Graham Linehan: one half of the comedy duo that gave us Father Ted.

Today mark’s the 16^th anniversary of one of Ireland’s greatest comedic talents, Dermot Morgan. The most iconic role that he played was the lead role of Fr Ted Crilly in the hit sitcom, Fr Ted. The show was created by Graham Lineham and Arthur Mathews. It was thanks to the hard work of Linehan that Dermot Morgan is such a well known face both in Ireland and England. Dermot Morgan spoke extremely highly of Graham Linehan describing his as an “insane comedy genius.”

Graham Linehan is one of the most accomplished comedy writers Ireland has produced. He is a product of Colaiste Dhulaigh, studying in the post-leaving certificate institution from 1987 to 1988. Graham studied media in the Coolock campus, which was the only campus at the time.

The Castlenock native came from a middle class background. He attended Plunkett’s secondary school in Whitehall before completing his tenure at second level education at the Catholic University School on the south side of Dublin city. Although Graham had a staunchly religious upbringing he has referred to himself in the past as “the first generation to turn their back on the Church.”

From an early age, Graham wanted to pursue a career in writing. Colaiste Dhulaigh enhanced his appetite for a career in media. Shortly after departing from Colaiste Dhulaigh, Graham obtained a job with Hot Press magazine. The journey Graham took in his literary career focuses more on the portfolio of work he built, than the educational institutions he attended.

In the current world of media, which is transforming daily, it is important to have stories that you can call your own. The fact that you’ve got those stories in a portfolio of work is of paramount importance. Stories that landed; stories that were real. Even though they didn’t end up where you wanted, those are yours. Sometimes you get a story and you might not work at some place that’s that important in the national narrative but if it’s important enough people will reach down and grab it, and it will end up happening for you. Luckily for Graham, this is what occurred.

During his time at Hot Press, he met Arthur Mathews. Arthur and Graham formed a formidable comedy duo. They were the writers for the iconic Irish comedy, Father Ted. Graham’s major breakthrough came from the success of Father Ted, produced by Hat Trick Productions for Channel 4. Actor Dermot Morgan regarded Hat Trick productions as the “AC Milan of comedy producers” Graham has stated in the past that he offered the show to Channel 4 instead of RTE because there was “no sophistication in Irish TV.”

Dermot Morgan who played the lead role of Fr Ted Crilly in the hit show Father Ted.

Graham departed for England in his early twenties. The early 90s was a very druggy scene in London, according to Graham. Ecstasy was the drug of journalism at the time. He had a very frugal living when he first arrived in the English capital. He spent his first few months living on floors, with a diet that, at one point, consisted entirely of hot dogs. While writing for music magazines in London, he maintained this unstable lifestyle for a few months going through those years in a slight fuzz.

His big break came with the production of the aforementioned Father Ted. The BAFTA award winning series is a timeless classic. First airing in 1995, it is still renowned today as one of the greatest comedy shows ever. It is also one of the most quotable comedy shows, thanks to the witty writing style of both Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan. In 2000, the pair released the scripts for the Father Ted series in a book entitled: ‘Father Ted: The Complete Scripts.’

Graham attributes the success of the series largely on the fact that it was aired on a British broadcasting channel. When talking about this decision Graham has also said: “why would you give it to RTE, you may as well give it to Waterford Glass”. Graham is aware that some of the clerical jokes may not be as successful in modern times, since the Church has been so victimised by the media.

The early complaints of the show being anti-Irish came largely from an English audience. Graham often found himself, as an Irishman, defending any anti-Irish sentiment perceived in the show against an opposing argument from an English contingent which was quite perplexing for the young Dubliner.

The success of Father Ted was a just reward for the gallant work the young and determined writer was putting into his work during his unglamorous living arrangements when he first emigrated to London in the early 90s.

Graham has also produced other hit comedic work. He scripted numerous scenes in sketch shows such as Harry Enfield and Chums, Brass Eye, Alas Smith and Jones, The All New Alexei Sayle Show, and The Fast Show where Graham, along with his writing partner Arthur Mathews, was the brainchild behind the characters Ted and Ralph.

Graham also wrote one series of Paris, which was not as highly acclaimed as Father Ted. It failed to get recommissioned after the first series. Graham’s most accomplished writing venture to date is Father Ted. However, the most tragic event of his career is also connected with this show. The actor, Dermot Morgan, who was omnipresent in the show with the lead role as Fr Ted Crilly, sadly passed away after suffering a heart attack just as the final series drew to a close.

The death obviously had quite an affect on the brash writer. It took Graham two years before returning to writing. During these years he returned to live in Dublin with his wife Helen, who he married in 2004. They had been living in the London suburb of  Canonbury, near Islington. Canonbury has been voted one of the most dangerous towns in England due to its high crime rates.

Graham and his wife would often see posters on street lamps asking for eye witnesses to assaults and rapes, which occurred in broad daylight. As crime became more frequent in his locality, he knew it was time for a change. And he returned to his hometown. However, Dublin had changed greatly since he first departed for England.

Graham had grown up in the ‘Hot Press scene’ of casual writing and drinking in pubs which did not appeal now to a more focused and driven Graham. He wasn’t a big drinker either, so the pub lifestyle was never an option. The addition of the love of his life, Helen, was also a big factor in his more work-centred lifestyle. He was creating a family; he needed a secure income to provide for.

Graham returned to the comedy scene by co-writing Black Books, another highly successful show receiving a BAFTA for Best Situation Comedy in 2001. Graham was a mainstay of the first series of Black Books, scripting all six episodes with Dylan Moran. Graham took a step back for the following series and was determined to embark on a venture where he would be the only writer, after numerous co-writing experiences.

Graham’s first solo project was The IT Crowd. Graham both scripted and directed all 25 episodes, and was the producer of the first series. The show is beautifully crafted to have jokes throughout every episode while at the same time maintaining a storyline based on loveable nerds in an IT office expertly played by Chris O’Dowd and Richard Ayoade. The extravagant Noel Fielding makes regular appearances in the show also.

Graham decided to return to the traditional method of producing a show in front of a studio audience, mimicking the success that Father Ted achieved from such methods of production. He chose this uncommon method while successful comedy shows at the same time, such as The Office, were created in the opposite manner in a mockumentary style.

The IT Crowd won both an IFTA and BAFTA award in 2009 having been nominated the previous two years and missing out on achieving the top accolade. In 2008 the global success of The IT Crowd was evident as it claimed an International Emmy. The talent of Graham was being recognised in Britain and Ireland, and also across the globe, which is no more than this quick-thinking writing sensation deserved.

Graham’s most recent work was co-writing Count Arthur Strong with Steve Delaney which aired for six episodes on BBC 2 last year. The now 45 year old Graham Linehan has had a decorated career, one which is still developing as he embarks on many new projects. Although he is now happily married with two young children, he is still as driven as ever.

Graham’s latest venture is The Walshes, starring Owen Roe who many would know from his five year stint on Ballykissangel. The show is based on an Irish family and is set in Ireland but it is due to be shot in London. It will be co-produced by RTE and the BBC. The three-part series is based in the fictional west Dublin suburb of Strollinstown. The idea is based on Diet Of Worms web series Taste Of Home, which recreated a family’s home videos from the 1980s. The Walshe's debuts on RTE next Thursday the 6th of March.

Graham has had a hugely successful career since graduating Colaiste Dhulaigh 26 years ago. But his success has come from exploring all avenues himself. In order to be successful in the business, one must be confident enough to take chances. Graham nostalgically talks of his past experiences, once saying that: “I found it [moving to London] quite freeing. London just didn’t care about me. I could become a writer or I could become a junkie, and there would be no ripples either way”.

Graham Linehan’s fame can be seen from the fact he has amassed over 340,000 followers on Twitter. Any writer from Colaiste Dhulaigh can only hope if they are to be a fraction as successful as this particular alumni; they can take solace in the fact that their time in Colaiste Dhulaigh was educational, character building, and most efficacious. One cannot wait for their own extraordinary experiences, they must be seized upon. The future depends on what you do today.

S.DAWSON 28/02/14 

Geraldine McMenamy, mother of man who brutally beat his partner, stands trial for impeding the course of justice.

Geraldine McMenamy, mother of Paul McMenamy.

Judge Patricia Ryan presided over the trial of Geraldine McMenamy who faces six separate charges relating to the assault of her son’s girlfriend.

The trial took place in court seven of the CCJ on the 25^th of February 2014.

The accused son, Paul McMenamy is serving a six year sentence for the serious assault of his then girlfriend, Nicola Murray.

Paul McMenamy (28) of Donomore Green pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to care worker Nicola Murray at Reuben Walk, Rialto on the 5^th of February 2012. His previous convictions include assaults on two former girlfriends in 2005 and 2008.

Nicola left her three children in the care of babysitter Amy Dunbell, who was the first witness called to give evidence today, before leaving the house on Saturday the 5^th of February 2012 with her partner Paul McMenamy.

The pair went to The Bird Flanagan pub on the night. Maurice McCabe, a barman on the pub, gave evidence today and said Nicola was drinking vodka and red bull for the night and she was “gargled drunk” at the end of the night.

Nicola Murray, mother of three, who was left comatose after a brutal beating from Paul McMenamy.

Mr McCabe, who is also a childhood friend of Nicola Murray, said they left the premises at 1:45am. They arrived home shortly after 2.20am and let the babysitter go.

A neighbour, Ellen Geary, who was called to the stand to give evidence today said she was awoken by her child in the early hours of Sunday 6^th of February 2012 and she claimed to have heard “unusual banging” coming from the house next door, 37 Reuben Walk, belonging to Nicola Murray.

Paul McMenamy told his mother Geraldine that Nicola Murray “went wild and ran amok with vodka” and she came at him with a knife which was found under the bed. He attributed the head injuries sustained to when she accidentally “whacked her head off the bed.”

Paul McMenamy, now serving six years for the assault of his ex-girlfriend Nicola Murray. His mother now stands trial.

Paul made ten phone calls to a friend of Nicola’s, Rachel Carney. Ms Carney openly wept in court as she gave evidence to the court. Rachel Carney noted that Nicola was lying in her bed unconscious with bruised eyes and swelling on the left side of her head and ear. She said Nicola “was unrecognisable at first.”

Rachel arrived at the house and Geraldine McMenamy was already in the bedroom with Paul McMenamy. Rachel was distraught as she said “in hindsight I should have called an ambulance but Paul convinced me it was ok”.

Geraldine is charged with: washing the bloody eye of Nicola Murray with the intention to impede the arrest of Paul McMenamy, changing the clothes of Nicola Murray with the intention to impede the arrest of Paul McMenamy, washing the body of Nicola Murray after she soiled herself  with the intention to impede the arrest of Paul McMenamy, providing a cash amount to Paul McMenamy to leave the country the night of February 5 2012 with the intention to impede the arrest of Paul McMenamy, providing carriage in a vehicle for Paul McMenamy to Dublin Airport on the night of February 5 2012 with the intention to impede the arrest of Paul McMenamy, painting the bedroom wall of Nicola Murray’s bedroom with the intention to impede the arrest of Paul McMenamy.

Geraldine McMenamy pleaded not guilty to all six charges.

The jury of seven males and five females were asked to withdraw to their chambers on six separate occasions today as Mr Condon, S.C. for Geraldine McMenamy, made an application for Mr Clarke S.C for the D.P.P misleading the jury with ambiguous questions aimed at witness, Colette Gaffney, an aunt of Nicola Murray who arrived at the house Sunday afternoon.

Nicola’s unconscious body was not removed from the house until Sunday afternoon. She was later transferred to St James Hospital for three weeks before spending a six week period in BeaumontHospital. On her release from hospital she spent time in National Rehabilitation Centre in Dun Laoghaire.

Photographs of the crime scene were presented by Garda Daniel McCarthy of Donnybrook Garda Station as the trial came to a close on day one.

S.DAWSON 26/02/14

Magnificent Mossy inspires St Vincents to All Ireland Club Championship final

St Vincents 2-14 : Ballinderry 1-13

St Vincents maestro, Tomas Quinn.

Tommy Conroy’s St Vincents travelled to Pairc Esler, county Down, last Saturday with Ulster champions, Ballinderry standing in their way of obtaining a place in this year's All Ireland Club Championship final.

Earlier that day, Castlebar Mitchels overcame the challenge of Dr Crokes to pencil in a St Patrick’s Day final in Croke Park.

Vinnie’s former Dublin star, Tomas ‘Mossy’ Quinn, was again the star man for the Dublin side. He kicked 1-08 in what was another near perfect performance for the 32 year old.

Mossy has been described as a ‘Benjamin Button’ type character by team-mate Eamon Fennell. And after seeing his display on Saturday, it’s hard to argue with that summation.

St Vincents looked comfortable throughout the game, racing into a 2-02 : 0-02 lead within the first ten minutes. Both goals involved the St Vincents playmaker.

His first goal was breathtaking. Half-back, Michael Concarr, went on a marauding run through the Ballinderry defence before passing the ball off to Quinn.

Mossy, with his back to the goal, swivelled and in one motion forcefully placed the ball into the bottom left corner of the net.

The second Vinnies goal came from full forward Ciaran Dorney. Mossy dissected the defence with a perfectly timed through-ball and Dorney coolly dispatched his shot past the despairing dive of Michael Conlon, the Ballinderry ‘keeper.

St Vincents had to organise without their inter-country star, and captain, Ger Brennan who wasn’t fit to return from minor surgery on his leg that he received just after Christmas.

Ballinderry had managed to keep Vinnies other Dublin star, Diarmuid Connolly, quiet for the first half but it was Quinn who kicked the Marino men into a 2-04 : 0-09 lead at the halftime break.

St Vincents and Ballinderry players fight for possession in the All Ireland Club Championship semi-final.

Ballinderry pulled a goal back in the second half thanks to Daniel McKinless. But with Connolly scoring three exquisitely taken points, St Vincents never looked overly nervous.

St Vincents second half lead never went under two points as the bookies favourites proved their worth.

However, it was an efficient and driven display from St Vincents in front of 4,331 spectators. When Vinnies play at their best, it is hard to see what tactical game-plan can stop them.

Mossy Quinn has been an enigma in his rejuvenation in club form since his retirement from inter-county football in 2012.

St Vincents will look to replicate the same result which saw them crowned All Ireland Club champions in 2008, with Mossy Quinn as captain.

Mossy will know he may not have many more opportunities at gaining silverware as he nears the end of a decorated career. St Vincents will want to repay the stunning displays Quinn has shown throughout their campaign this season. March 17^th at GAA headquarters is sure to be an emotional day for Quinn and his Marino colleagues.

St Vincents: M. Savage; K. Bonnie, J. Curley, H. Gill; C. Diamond, B. Egan, M. Concarr; D. Murphy, E. Fennell; G. Burke (0-01), T. Diamond, S. Carthy (0-01); D. Connolly (0-03), C. Dorney (1-01), T. Quinn (1-08, 0-05 f, 0-01 '45).

Subs used: K. Golden for T. Diamond (58 mins), N. Mullins for S. Carthy (60 mins), A. Baxter for C. Dorney (61 mins).

Ballinderry: M. Conlan; G. McKinless, C. Nevin, K. McGuckin; R. Wilson (0-01), D. Lawn, R. Scott; E. Muldoon, J. Conway (0-01); C. Devlin (0-05, 0-01 f), M. McIver, D. McGuckin; D. McKinless (1-00), R. Bell (0-02), C. Gilligan (0-02, 0-01 f).

Subs used: A. Devlin (0-02) for R. Scott (15 mins), M. Harney for M. McIver (42).

Referee: Marty Duffy (Sligo) Attendance: 4,331

S.DAWSON 17/02/14

Justice for the Stardust 48

St Valentine’s Day or, simply, February 14^th. It’s all a matter of opinion. However, February 14^th resonates deep in the souls of many Dubliners for much more darker reasons.

“I was a Flower of the mountain yes when I put the rose in my hair like the Andalusian girls used or shall I wear a red yes and how he kissed me under the Moorish wall and I thought well as well him as another and then I asked him with my eyes to ask again yes and then he asked me would I yes to say yes my mountain flower and first I put my arms around him yes and drew him down to me so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes.” – James Joyce.

The literary genius that is James Joyce evokes many emotions among beloved friends, family members, and intimate couples. The above extract was taken from one of Joyce’s most famous pieces, Ulysses. The romance intertwined with evocative imagery summarises what St Valentine’s Day should be about. But many Dubliners cannot come to terms with positive emotions on a day which is, traditionally, aimed at evoking love in your community.

On February 14^th 1981, tragedy struck the Stardust nightclub in Artane, Dublin.

A fire took the lives of 48 revellers as they celebrated their innocent love. Over 200 more people sustained injuries from the fire that engulfed the nightclub which was packed with over 800 patrons. Officially, the exact cause of the blase is still unknown.

The remains of the inside of the Stardust nightclub after the fire which took the lives of 48 patrons.

The fire was originally noticed in the seating area of the Stardust before spreading around the nightclub, engulfing the building in unbearable smoke and flames. The burning inferno was plunged into darkness when the lighting failed. Panic spread throughout as the young attendees attempted to breakthrough fire exists which were padlocked shut. There was no emergency lighting or advice; It was hell on earth.

Yet, 35 years later, the families of the victims still seek justice.

Christy Moore, one of Ireland's greatest musicians, wrote an emotional ballad about the tragic event, entitled: 'They Never Came Home.'

The original investigation noted that arson was the cause of the fire, and the owners of the premises were handsomely compensated to the amount which would be the equivalent of €761,000 today. The families who lost relatives in the fire have not received a single cent to date.

However, thanks to relentless campaigning from the Stardust Victims Committee, Gardai agreed to launch an investigation into the previous findings. Gardai investigated the two previous inquiries, namely, The 1981 Keane Tribunal and the 2009 Coffey Tribunal. Yet many questions are still unanswered. 

The Victims Committee claim to have new evidence which shows perjury was committed in both the Keane and Coffey reviews. The committee have had fire expert, Robin Knox, working diligently alongside the families of victims as they seek answers and demand justice.

Whether or not the campaign will ultimately prove to be successful, it aims to garner enough public attention to the plight of the victim's families who, 35 years later, still mourn the tragic death of their loved ones. It is possible a cover up on behalf of previous investigations may come to light. This is the equivalent to England suffering the Hillsborough tragedy. This is Ireland’s shame. Without answers, the 48 children who attended the Stardust that night and lost their lives will have died with no explanation as to why the fire started.

On a day when love is the underlying theme of many people’s February 14^th, we must appreciate the heartache, suffering, and devastation of the families of the 48 victims who never came home. 

Has Sky Sports killed the League of Ireland?

It seems that only English football can lift Irish fans spirits at present. No longer is a Dublin derby between Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers a rivalry sufficient enough to grab people’s attention. The world has changed; society has changed with it and people’s horizons are being broadened all the time. The English Premier League, through Sky, is doing this.

The link has been broken, and a youngster’s aspiration of playing for Shamrock Rovers or Shelbourne invariably means that he won’t get to play for Ireland. If you want to represent your country, you have to go beyond the League of Ireland and play for English clubs. No longer is the League of Ireland a point to aim for: players have to seek farther and go higher and, in the process, the nails are being hammered into the coffin of the League by Sky.

Kids growing up playing football want to make it on the big stage. That big stage isn’t Tolka Park or Dalymount, it’s Anfield or Old Trafford. Every weekend we see these colossal stadia across England, packed to the rafters, illuminated with the shine of decadence and football riches. This is the lifestyle we dream of. It is no longer seen as an achievement to play at local grounds where you can almost hear what people are saying in the surrounding decrepit stands.

Sky’s coverage is second to none. This, however, affects everyone’s mindset of football in Ireland. The FAI power brokers, who run the league, are losing control of themselves. The League’s job is to manage the League and develop that League. It is to develop association football within that League. It is not to develop association football overall. The League of Ireland will never have the financial capacity to compete with the glamour and glitz of the English Premier League. It must be advertised in a different manner.

The FAI must realise that Sky is maintaining dominance of football in Ireland by broadcasting a foreign league. It is too late for blind ignorance of that fact. This has brought about the change to switch to a summer season so the league fixtures would not clash with the majority of the English Premier League matches.

This may be seen as defeatist, but it is evidential now that the English Premier League has a stranglehold on the majority of football fans in the country. The League’s continued existence is something of a miracle. There is no tangible connection between the League of Ireland and the casual football fan anymore. No matter what the League does, Sky has the money, power, and most importantly the control over the casual football fan in Ireland.  

The FAI are more concerned with securing broadcasting rights for the National team’s fixtures on Sky, rather than improving the coverage of the League of Ireland. This is a result of the influence Sky has on football broadcasting in Ireland. No matter what the League of Ireland do, they are still left out in the cold away from the warmth of the insular FAI in Abbotstown.

Daire Whelan, an Irish sports journalist comments that: “Broadcast rights to sporting events are spiralling out of control: 1992 was the year Rupert Murdoch’s Sky Sports took over the Premiership for £305 million, and within a decade broadcast rights to these games had soared to a value of £1 billion. Sports markets are following a trend set in the United States, where the rights to the NFL, NBA, and MLB, are on an upward scale in the billions, while at events such as the SuperBowl advertisers could be charged as much as $2 million for a thirty-second commercial slot.” It’s extortion.

Brian Moore, an English sports journalist, argues that point by saying that: “as Sky has no control over the administration of football, it is innocent. Strictly speaking that is true, but the effects flow from Sky's actions and they have to shoulder some responsibility, however indirectly. You cannot claim to have saved football and deny the inconvenient consequences.”

If Sky succeeds in its quest to deregulate sports broadcasting it will effectively become a monopoly broadcaster because of its financial position. The BBC cannot increase its bidding power and the failure of ITV Digital and Setanta shows that any other broadcaster would need billions of pounds to challenge Sky. Even so, it would be naive in the extreme to believe that Sky would not increase the cost of sports viewing further.

But the high cost of viewing the English Premier League on Sky rather than paying the most affordable admission fee of €15 is still preferred option of most football fans in Ireland. Sky has worked hard on presentation to satisfy the armchair supporter by including in its innovative coverage varied camera angles and intricate replay techniques that provide their audience with views that are not available to most in the stadium. For most, the choice of the English Premier League on Sky or attending a live League of Ireland match is a no-brainer.

The 'Dublin Dons' idea was not welcomed by fans of the League of Ireland.

Another aspect of how influential Sky’s coverage of football in Ireland was seen in the proposed creation of the ‘Dublin Dons’. The then Wimbledon football club owner, Sam Hamann, was looking into the possibility of relocating his team to Dublin. A proposition which was most ambitious.

The public face of the campaign in Ireland was Eamon Dunphy. Dunphy was leading the charge to bring an English football team to Dublin to play against other Premiership teams. This shows how much of an influence the English Premier League has had on the lives of Irish sports fans. However, to the defiant League of Ireland fans this was the final straw.

Without Sky and the English Premier League, League of Ireland stadia would, naturally, be overflowing with supporters. The very thought of allowing an English football team to be based in Ireland, where the home league was struggling to survive, was unfathomable.

The plans for the Dublin Dons ran as follows. The £100 million project would provide for: the building of a 50,000 all-seater stadium at Neilstown; Clondalkin, the provision of road and rail links to the stadium; the installation of all safety and security features, such as surveillance cameras, etc. Wimbledon claimed to have the backing of 18 out of the 22 League of Ireland clubs, but no evidence of this is available.

In 1997, Pat Dolan wrote in the Sunday Tribune that: “The game of football is the most popular globally, purely because it transcends social background, sex, colour, creed, age, or nationality. People, supporters, are the integral fabric of football. If advocates of this scheme put commercial gains ahead of people and supporters, what is the future for football?”

It seems, thanks to Sky, the future of football in Ireland is supporting the English Premier League and turning our back on the homely traditions of the League of Ireland. However, glamour is a perception, the reality is something different.

People in Ireland are naive about what the professional game in England entails, how hard it is to go over there and survive. That’s why a strong League of Ireland is needed. The League of Ireland is viewed by many footballers as a safety net if they do not make it in England. Therein lays the problem. Like a blanket to a child, Sky will be omnipresent in the lives of football fans in Ireland, and there is a certain soothing comfort in that. 

S.DAWSON 10/02/14

Penney finally drops for Munster

Rob Penney, current Munster head coach.

After much disconcertion within the Munster camp over Rob Penney’s tactical game-plan this season, the New Zealander will leave his role as head coach of the Irish province at the end of this season.

Penney joined Munster, along with fellow Kiwi Simon Mannix as backs coach, in 2012. He signed a two year deal with the option of a third year depending on the success of his tenure at the club.

Munster reverted from their historical reliance on their pack to bully other teams into submission and attempted to install a free-flowing passing style of play, under the leadership of Rob Penney.

Although Penney has had to bear the brunt of much criticism during his time with Munster, he has been quite successful during his two year stint.

In his first year as coach, Munster reached the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup and finished a respectable sixth in the Pro12 Celtic League.

This season Munster have further developed under the Kiwi coach. They have only lost three of their 18 matches all year and are due to play in the quarter final of the Heineken Cup against Toulouse, in Thomond Park on April 5^th.

Penney will see out the rest of the season in which he hopes to see Munster achieve Heineken Cup success for the first time since 2008. However, he has confirmed that he will not sign a contract extension which would have taken him into his third year with the Province.

It is not clear why Penney has declined the contract extension, but, according to a statement released by Munster: “Rob [Penney] has attracted the interest of an unnamed club that has offered him terms that are in line with Rob’s long-term needs.”

Penney has a child currently studying at university in his native New Zealand. He has two younger children who will soon be graduating to university too. This may have been a big influence on his career move.

Penney has said that: “I am disappointed to be leaving Munster as I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. I have to take this opportunity presented to me and prioritise my family and personal circumstances at this time.”

No announcement has been made on who will succeed Penney as head coach of Munster. However, Anthony Foley, current forwards coach with the Province, is strong favourite. The former Munster back-row forward has been hugely influential during his coaching role.

Is the time right for current forwards coach, Anthony Foley, to become head coach of Munster?

Another former Munster player, Mike Prendergast, has recently begun his coaching career in France with Grenoble. Likewise, Ronan O’Gara is in the early of stages of his coaching career with Racing Metro in France also. The opportunity of Munster head coach may have come a little too early for the former Munster stalwarts.

Unless Munster look to bring in a foreign coach once more, it looks like the job is guaranteed to be Anthony Foley’s. Given the fact Penney’s tactics were not wholly welcomed by the Munster faithful, this will benefit Limerick native, Anthony Foley, who has been associated with Munster throughout his career.

S.DAWSON 07/02/14