For years Carol Quinn turned up at Tolka Park cheering on her nephews Richie and Dessie Baker.
In recent times, however, it’s been the turn of the two former Shelbourne players to give their support to Carol, a leading figure in a high-profile battle to secure a fair redundancy payment to the 1,400 staff who were suddenly let go by Debenhams in 2020.
For 406 days she and her co-workers manned picket lines outside the 11 stores across the country.
Their struggle won them the backing of football icons, including Tony Adams and ex-Celtic star Alan Thompson, as well as Hillsborough campaigners, musicians, actors and Trainspotting writer Irvine Welsh.
And they also had Baker brothers Richie and Dessie gathering signed shirts and memorabilia, and raising awareness of their plight.
On Monday, Richie and Carol attended an event at Moyle Park College in Clondalkin, along with former Ireland striker Niall Quinn, where a painting of Celtic founder Brother Walfrid was presented to the school, run by the same Marist order to which Brother Walfrid belonged.
Linking the Debenhams strikers and Brother Walfrid is Fergus Dowd - an IT systems analyst who has dedicated himself in recent years to a number of causes.
They include highlighting the struggles of Carol and her colleagues, and introducing a number of historical football figures to a new audience, including Barcelona’s only Irish manager Patrick O’Connell.
Dubliner O’Connell, who managed Real Betis to their only La Liga title, is credited with saving the Spanish giants from going bust during the Spanish Civil War.
The painting of Brother Walfrid, by Meath artist Jacinta Eiffe, was one of a number of donations made to help raise funds for the production of a film about the Debenhams workers called ‘406 days’, which will premiere at the Dublin International Film Festival next year.
After the presentation, Carol and Richie sat down to talk Cup finals, family and Shelbourne’s ‘Fabulous Baker Boys’.
CAROL : “As a family we were really proud of the Baker Brothers. They were superstars. When Dessie went to Man U, we had a party and celebrated that.”
RICHIE : “I got a lot of support from the family. We were brought up with nothing. We lived in Tallaght. My aunties used to drive us around and back. You’d get 10 in a car.
“When Dessie made it, everyone was so excited. And when we played together it was fantastic.
“We had times in training where we were screaming and killing each other. But we did that at home too. We always had that bit of bite about us, but we just wanted to win.”
CAROL : “All the cousins really looked up to you - ‘Oh, they’re famous, they’re great’. We’d go to all the matches and we’d support them. They were amazing times.
“I always remember my mam and dad getting the paper, The Star, all the time, and it would be plonked on the table and the pictures would be cut out. The excitement!
“I remember you’d get a call - he’s in the paper again today, he’s in The Star.
“We were just ordinary Joe Soaps, hard-working people, but it brought real excitement to the family. It was a big thing, it really was.”
RICHIE : “They were good times, in fairness, and they brought people together. We were a close family anyway, which was great.”
CAROL : “I just want to get this in. They always said the football skill was on the Baker side, but it’s actually on the McCormack side.
“I had an uncle going back who was ready to be shipped to England, but unfortunately he went on the gargle. I will not allow the Bakers to take the glory here.”
RICHIE : “My da’ will probably be saying, ‘Hang on a minute, you got your pace from me’.”
CAROL : “At the end of an evening we always throw that one in to spice things up.”
RICHIE : “I remember the 2000 (FAI) Cup final. It went to a replay. A lot of the family went to the Tolka one and then we played them in Dalymount.
“It was a tight game. That was a tight year with Bohs. The first game was a draw and then we went to Dalymount and won 1-0.
“It was amazing. There’s nothing like it, in fairness. You look back at all the times, but Cup day, the build-up is unreal.
“I was only in the league - that was my second full year. It was amazing. Even getting on the bus and the gardai are bringing you down the road, it’s just such excitement.
“It never leaves you. Hopefully the lads give everything they can.
“Duffer will get them going on the day and hopefully at the end of it, I’ll take a 1-0, penos, whatever it may be, as long as they walk away with it. All the best to the boys on Sunday.”
