Alan Kerins recalls jumping into a flower bed as Jack Charlton’s car pulled up to the driveway during the Ireland manager’s first visit to his family B&B during the late 1980s.
“The first day we knew he was coming was big news,” former Galway dual player Kerins told the Electric Ireland GAA Minor Moments podcast.
“I think it was after Euro ’88. We were out playing soccer in the front garden – myself and my brother Mark, and we had a friend or two over.
“I remember the minute the car pulled in, we all jumped into the flower bed and hid because we were afraid of our lives.
“He was big into fishing and I think he must have asked Willie Moran where would he recommend to stay if he was going fishing in Galway. Willie lived next door to us.
22 July 2001; Alan Kerins of Galway has a shot on goal despite the attentions of Cork goalkeeper Kevin O’Dwyer and defender Anthony Lynch during the Bank of Ireland All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Qualifier Round 4 match between Galway and Cork at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
“We lived down the weir near the famous Moran’s of the Weir restaurant [in Kilcolgan, Co. Galway]. It’s a beautiful little village looking out to the ocean.
“We had the river in front of our house. We used to fish it when we were younger. Dad used to bring us fishing before school and catch brown trout. We’d cook them before breakfast. It was lovely, but there’s no fish, or very little, in the river now, unfortunately.
“Jack came and became a life long family friend. He was a great character. It was lovely. He was a gent, great fun. He used to bring his wife and family sometimes, or his buddies would come.”
3 September 1989; Former Republic of Ireland manager Jack Charlton watches on during the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final between Tipperary and Antrim at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Occasionally, Charlton would drip Kerins and his siblings to school.
“He used to drop us to school,” he said.
“We thought we were the bees knees. This was around ’88, ’89, ’90 when we were still in primary school.
“Mam would be doing the B&B, and he’d come in say, ‘Look, Anne, I know you’re busy, I’ll bring them to school today’. He was that kind of person.
“One day he went in, and there was another few guests in the house, and he started serving the guests. They were Irish and they couldn’t believe it was Jack Charlton walking out with the two plates of full Irish [breakfast]. He was full of devilment.”
Kerins, who won an All-Ireland minor hurling title with Galway in 1994, an All-Ireland U21 hurling title in 1996, and an All-Ireland football title in 2001, said Charlton had “huge interest” in his GAA career.
“He couldn’t understand why we would play for free,” said Kerins.
“He came from a professional background and he used to think we were crazy playing with those ‘bats’ he used to call them. [He’d say] ‘Are you still playing with those bats? Are you still not getting paid? You’re crazy.’
“He really enjoyed hurling and did take a genuine interest.
“He bought a house in Ballina then. He didn’t come as frequently but he’d always come to visit when he was in Ballina.
“My parents went over to him to Newcastle a few years before he died to visit him.”
RIP big man and close family friend. We were blessed to have him stay with us every summer back in the good old days. #JackieCharlton pic.twitter.com/JVF0T6i93P
— Alan Kerins (@alankerins) July 11, 2020