Tales from the Members’ Bar

No. 10 James Downey

This week I have picked up the miss-pass and gone straight to James Downey. In conducting my researches, I have been to places that I have never been before – like Bebo. He says he has not been there for some while but I have to say, his page gave me a fair indication of what to expect when I met the man. Gregarious is a lovely word and it fits James to a T. He is a big guy and really outgoing. If you went to the same party as him or the same bar, it would be no surprise to find him at the centre of a noisy group. Instinctively, you would want to go over and join them. There would be something about his group that would say they were the crowd having the most fun.

That said life has not been that much fun for James since the end of October. Apart from an appearance in the marvellous Wanderers’ victory at Leicester, he had been out with injuries for two months. He was pleased to be back against Bedford. He enjoyed getting his hands on the ball and has a healthy appetite for the less glamorous tasks. He made a pretty decent come-back in what for most of the game was a tough local derby.

Dublin is James’s home patch. Brought up in Clontarf he started playing rugby in the Bullring aged ten – adding that to a repertoire that already included hurling and Gaelic football. Schooled at one of the city’s notable rugby academies, Belvedere College, rugby became his game of choice – although Bebo says, “Pinting.”

James has had a varied career since he represented Ireland in two Under 19 World Cups. Apparently, coming up against the likes of Aaron Mauger, Rikki Flutey and Seilala Mapusua is an awesome experience. A big lock by the name of Damian Browne had to cope with, among others, Jerry Collins.

 The cliché would have it that it would see him in good stead for a career at Leinster, a Dubliner’s home province. Turning up all keen to play, life’s reality check kicked in. If you want to play there are four guys in front of you. If I give you their names (David Quinlan, Kieran Lewis, Gordon D’Arcy and Brian O’Driscoll – internationals all) you may understand his predicament. He moved on to Connacht where Christian Short was already playing.

Overenthusiastic defending cost James 10 minutes on his return to Donnybrook. Playing for Connacht against his old province he just failed to decapitate the home winger. It was just one of those instinctive things, no malice aforethought – unlike the all-in that followed. The sin-bin was definitely the best place to be while tempers cooled.

Being injured at the wrong time did not help when his contract was up for renewal and an invitation to play in Italy arrived. Following a season at Calvisano, he is now part of Saints’ Celtic contingent.

In his first season James shares a house with Big Damo and Dave Ward. Wardy is a top chef but on his night off (according to sources) this trio have been known to use Pizza Express. It may be because Wardy can only understand the pair of them when they are out of the house and have more than just each other to engage in conversation. As a man whose Irish cultural education does not even extend to watching the Commitments, Wardy gets lost when the brogue gets a bit thick.

I have a new biscuit for you this week – the Mikado. I am afraid that I was at a bit of a loss because I had never heard of a Mikado (other than WS Gilbert’s emperor). Using my favourite research medium, I found not one but two biscuits of that name. Rest assured. Seamus has not gone all French on us. Not for him a game of pick-up sticks dipped in chocolate. The Mikado that finds Mr Downey’s favour was originally made by Jacobs Company and consists of a biscuit base with strawberry jam, marshmallow and coconut on top.

arw

10.1.2008

Post scriptum ~ in last week’s quiz about Mrs Howard’s photograph album, aged 4 was a more important clue than Aylesbury.

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