It was down to the superstitious Tom Beag Gillespie that Niall Friel first became a Gaoth Dobhair captain.
Friel had shared the duties with Cian Mulligan until an Under-14 League final against St Eunan’s in Falcarragh. It had been the way that Mulligan had the captaincy for finals, but at Pairc Naomh Fionnan, Gillespie, the foreman of Gaoth Dobhair’s underage conveyor, changed things up.
Gaoth Dobhair won 3-5 to 0-5 and, from that day to this, Friel has led the way.
He’s only 22, but has captained Gaoth Dobhair teams to close-to 20 trophies since that U14 final.
St Eunan’s were missing Chris Flanagan and Seán Hume – two of the mainstays of that grade – that afternoon and exacted their revenge in the Championship.
“We were hurt by the hammering and, when we beat them in the Under-15 Championship, that U14 final was in the back of our minds,” Friel says.
“We didn’t get the credit we deserved for those wins.
“I was lucky to be made captain when we won. Tom is very superstitious and we just kept it like that.”
Later, Friel captained Gaoth Dobhair to Under-15 Championship success and spurred them Under-16 Shield, Northern Championship and Donegal Championship crowns. They won a Minor League and Championship double and scooped two Donegal U21 titles, adding an Ulster U21 win in early 2018.
It is quite the haul.
Friel’s speech in Falcarragh after that U14 final win was conducted entirely in English.
Eleven weeks ago, he stood on the podium at Healy Park and spoke exclusively in distinctive west-Donegal Gaelic.
“Tom Beag was a big man for the culture of the club and how proud a Gaeltacht area we are in,” he says. “That was encouraged from when I was a young fella in the club.
“I’m studying to be an Irish and geography teacher and it’s all through Irish, so that helps. Any man could have gone up the steps and done that.”
Friel sought out injured team-mate Kieran Gillespie before accepting the Seamus McFerran Cup. The two men hoisted it aloft. A precious moment, though one that happened by chance.
“I was annoyed after the game when one of the officials called me over to the steps and said they were short on time,” Friel explains.
“The players were in a huddle celebrating and I was on my own. I just spotted Gillespie and thought it would be a nice touch.
“It was just one of those moments that happened. He could have been at the other end of the pitch and it wouldn’t have happened, but it was nice and it showed how valued a member of the squad he is.”