"Once Mary asked, I was never going to say no"
September 13, 2018
The late Mícheál McKeown.
In tragic circumstances, Darren Bishop agreed to take on the Louth ladies manager’s job as a tribute to the late Micheál McKeown
Monaghan man McKeown was appointed Louth manager in October and had an immediate impact, leading the Wee County to the Division Four final. However, he took ill on the Sunday morning of their Leinster junior championship clash with Kilkenny and tragically passed away two days later.
Bishop agreed to step in as his friend’s replacement and, inspired by memories of Micheál, the team has powered through to Sunday’s All-Ireland junior final at Croke Park, where they’ll face Limerick.
“My father and Micheál were friends for 30 years, through work, life and football,” he told The Irish Independent. “They coached against each other and with each other, and I'd have known Micheál since I was seven or eight.
“We weren't related but he was like the uncle you wanted to have, because he was always such great craic and mad into football.
“I went and spoke with Micheál's wife, Mary, who said she'd be thrilled if I'd continue his legacy and see the year out. Once Mary asked, I was never going to say no.”
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