Ryan McBride family delighted as Ireland manager Stephen Kenny becomes Foundation ambassador

Kenny, who succeeded Mick McCarthy as the senior Ireland, plucked McBride from junior football at the age of 19 and the defender went on to play 177 games for Derry City, captaining his hometown on 57 occasions before he sadly passed away suddenly in March 2017.

The Dubliner, who managed Derry City for two successful spells, made a poignant return to the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium last year to manage a Derry City legends team in the Ryan McBride Soccer Sixes tournament.

Kenny also visited Ryan’s late grandfather, Chelsea when he was terminally ill shortly after Ryan had passed away three years ago having got to know the Brandywell pensioner when Derry would eat lunch in the Longtower Community Centre after training.

Ryan’s granda, Chelsea would’ve been big buddies with Stephen Kenny,” explained Ryan’s sister, Caitlin. “He was a pensioner and went to the club in the Longtower and would’ve had the ear bent off Stephen when they were over there,” she laughed. “When Ryan died, my granda was terminally ill in bed and Stephen came up to visit him in the house. So it’s another connection he had with the family before anything ever happened to Ryan.”

Kenny once described Ryan as ‘the bravest player I’ve seen on a football pitch.’ and in a recent interview the Ireland boss said he was ‘delighted’ to become the first patron of the Ryan McBride Foundation.

“There’s a foundation now, the Ryan McBride Foundation, in relation to coaching in the community and in disadvantaged areas,” said Kenny. “And the McBride family has asked me to be a patron of the foundation and I’m delighted to do that.”

The Foundation had managed to keep a lid on the news until that revelation this week but Ryan’s sister, Caitlin said the family are over the moon to have Kenny involved as a figurehead.

“He played a massive part in Ryan’s career,” she said. “Ryan always had the ability but over the years he never used it as he wasn’t, maybe, dedicated enough. When Kenny got him into

Derry he got him to knuckle down and train. He was training like a madman after that, two or three times a day. He got the bit between his teeth and he had that ability to motivate him, whereas he hadn’t been taking it seriously before that.

“He gave him his chance after that and it was mad to see him starting against Shamrock Rovers at Brandywell to play against Gary Twigg,” she recalled. “Everything told you it was too early but he was ready and the rest is history. Kenny knew. Stephen doesn’t get many things wrong,” she added.

It was a major coup to get Kenny involved in the Foundation, particularly given he’s been handed the senior post with Ireland.

“Hopefully it’s good for us as he will act as a figurehead. He won’t obviously have any day to day dealings with the Foundation but he will be an ambassador for us and hopefully it will open a few doors for us. I’m sure he will drop into a few things over the years so we’ll keep him informed about what’s happening.”

Former Chelsea star and now Ireland coach, Damien Duff has also helped out with the Foundation in the past, taking part in the Soccer Sixes event in 2018 and with Ryan’s former teammate and friend, Ruaidhri Higgins also expected to be involved in the new Ireland senior coaching staff, it strengthens the link between the Foundation and the Ireland set-up. It’s a fantastic endorsement for the Foundation which has been doing fantastic work in Ryan’s name.

While the coronavirus pandemic has put paid to the Foundations activities, Ryan’s family decided to do something special for the residents of the Brandywell who were struggling to make ends meet. Indeed, the Foundation donated 100 £20 food packages to the people in the area which were distributed from Harkin’s newsagents on the Lecky Road.

“We basically gave 100 £20 packages for all the people in the area who are in need of help at this time,” explained Caitlin. “Gary in the shop would know the people who would need a helping hand. So whoever came into the shop who he thought needed it, he gave them a pack. It’s just the basics like spuds, milk, eggs and butter and hygienic stuff to tie people over. We just wanted to do something to help people.

“That’s what Ryan was all about. He was a big figure in the Brandywell and he knew everyone who lived there. Any time we’ve needed them to come out and do something for us or help us they were always the first out.

“It’s something Ryan would’ve been proud of so we thought it would be a good idea. The whole Foundation is set up for things like this and at the end of the day we wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for the generosity of the people who have come forward with donations. That’s what it’s all about - helping people around the area so it was good to be able to do something. I’m sure most people in Brandywell would appreciate it.”

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