
Meanwhile, the GAA have revealed a new brand identity, which will be officially launched at congress in April.
"In rolling out the new look, over the coming year, the GAA will be ensuring that all other marks, logos and symbols are made totally redundant," read a statement from Croke Park.
The new branding was created following one of the largest consultative processes ever conducted on behalf of the GAA; over 8,000 people - "representing a complete cross section of all elements of the Association, including a sizeable youth section, and the general public" - were consulted over a 10-month period.
