London's Tighe Barry pictured at the launch of the Tailteann Cup. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
By Cian O'Connell
Tighe Barry senses the excitement that surrounds an emerging crop of London footballers.
Opportunities are being provided, the games programme is improving in the juvenile ranks. So, more homegrown players are being developed to represent London at senior inter-county level.
London's homegrown team has advanced to the latter stages of the All-Ireland Junior Football Championship in recent years. Another encouraging sign. "That's it, all the lads are London born," Barry explains.
"I was involved with that team for about two or three years and we managed to get to the semi-final. It's typical of the year that me and Shay Rafter get called up, the lads kick on and actually get to Croke Park.
"Playing in that is a great stepping stone. It's good for lads to see English born lads in the London team now and kind of look up and hopefully one day they get there. There's six of us there now.
"For the last couple of years, someone like Liam Gallagher, he's been there for a long time. Liam Gavigan, I didn't actually get to play with him, he left the year I joined."
Manager Michael Maher has helped the process. "Now we've got six London born lads playing in the team and obviously Michael Maher, he really drives it on to be fair to him," Barry adds.
"He gives us a chance, which is good. We played against Roscommon the other day and there was five of us starting. That's been the case across a lot of the league games as well."
Players from the competing counties pictured with Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Jarlath Burns at the launch of the Tailteann Cup. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
With Sunday's Tailteann Cup clash against Westmeath next on the agenda, Barry expects further London born players to progress through the ranks. "Yeah, definitely," he responds.
"I think the fact that we're involved now and obviously there's a lot more hype around it. London have got a new social media team and they seem to really promote it.
"I can see some of my brother's friends, he's only 15 and they all play football as well. You see a lot more of the players now and it probably helps a lot. The lads probably want to get into the team and start playing football and sticking with it really."
Barry's father is from Valentia Island. So, growing up Kerry football stories were frequently told. "When I was younger I spent all my summers there and even now I try to get back there as much as I can really," Barry explains.
"Mick O'Connell was my neighbour. After we played Antrim last year in the Tailteann Cup, we lost to them very narrowly, I went down to Kerry for a week and I went into Mick O'Connell's house and he was chatting to me about his career and stuff. It was a good experience."
In London, Gaelic Football was on the agenda once Barry started training with Parnells. "I've always loved playing football and the fact you get these experiences to come out here is just crazy," he says.
"I've never played here (Croke Park), but I've been here and watched Kerry win and play games. My cousin Paul Casey played for Dublin. He'd been my nan's brother's son.
"So, Kerry roots, but moved up here and ended up playing for Dublin and winning a couple of All-Irelands. When I was growing up I'd always go to weddings and see him and he'd probably be someone I'd always try to look towards.
