Free Rugby Warrior by Gerard Siggins

about hurling down there,’ the old groundsman replied. ‘How are you getting on up in Dublin? I heard you were getting good at the rugby.’
    ‘Ah, where did you hear that Barney?’
    ‘Well now, your grandfather comes down to me nearly every day for a chat. He’s very fond of you, you know. He said you remind him of how he used to play the game. He was a bit of a rugby player himself, I think.’
    ‘He was indeed. He could have played for Ireland, they say,’ replied Eoin.
    ‘And sure maybe you will some day,’ said Barney ‘Unless you stick with the football and hurling of course!’
    Eoin laughed and jogged away, happy to see one of the characters of his hometown. It was people like Barney that he missed when he was away. The faces and places he took for granted while growing up were precious now he was living in Dublin for most of the year.
    He was shaken out of his thoughts as he turned the corner into the main street, because there standing outside the newsagents with two other boys was Dylan.
    ‘Howya, Dyl. Did you get down OK that night?’ he asked.
    Dylan stopped talking to his pals and turned towards Eoin.
    ‘I was fine. What’s it to you?’ he replied.
    ‘All right, have it like that if you want,’ Eoin came back, ‘but you have no argument with me. Give me a shout if you want to sort it out. I’ll be down the Gaels in the morning.’
    He jogged off up the street, still perplexed as to why Dylan had such a problem with him. He wasn’t too impressed with the company he was keeping either. The Moylan brothers were the cause of most of the trouble in Eoin’s primary-school class before he left for Dublin.
    When Eoin got home, his mum and dad were waiting for him. His dad had a serious face, and Eoin suddenly felt concerned when he sat down.
    ‘What’s wrong, is it Grandad?’ he asked.
    ‘No, no, nothing like that at all,’ his mother said. ‘Your dad met one of his fishing pals today and he had some interesting information to tell him.’
    ‘My fishing pal is the local Garda Superintendent during the week,’ explained his dad. ‘I asked him about Dylan and he was telling me that he has come to their attention recently.’
    ‘Oh, no,’ said Eoin. ‘But how? He’s been in Dublin since September …’
    ‘He’s not in any trouble,’ said Mr Madden, ‘well not with the Guards anyway. It seems Eoin’s father is a “major gangland figure” as they say on the television news. His mother is a good woman, however, and she walked out on him one day and took Dylan and his little sister with her. He has one older brother who has already been in prison and his mother was terrified that Dylan would join him there. Dylan isn’t even his real name, and nor is Coonan. They’ve been moving around, trying to keep one step ahead of the father who is very keen to have him back.
    ‘Now, you must never breathe a word of this to anyone, and certainly don’t let on to Dylan that you know,’ warned his father. ‘But I think it would be the right thing to do to make up with him and try to be his friend. He’s had a hard life and he needs good pals.’
    Eoin was stunned at this news, which certainly explained some of Dylan’s behaviour and that strange phone conversation in the dormitory. He agreed that he would try to sort his differences with Dylan.

CHAPTER 25
    E oin didn’t bump into his classmate around town all week; on Friday afternoon he decided to call around to his house. He knew the street Dylan lived on, but didn’t know the number, so he called into the newsagent on the corner.
    ‘I’m sorry, do you know where the Coonans live, please?’ he asked.
    ‘Why do you ask?’ replied the assistant, suspiciously.
    ‘I’m in school with Dylan,’ Eoin replied.
    ‘Up in Dublin?’ she countered.
    ‘Yeah. I play Gaelic with him as well …’
    ‘OK, you must be Eoin Madden so. They’re in number six, two doors down. Knock twice on the window and then on the door,’ she told