Stephen McGuinness

Obviously, Keith Buckley, who plays with Dundalk, former Bowers player, had travelled down to the game.

And he has a tight-knit group of friends that he sticks around, that he enjoys their company.

I think I just see him, David, in Nando's in the window in Nando's in Blanchestown, where lots of people walk past and probably don't know who he is.

I don't think he'll be able to sit in the window of Nando's in Blanchestown from now on.

I think there'll be...

Absolutely.

You must be very proud as a colleague and a friend.

Yeah, I think that's the emotion, Dave.

I think a lot of people have been on.

We've been all on to each other last night and this morning, thinking how proud we are of him and what he's symbolised, obviously, as chair of the association.

And the PFA, we battle every day to try and get the rights of players.

And in fairness...

things have improved massively in our league hugely and he is at the top of that boat as a player and as I would call an activist and I suppose I suppose you see the power of the guy as well like he spoke to Tony O'Donoghue the day before the game about stop the game campaign in Ireland in regards to Israel and Ireland like that's

he's talking about stuff that is beyond him and that's really important I think players sometimes David they look after they care about themselves and where they are he doesn't he sees it as far bigger he sees his position in our own game and he realises the power he's got and in fairness to him the stuff he's done in regards to Palestine he's been really strong on it from our perspective and that's something that shouldn't be forgotten about either

It is, yeah, it is.

And I suppose we will have a couple of weeks of when he comes back of this pandemonium.

And we have to use that as well, David.

The league has been spoken about today on different platforms that we haven't heard of being spoken about before.

And we have to capitalise on that.

But the reality of it is we have some very, very good players in our league.