James McClean has paid tribute to "close-knit" and "hard headed" people of Creggan where he grew up for giving him the "resilience" to succeed as an international footballer.
The former Derry City winger, who went on to play in the Premier League and score 11 goals in 100 appearances while representing the Republic of Ireland, earned his 100th cap against Gibraltar on Monday.
President of Ireland Michael D Higgins made a special presentation to the Derry man before the match - an occasion McClean said he "couldn't really get the words" to describe.
Read more: The making of James McClean as proud Derry man prepares for 100th Republic of Ireland cap
In an emotional interview reflecting on both the highs and lows of his career, he said it feels "surreal" to return to Creggan shops where he "grew up kicking a ball against shutters" to see the large mural depicting him in Ireland colours.
He is looking forward to a street party in Creggan on Saturday honouring his achievements and pledged to spend time with any children hoping to meet their hero.
"I'll be there myself," he said. "Look, i was one of them kids myself."
Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle, he reserved particular tribute for the people of Creggan.
"Creggan is my home," he said. "I've always said this - you're a product of your environment. If it wasn't for everything that I learned growing up in Creggan then I probably wouldn't be where I am today. The Creggan people, you know, have a very close-knit community and I think they take as much pride seeing me accomplish what I've accomplished as well as I do.
"They've known me since I was a kid, since I was a baby, since I was no age. Everybody knows everybody so if one is going on to do good things they all feel that sense of pride as if they're a part of it as well and, look, it's special the way the people of Creggan have treated me.
"It's been absolutely outstanding and at the end of the day I'm one of them, and that's a great way to be."
Reflecting on the sectarian abuse he has been subjected to throughout his career, he praised the resilience given to him by his upbringing: "You're a product of your environment and the people of Creggan are strong, strong minded people.
"It takes a lot to bring someone down, they've got that resilience. They're hard headed and that's just the way I am as well. I'm more than happy to take on a fight and I'm kind of tit-for-tat but, look, it's not nice as well."
He continued: "Me personally? I can take it, but it's when obviously you have a young family and they're on the receiving end of it that it crosses a line. It is what it is and I'm a resilient person. For me, the majority of the time, it's water off a duck's back."
He said the abuse he has received in his career has been on a different scale to that endured by fellow high profile professional footballers.
"That's pretty obvious for everyone to see," he said. "You see all the campaigns, don't you, so when someone is racially abused it's breaking news - and rightly so. That's the way it should be because it shouldn't be happening in this day and age.
"I've said quite openly in the past that it seems to be when you're a white Irishman it's not exactly high up on the list. It's brushed under the carpet, it's ignored, and whether that's down to ignorance or lack of education it is what it is. I'm not going to lose much sleep over it, I'm quite content where I am in my life, I'm quite happy."
Asked by interviewer Dean McLaughlin if he still finds it strange to walk past the mural of him at Central Drive in Creggan, the former Derry City player said: "It is, aye. Look I don't think that's something that will ever hit home. At Creggan shops where the mural is, I grew up there kicking a ball against shutters and now to have a massive mural honouring you on the wall - it is surreal.
"You see it and it doesn't really hit home the way you're being honoured. It's obviously special for my family to walk past and see every day and obviously for my own weans when they're home to see it."
And on the success he achieved in his footballing career, he said: "You have a dream of course to play professional football, you have a dream to play for Ireland, but you know [to say] you're going to dream to play 100 times and to have murals of that size in your community you'd be lying. I'm sat here today and I've achieved what I've achieved and it's all reality - that is pretty amazing to be honest."
Asked about a potential return to Derry City, he said: "I've always been quite open that that's where I want to end my career."
He added: "In football, you never know."
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