–Fintan O’Connor

crisis, from top to bottom, has been really heartening O’Connor feels.

“In fairness to the GAA they locked it down and stopped it that we’re not going to do any training or we’re not going to do anything. In fairness to GAA people they have adhered to it and they’re trying to help out in other ways and the clubs are making volunteers available to help out in their locality.

“I think the GAA comes out – I know I’m biased – but I think the GAA comes out fairly good.”

The hurling manager also has praise for the County Board’s handling of the crisis on an on-going basis.

“In fairness to Peter [Twiss, County Board secretary] you never don’t know what’s happening with Peter,” he says.

“There’s no grey area with Peter it’s always black or white. He’ll tell you no or yes. He’s probably like everyone else he doesn’t know when we’ll get back. He’s been very reasonable with his communication with me.

“He’ll let you know what’s going on and when it’s going on. You’re never going to be put wrong by him, saying what he thinks might happen, he’ll say ‘I don’t know’ or if it’s going to happen. He’s fairly straight in his information.”

The strangest thing about this time of social distancing is the roundabout way our sense of community has been bolstered. We’re seeing it in big ways and little ways. We’re seeing it in all walks of life.

Odd as it may seem, we suspect that by the end of this panels of hurlers and footballers the breadth of the land will be closer at the end of this than they were at the beginning. In no small part thanks to the efforts of men like O’Connor to keep the show on the road by hook or by crook.