Pictured is former Electric Ireland Minor Championship star Chrissy McKaigue of Derry at the 2025 Electric Ireland GAA All-Ireland Minor Championship Launch. This summer, Electric Ireland will use their social channels to spotlight players from across the Championships, in their ‘Parent Point of View’ series highlighting the major impact that playing Minor can have on players and their families #ThisIsMajor.
Click here to listen to the interview with former Derry star Chrissy McKaigue.
By Cian O'Connell
For Chrissy McKaigue, GAA is always on the agenda. That is just the way it is. Playing or coaching, McKaigue relishes trying to help the next generation progress in St Patrick’s Maghera.
A Hogan Cup was collected earlier this year, illustrating the potential that exists in Derry, who have flourished in the underage ranks recently. How has McKaigue found not being a senior inter-county footballer in 2025? “Busy, life has taken over, life is really busy,” McKaigue responds.
“I’m not sure it is always a healthy thing; my life is still deeply embedded in GAA. My work is in GAA, I work in St Patrick's College, Maghera. We're Hogan Cup champions this year, I'm proud to say. I've a sort of a new role in there, it is the school I went to.
“I'm heavily involved in that. I'm back playing hurling and football for my club. I've done a fair bit of media this year around GAA, also.”
So, the hectic schedule helps. “That has probably made the transition relatively straightforward,” he adds. “It wasn't a knee jerk reaction from me to retire either. I'm happy to admit that the transition has been relatively smooth. I know in my gut that I'm happy enough.
“I can imagine for a lot of people it is more difficult. I'm happy to say, I'm content, and probably just ready to move on to the next chapter of my life.”
Passionate about Slaughtneil, Derry, and St Pat’s, McKaigue can adequately deal with the fact sport is on the agenda most of the time. “I've always been a person, that the job I'm in at the minute, it is an area I live in, it is a school I went to, I care deeply about the school, I care deeply about Derry GAA,” McKaigue explains.
“So, it is sort of encompasses all of those things. Your club is your club, and I'm still heavily involved in it. The big thing for me is that I don't have that pressure, or the time demands inter-county places on you. That frees me up mentally.
“I'm still able to do other things in life that you wouldn't have as much time to do if you had inter-county commitments. Probably the biggest thing I feel free from is the mental demands of inter-county because it was fair demanding.
St Patrick's Maghera selector Chrissy McKaigue pictured before the Masita GAA Football Post Primary Schools Hogan Cup final against St Colman's Claremorris. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
“I just put myself in the picture if I was playing against Dublin on Saturday, I'd have been starting to think about Dublin the minute the Galway game ended. You don't have that anymore and, to be honest, that is a welcome position.”
Considering the volume of talented players coming through, McKaigue accepts that it is vital Derry remain relevant at the highest level. “Big time, that is a really good way of putting it, to remain relevant,” McKaigue replies.
“Derry has always had a spread of good underage teams across minor, U21s, U20s as it is now, and schools. They've never had as consistent a spread as they've had recently. That is not a guarantee, don't get me wrong. I've never seen as many clubs in Derry have their house in order.
“That rivalry, wanting to compete with each other, it has made each other better. A rising tide and all of that. Schools are doing phenomenal work, that gives Derry GAA county teams a really good chance, you'd imagine.”
McKaigue, though, is fully aware of the significant challenges. “The most difficult transition is to get senior footballers or to get senior players, who're going to transition to an elite level, hopefully deliver provincial titles and national titles, be it Division One or Sam Maguire,” McKaigue says.
“I know Derry are working really hard in the background to put structures in place for that because they've had such a consistent spread of teams and players, who might be coming at the one time.
“It is exciting for Derry, but under no illusions that the hardest transition is to get them players from being really good juvenile players to being really good servants contributing at senior level for Derry.”
Being ready, willing, and able to deliver at inter-county level is what McKaigue hopes the emerging players can deliver. “It mightn't happen overnight, but I say it to all of the young players in school, lads, don't be scared of ambition,” McKaigue remarks.
“You're in Kerry or Dublin, the bigger counties, they're not scared of ambition. Stick your chest out, want to be the best. Don't be arrogant or anything like that or feel self-entitled. Be ambitious. Derry have to claim that they want to be in contention for Sam Maguire in the next 10 years. They've to be or what is the point in doing all of the work that they've done. There is no guarantee, I know that.
David Clifford, Kerry, and Chrissy McKaigue, Derry, during the 2024 All-Ireland SFC quarter-final at Croke Park. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
“The bottom line is you've got to have your ambitions, you've got to dream big. Them claims or ambitions can't be based on delusion, but I'd like to think they're based on logic. Derry should, theoretically, have a chance in the next number of years to do big things.”
McKaigue emphasises the players that continue to contribute for Derry. “You look at the age profile of a lot of the Derry players at the minute,” McKaigue says.
“I know Conor McCluskey has been out, still a relatively young man, Ethan Doherty is still a relatively young man, Lachlan Murray, Paul Cassidy, a lot of those players have a lot more to give with a lot more of a conveyor belt of talent coming through.
“So, Derry just need probably one big breakthrough day at Croke Park, I feel, for that to happen. Like any other county, that is what the goal should be. Will it be this year? The law of averages suggest it won't be this year, but sport presents opportunity when you aren't expecting them too.”
Derry’s spirited display when drawing with Galway at Celtic Park encouraged McKaigue. “Massively, that is the word I would use,” he replies. “People were walking away from Celtic Park, from a Derry perspective, disappointed, but not as heartbroken as you normally would've been after the nature of the result.
“Even the most ardent, passionate Galway supporter would say that Galway robbed that draw. I think you'd have to be impartial enough to concede that. It was the manner of Derry's performance. It was the fight, the intensity, it was the physicality, it was the togetherness they brought. Celtic Park was rocking.”
There was a connection between the team and followers. “It has been a while since I felt the Derry supporters with that level of voice behind the Derry team,” McKaigue says.
“It was maybe everything compounded - the weather, it was the physicality, the referee let a lot go, I thought he refereed it well, it brought that intensity. Derry supporters and the consensus in the county over the last number of days has been that this Derry team on their day are more than capable of beating anybody.
“They need to bring that level of performance again.” Saturday’s Páirc Esler tussle against Dublin will be revealing.
