'He is a player and a half' - Caelan Doris and the Donegal connection

“He is some boy. He is a player and a half.” Those were the words of Kevin McCready of Leitirmacaward as he reflected on the player of the match for Ireland on Saturday, Caelan Doris after one of the most exciting Six Nations games ever at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin.

Ireland ran out 31-19 winners to move onto two from two after their opening round victory in Wales. The Ireland No 8, who is now regarded as one of the best rugby players on the planet, has strong Donegal connections with his grandparents hailing from Dooey and former local publican, Kevin McCready, is a first cousin of Caelan’s dad, Christopher.

“I was talking to his dad after Saturday’s game and I said, see if we beat Scotland, will you get me a ticket for Lansdowne Road for me (for the England game) and he said he would," Kevin told DonegalLive. “We have to beat Scotland first. It will be very exciting. If we win that we can win the Grand Slam in the Aviva Stadium. One ticket is all I need."

The connection is explained by Kevin: “My mother and Caelan’s grandfather were brother and sister. They were born out in Dooey, Leitirmacaward. His grandfather was called Colin Doris, he would have been an uncle of mine.

“He went up then to Dublin and he worked there with Aer Lingus for years and he had three sons and two daughters. His son, Christopher is father of Caelan’s. Christopher got married to a Mayo woman from Lacken, outside Ballina and that’s the Mayo connection. The rugby connection is through Ballina RFC and Blackrock College where he went to boarding school.”

Kevin watched Saturday’s game in his old pub and found it almost too exciting.

“I nearly had a heart attack on Saturday," he said. "It was touch and go sometimes. When they went ahead, and then France went ahead. Then we had a man in the sin bin and they were getting the upper hand.

“But hopefully, it will all go well now against Italy and Scotland. I think we would be too strong for England, but then you never know. It’s Paddy’s weekend and it’s in Dublin. I can’t wait for that as they said they would get a ticket for me. They will be like gold dust.

“There are exciting times ahead now. And Caelan said he would come down to me after the Six Nations. He sent me a jersey, signed by all the players. I used to own the pub but I sold it but the jersey is still up in the pub,” said McCready, who is also looking forward to the World Cup later in the year in France. Tickets might have to be sourced for that too.

“The pub was packed on Saturday, that’s where we watched it. You were afraid he would do something wrong and then he got man of the match. They were all jumping around; there was a great atmosphere.

“The pass he gave for the last try; I know your man (Garry Ringrose) did great to score, but that was a pass and a half with men around him and everything. There’s a couple of bucks around my pub and if he does bad, they blame me, but if he does good, they’ll say nothing.”

No doubt the Leitir blood is part of the reason for the making of a super star of the rugby world. Still only 24, Caelan Doris is a great advertisement for Leitirmacaward, Donegal and Mayo.