Prior to Gerry Donnelly taking on the role of PRO for the county board, Brian Mullins held the position of Derry’s manager. Mullins had a well-documented history of challenging rapport with the media in his lengthy football career, a practice he continued even after the end of the Cold War. At one particular county training session held at Owenbeg, Donnelly entered the changing room and offered his services as a mediator, only to be met with a brash response from Mullins himself.
Mullins was a figure that commanded immediate respect and judgement, regardless of direct interaction. His reputation had defined him; he was viewed from afar, his character easy to depict. Much like how Graeme Souness was to Liverpool or Roy Keane to Manchester United in the context of the noteworthy Dublin teams of the 1970s and 1980s, Mullins was the dominating influential figure for the Dubs.
The Derry players were no strangers to this characteristic side of Mullins before meeting him. They desired a leader much like him, and their expectations were more than met. Against the backdrop of Derry’s metaphorically ravaged landscape, they were easily swayed by his larger-than-life persona.
Mullins had joined Derry’s management in the aftermath of Eamonn Coleman’s abrupt departure, less than a year after leading the team to their first All-Ireland victory in 1993. This decision by the county board incited outrage among the players, however, the new management prevailed. After one season, Moran voluntarily stepped down, paving the way for a new leader to steer the wheel of recovery.
Coincidentally, Mullins was potential candidate due to his teaching career in Carndonagh, north Donegal, where he served as headmaster for a secondary school. Geographical accessibility further supported the decision as Derry city was merely 20 miles away. Following the board’s proposition, he accepted the offer.
According to Enda Gormley, the decision left him stunned, but he believed Brian to be exactly what they needed, describing him as “a breath of fresh air”.
As a child, I would oscillate between admiring and resenting him for his role in the matches against Derry in both 1975’s All-Ireland semi-final and the 1976 league final. Watching him as a game icon from early age, it made an indelible impression on me.
When he became part of our team, his initial approach was to put pressure on us and the county board in order to reform and refine the team’s strategies. He made it clear that a fresh start was necessary for everyone.
Anthony McGurk and Mullins were well acquainted, having travelled together on All Stars trips. When Mullins took up the post, he requested that the county board bring McGurk into his managing team. They had developed a comfortable camaraderie, often meeting in Derry city on training evenings before McGurk drove them to their practice in the south of the county.
Winning builds bridges, but as the renowned outsider, Mullins had to navigate and adapt to his new surroundings, which posed cultural challenges. “His grasp of Derry humour was somewhat lacking,” McGurk noted, “He had a habit of taking everything seriously.”
However, engaging with Mullins revealed unexpected facets of his personality. “He perhaps revelled in his ill-fame, simply due to his penchant for keeping his distance from most people, as he wasn’t one for suffering fools,” Donnelly mentioned. “But he was a delightful company during trips to the matches and could converse on a variety of topics. I found myself growing fond of him.”
Developing a bond with Mullins could prove challenging, as Gormley concurred, having played two seasons under him. When a health issue prompted Gormley’s break from the team in 1997, he was added to the management team by Mullins. By that point, Gormley felt his initial apprehension replaced by understanding of Mullins’s demeanour. “Admittedly, his first impression could be off-putting,” said Gormley, “but deep down, he was kind-hearted and genuine. After you’d pushed past the initial barrier and gained his trust, everything was smooth-sailing.”
Mullins swiftly gained the respect and admiration of his team when he entered as coach and was immediately successful, securing the 1996 National League title in his rookie season. His intimidating presence was not borne out of his behaviour but rather his sheer physical stature and noted reputation, according to his peers. Tony Scullion reminisces about Mullin’s powerful influence on his team, describing how the players rallied around him willingly.
However, his tenure was not without conflict. Mullins’ frank messages sometimes contradicted accepted diplomacy. One incident that Donnelly recalls involved Joe Brolly, who provoked Mullins’ exasperation during a training session. Brolly’s refusal to participate in the team’s field exercise, choosing instead to selfishly do some stretching exercises, annoyed Mullins, who wondered out loud why Brolly wouldn’t conform to the group norms.
During the mid-90s, Derry’s team had been consistently listed among those expected to be All-Ireland contenders. With Mullins at the helm and several team members from the victorious 1993 squad, expectations heightened, especially after the Derry team clinched an Under-21 All-Ireland title in 1997. According to McGurk, the team had the potential to become All-Ireland champions – a sentiment Mullins shared. Unfortunately, this did not come to fruition.
In 1998, for the first time since the Derry team won the All-Ireland title, they clinched the Ulster title. This resulted in the squad entering the All-Ireland semi-final against Galway as favourites, despite a less than convincing performance from Galway in the Connacht final replay against Roscommon. Those who saw that match were certain a Galway defeat was imminent. However, to their utter shock, the Derry team faltered on the main stage, leading Gormley to admit, even retrospectively, their disappointment and confusion about missing out on another title win.
During the All-Ireland semi-final, Derry was down to 14 men and Brolly was substituted 10 minutes into the second half. Upon leaving the field, both Brolly and Mullins exchanged a few words, as noted by Vincent Hogan in the Irish Independent. Nevertheless, Galway only managed to kick three wides.
Curiously, that game marked the end of Mullins’ tenure as an intercounty manager. In 1986, following his retirement from playing, Mullins, Robbie Kelleher, and Seán Doherty stepped in as temporary management when Dublin required a mid-season solution. However, their stint ended with Meath clinching their first Leinster title in 16 years.
It was two decades ago that Mullins was formally considered for the Dublin manager position. But, put out by a disorganised recruitment process, Mullins rescinded his application. Despite being told a decision would be made in two weeks, three weeks went by without a word. Meanwhile, it was widely speculated that Mick O’Dwyer and Pete McGrath were both being considered for the position.
As Mullins pulled out of the race, the board implored him to reconsider. He returned with several stipulations, all of which would now be seen as standard. Amongst other requests, he proposed an overseas training camp lasting a week, the freedom to choose his own selectors, and a substantial sports science programme, costed at around €5,000 monthly. The total of demands amounted to roughly eight items, a number the Dublin management committee found difficult to acquiesce to.
Acting via a third party, Mullins contacted Gary Moran at RTÉ with the desire to air his rationale for his decision during a radio interview. This conversation became the focal point of Sunday Sport, lasting for 14 minutes. Typically prone to concise responses with the media, Mullins was thorough and clear in his replies to all of Moran’s questions.
As the interview wrapped up, Moran enquired if this was the conclusion of his interest in the Dublin position. Mullins refuted, saying, “I’m not saying that; I’m definitely not saying that. On this occasion, it’s the end.”
In 2008, four years following this incident, after Paul Caffrey resigned, Mullins’ name was once again brought up for the position, but he was quick to remove himself from consideration.
Even after relocating to Dublin, Mullins maintained connections with his past colleagues from Derry. A month prior to his passing at the end of 2022, he reached out to Gormley, letting him know he’d pass by Maghera, where he went on to spend the evening with him and Fergal McCusker, simply enjoying a game and a casual chat.
Gormley didn’t find this peculiar when considering the bond that Brian possessed with old teammates from his Dublin days. Gormley mentioned, “They would often attend our games and hang around afterwards. They were extremely close much like partners in crime with a remarkable bond established amongst them.
Gormley mentioned that he used to test him – to see if he would say anything negative about his teammates. But he never uttered a negative word about anyone. This uniqueness made Gormley question their own group’s bonding, comparing it with theirs. Brian had once told him, the team had made a pact not to pen down their experience in a book, a pact which they have upheld until now.
Post the 1998 All-Ireland semi-final, journalists gathered outside the Derry changing rooms in Croke Park, hoping to get a comment from Mullins. He eventually appeared and simply stated without pausing, “The superior team prevailed, much obliged,” sighted a familiar face within the press rush whom he believed must have done something wrong, and added “You can’t hold me accountable to what I just said.”