by Colm Keyes On Sunday the famed St. Vincents will take the field in the Dublin Intermediate final against up and coming St. Brigids. One of the many finals to be played in Parnell Park, it might not grab much attention among the Dublin public. Or will it? As Vincents trot out among them, for probably the last time will be Brian Mullins, one of the greatest ever midfielders to play gaelic football and a revered name among Dublin supporters. Big Brian Mullins. Replacing him has been impossible. Dublin simply haven't found a replacement for the fair-haired youngster, who took the GAA fields of Ireland by storm back in 1974 when the metropolitans were making their much heralded move. Yes, the colour and passion of 1976 and '77 and the drama of the '83 semi-final with Cork are but memories as Mullins takes his place at full forward in a field where he spent hours and hours slogging it out with Kevin Heffernan and the rest of the boys. But that is in essence, Mullins. A clubman to the last. Fame and adulation never caught up with this guy. And all at St. Vincents respect him for that. St. Brigids will pose problems but Mullins could always deal with problems, off and on the field. This match has been postponed time and time again due to players with hurling commitments and a number of replays and this has been a source of irritation to many in Dublin. Mullins has found it hard to prepare for the game. In August, he moved from Greendale Community School in Kilbarrack on Dublin's northside where he taught Irish, Geography and History as well as P.E., to take up an appointment in Donegal's Carndonagh as Secondary School Principal, a huge responsibility. As an inter-county player he was always willing to train and train hard. You got out of it what you put into it, was the Mullins motto. And for him and the Dublin teams that he played on, it worked. The training regime of Kevin Heffernan impressed him and with the rest of the Dublin panel at that time impressed with the thoroughness and professionalism of the whole set up, they had an easy platform to work from. Mullins was always a fitness fanatic. As a student he would spend the long hot days of summer belting a ball around Portmarnock beach with his team mates. With that kind of application and enthusiasm it was easy to see why the Dubs found a winning formula. But Mullins wasn't just dedicated to county affairs and that of course, is reflected in his willingness to play on Sunday. Back in 1976, St. Vincents won an All-Ireland club title. Jimmy Keaveney was one of his team mates. "Mullins was a great clubman. In fact, I would say he put more effort in at club level for the Vincents than he did with Dublin. And that says something." Keaveney recalls the latter years of Mullins' involvement with Vincents. "He was youth co-ordinator down there, coaching and looking after the interest of hundreds of kids. His loss to the club will be immense.' Brian Mullins will be remembered for many things. But one of the most striking features of his career was his remarkable recovery from horrific injuries sustained in a car crash. One Friday night in late June 1980, Mullins was driving out the Clontarf Road, when his Fiat 127 went out of control and collided with a lamp post. To even play football again after that was a miracle. But he had reached success the hard way and knew nothing about pain. His pursuit of full fitness again gave heart and encouragement to others around him and when Heffernan sat down to map out his panel in 1983 he was delighted to include the name of Brian Mullins. Things were not the same though. Mullins was 25 when the crash occurred. At that time, most players are reaching their peak, but Mullins had passed that point and though he went on to play an important role with the second coming of the Dubs, he had lost his sharpness. The weights and gym work which he needed to do after the crash lessened his mobility and his energy at midfield just couldn't be recaptured. His summers on the beach playing ball, his willingness to train so hard, his determination to get back to full fitness, and his involvement with young kids at Vincents all point to a deep love of sport. Love and talent which, undoubtedly, had manifested themselves in interprovincial football, hurling, rugby and cricket! But Dublin football and the magic of Hill 16 captured him most. Of all the Dublin players, Heffernan had no real favourite but it is said that the Dublin supremo had a special liking for his big midfielders. "I did not want strong dummies. At that time intelligent guys were available and that is a very rare happening in sport." In Mullins he had what he wanted. Loyalty, bravery, dedication and above all brain and brawn. Jack O'Shea, the great Kerry midfielder faced up to Brian on many occasions during the seventies and again in the eighties. "To look at Brian Mullins you'd get the impression that he was there for his strength. But he had brains. He never let a pass go astray." One of Mullin's best friends is Fran Ryder, Dublin panellist and ex-Vincents midfielder. After the accident Mullins took 18 months leave of absence from Greendale in 1980 to do an MA in athletics administration at New York University. Ryder was with him. "He's a great guy. He was told he couldn't play football again but his will to get back again was incredible," Ryder recalled. On his ability on the playing fields Ryder had an insight. "It was when the tide was turning against him that Brian was at his best." Great character again. That seems to be a recurring theme in the lifestory of Brian Mullins. Mullins is now 36 going on 37. He may play football in Carndonagh and he may not. The thing about Mullins is that no one ever knows. Everyone has their own memories of the great man. Most good, some bad. Heffernan reckoned a game down in Cork against the home side in the Mardyke in the NFL of 1975 was his finest hour. Keaveney believes it was the 1976 All-Ireland Final. "He could do no wrong that day," he remembered. But Mullins could do wrong in the eyes of many. Sent off in the 1983 All-Ireland Final was not one of his happiest memories and subsequent media vilification, most of it unfair, has made him wary of the press and their needs. In 1985, during the All-Ireland Final with Kerry, Heffernan called him ashore and effectively ended his playing career with Dublin. At 30 years of age could it be the end? He spent a year as caretaker manager of the Dublin senior squad. Again more misery. Dublin lost a Leinster Final to Meath who had been in the wilderness for almost 16 years. But most will remember Mullins for his greatness. The legend lives on. In Parnell Park on Sunday, Dublin fans have an opportunity to pay respect to one of the greats. "Don't think for a minute that he'll retire though," says Ryder. "You can't get rid of a bad thing," he jokes, of course. Big Brian will be around in one type of GAA capacity or the other for many a day to come. Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 22nd November 1991 Tweet

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