By Cian O’Connell

Paul Flanagan simply wanted to offer some assistance.

Seven years ago inside a fortnight in September Flanagan captained Clare to an All Ireland Under 21 title, while also earning an All Ireland senior medal.

During the intervening time Flanagan had graduated as an Irish and Physical Education teacher in UL before commencing work in Ardscoil Rís in Limerick.

Last summer Flanagan opted to take a career break, but with schools now closed due to Covid 19, the Ballyea clubman tweeted offering free online grinds to students studying Gaeilge.

“I just put it up on Twitter as a bit of a gesture or whatever and the next thing it snowballed,” Flanagan says. “I took a career break this year, I've been teaching in Ardscoil for the last six years.

“So I took a break for this school year, my girlfried and I went travelling for a few months. We have been back for the last few weeks and all this stuff has kicked off.”

Unsurprisingly people have responded in an appreciative manner with Flanagan, who is currently studying for a Masters in Performance Psychology in UL, delighted to offer some help.

“There has been massive reaction,” Flanagan admits. “Initially it just popped into my head as something I could have imagined my own mam at home, having to pay money,” Flanagan says.

“It can be tough on parents, so it was just a bit of a gesture really. I'm back in college so I have a bit more time to do it at the moment compared to if I was teaching full-time. It was just to put it out there, I can't get over the reaction. Email after email from parents who were apprehensive and wanted a hand. Students too.

“I got a huge amount of emails from Leaving Cert students who wanted to take responsibility for themselves, look towards a few months time or whenever.

“There is a lot of uncertainty with regards to the Leaving Cert now, but there is so many just looking for a hand, to see where they can pick up marks.

“I've been teaching Higher Leaving Cert for the last four or five years so it is no sweat off my back. I know what is involved in it, but it is tough. You go from a routine of being in class everyday, being able to hop things off your teacher, to not. That is where it came from really.”

Flanagan is currently organising and preparing for the lessons which will commence this week. “The idea is that we will use an online platform, Microsoft Teams or Zoom,” Flanagan explains. “It will be either platform depending on how well they are working with the way things are gone.

“I just think at least structure wise over the next few weeks they can get a start on what and where they can look towards getting better at. I will outline bits and pieces where they might need to improve on.

“People were emailing me, they were putting down their club and where they are from and where they were going to school.

“Things like I'm going to this school in Dublin, this is my club, and I'm doing Leaving Cert. That was heartening to hear, so many different people from every part of the country. I didn't think when I put it up that there would be such a reaction.

“I know from teaching Gaeilge you might get an adverse reaction, but it looked like there was a real desire for kids to improve and for parents to help them out that way too.

“The numbers have been huge, we are probably looking at close to 200 or so with 150 for Leaving Cert. You have a huge amount of students interested.”

Flanagan followed in the footsteps of Ballyea club colleague Gary Brennan, also currently on sabatical from the inter-county arena, by pursuing a teaching degree in the same subjects.

“Gary and I went to the same primary school, obviously played for the same club,” Flanagan replies. “I followed suit with him, he did the same course in UL - Physcial Education and Gaeilge, I followed him.

“We'd be good friends and get on really well. We'd hop things off each other the odd time too. It is funny how you'd get to know people. You get to know people through it. I did a stint in Coláiste Lurgan in Connemara at one stage, I got to know more people there. You get to know people.”

That time was well spent forging connections with the proud Mícheál Breathnach club, who continue to battle on the Gaelic Football and hurling fields of Galway and beyond.

Flanagan acknowledges the respect that exists for those interested in the language from outside Gaeltacht areas.

“That is probably true, I always felt really welcome from any of the lads I'd be talking to,” Flanagan replies.

“I remember a summer a few years ago, I was training with Clare at the time. I went up and did a session with them, just to join in with Micheal Breathnach's at the time.

“I was away when they won the Connacht Junior Championship, that was surreal. I was in Australia or somewhere at the time, but it was just deadly to see it.”

So too is Flanagan’s willingness to help the next generation at this deeply uncertain time. Sár iarracht.