DUNNE IS SET FOR CENTRE STAGE AFTER FESTIVAL VISIT
ARRIVING in Edinburgh during the Festival was an enjoyable surprise. Being immersed in a play that speaks to the heart of a club’s history came as a more sobering experience. If Jimmy Dunne didn’t know much about Heart of Midlothian Football Club before his arrival on loan from Burnley, he has certainly made the most of a learning opportunity. On his first day in town, Dunne joined the whole Hearts squad in attending A War of Two Halves,a Fringe production based on the famous McCrae’s Battalion. For the central defender, one of a dozen new faces at Tynecastle after a busy summer, it was an educational crash course in not only the club’s role in the Great War of 1914-18, but the way present day fans cherish tradition. ‘I was at the show,’ said Dunne. ‘I didn’t know what was going on at first. That was my first day. ‘It was really brilliant and it gave me an insight on how important the history of this club is. ‘I knew Hearts had a huge fanbase and the numbers at the games were brilliant. ‘I didn’t quite know deeply enough how vital the history of the club was. It really does give you an extra bit of motivation to give something back to the fans. ‘All the players and staff were at the play. I think it was the first time a lot of them got an insight into the club’s history in such depth as well. It puts us all on the same wavelength. ‘After we saw the show, we were talking amongst ourselves, saying: “Oh my God, I didn’t know the club went through something
like that at that time”. It must have been unbelievably difficult. You are playing for people who really care about the club.’ A former Manchester United youth player, Dunne’s arrival on a six-month deal this week came in the wake of club captain Christophe Berra being ruled out for up to half-a-year with a hamstring tear. It all happened pretty quickly for the 20-year-old Irishman, who pitched up in the capital during its busiest few weeks. Recalling his whirlwind first few days, he admitted: ‘I thought: “My God, is Edinburgh always like this?”. It was bouncing. There is a great atmosphere around the city.’ Dunne is looking to add experience to a career that, to date, counts winning the League Two title with Accrington Stanley last year as the undoubted highlight. He expects a more high-pressure environment here, saying of the Scottish game: ‘It’s really taken a lot of media attention. There have been a lot of big players, big moves and big managers coming up. ‘At this time, there seems to be a lot of attention towards the league.’