It’s a special birthday version of ‘A Minute With’ today as Conor Taylor answers our quickfire questions. At 33, he’s already got a Junior championship (from 2004) and two Intermediate championships (2006 and 2017) with St Brigid’s. With the help of the best physios and sellotape in the land, he’s trying to hang on long enough to hopefully add a Senior title to that list…
1. Name? Conor Taylor
2. Age? 33
3. Playing position/role in club? Half forward (when not injured)
4. Favourite film? Goodfellas
5. Favourite song? Warren G & Nate Dogg – Regulate
6. Favourite food/meal? CT Smoothie
7. Favourite holiday destination? Machaire Rabhartaigh – Gaelteacht area in Donegal
8. Favourite pitch to play on? Musgrave Park
9. Favourite club memory? Kieran Brady playing the mandolin and singing The Auld Triangle in Casement bar after we lost to pre-competition favourites McDermott’s in our Intermediate Championship debut in 2005. Although we lost, many onlookers were impressed with our performance and lads from other clubs in the bar joined in the sing-song. Also winning the county intermediate championship in 2017 with so young players who have come up through the club.
10. Worst club memory? Losing Senior Championship semi-final replay to Portglenone in 2009. We played them off the park but left our shooting boots behind that night and threw it away in the last minute.
11. Unsung club hero? Sean McKernan… the real social secretary! Also senior manager Eunan Conway… when he’s not taking training, at a committee meeting or watching games of future opponents he can be found in the hedges of Harlequins searching for stray footballs.
12. Best player played with? James Loughrey… Dara Edwards… Joe Brolly (in that order)
13. Best match you were involved in? Winning an All-Ireland schools title with Rathmore in 2003. Fellow St Brigid’s lads Paul Finnegan and Deaghlan O’Hagan were also on the team and our good pal from the parish Kevin Niblock scored the finest point I have seen to this day to win us the game by a point in injury time.
14. Favourite quote? “You can land your helicopters here, you can build your barracks on top of us, you can chase people going to training, you can try and intimidate us, but ** you, we’re going to win an All-Ireland anyway” (Oisin McConville)
15. Best advice ever received? “You can’t win the raffle if you don’t buy a ticket,” from the esteemed Brendy McDonald.
16. What other club do you like to see do well other than St Brigid’s? Padraig Pearses, Melbourne.
17. Favourite player growing up? Henrik Larsson
18. Best trainer on the team? Mikey Cummings – never misses a session, great attitude and fit as a fiddle. Even on holiday in Thailand this year he was showing off his Ironman physique on Instagram after a bout of beach volleyball.
19. Worst trainer on the team? Close one between myself and Chris McCann!
20. Up and coming player to watch? Conor King – fantastic player. Hard to only name one… have to mention John Blaney, John Toner and Oran Boyle also.
21. Favourite thing about the GAA? Representing your community at something you love doing. The GAA when living abroad also provides an abundance of drinking buddies
22. Where would you like to see St Brigid’s in ten years time? Having floodlights at Musgrave with a 4g training pitch; Having our first senior football title in the bag and being established senior championship contenders.
