Jack Charlton became the most famous Englishman in Ireland during his spell as manager of the Republic of Ireland international soccer team. He and his teams were responsible for some of the most fondly remembered days we had as a nation. Despite that fact that Jack came from a working-class mining town in the northeast of England, we looked upon him as being one of our own. He was also a decent player in his day, a tough uncompromising defender, who won the 1966 World Cup alongside his brother Bobby for England and played 763 games for Leeds United.
Charlton was appointed manager of the Republic of Ireland team in February 1986, a role he held until December 1995. During his time at the helm, he brought the team to the 1988 European Championships in West Germany and to the finals of 2 World Cups, Italy in 1990 and the USA in 1994. Who will ever forget those halcyon days as ‘Jackie’s Army’ travelled the world, fans who were admired for their conduct and sense of fun wherever they went cheering on the Boys in Green.
Not everyone was a fan of his style of play, but Jack was his own man, who could be abrupt with the media at times, but his players always gave him 100% and he instilled an unbreakable spirit amongst the squad, akin to a club side.
When his time was up as Ireland manager his love affair with the country and people continued. He was a regular visitor to his holiday home in Ballina, County Mayo, and was at his happiest rambling the countryside and trying to land a big salmon.
This episode of Cloch le Carn features contributions from broadcaster Des Cahill who spent a lot of time in Jack’s company as well as Seán Bán Breathnach who was lucky enough to go to the World Cup for Raidió na Gaeltachta. Áine Hensey recalls the great times she had as a supporter during Italia 90 while we also get the thoughts about that era from former player and manager Charlie McGeever. And former Galway hurler and footballer Alan Kerins recalls the many times Jack Charlton used to come and stay in his parents B&B in Clarinbridge, where Big Jack became part of the furniture!
Presenter / Reporter Garry Mac Donncha
Producer / Director Dermot O’Hanlon
‘Jack wasn’t involved with the England team until 1965, his brother Bobby was but he wasn’t, and the following year he had a World Cup winner’s medal. It was a great achievement’ Des Cahill
‘He was dead right to use the ‘Granny Rule’ when he came in, he wasn’t breaking any FIFA rules, why wouldn’t he do it’ Seán Bán Breathnach
‘He was just Jack to us, or big Jack as we called him. He was just a unique person who, it’s hard to explain, but you just meet these people in life who have a huge presence, a huge warm presence, and a huge positive presence on every life they touch, and I think that’s how I’ll remember him, he made us believe.’ Alan Kerins
‘One of the things that emerged from the time Jack Charlton spent as Irish international manager in my view is that it gave us a newfound confidence in ourselves as a nation’ Áine Hensey
‘I’ll never forget being in Dublin when the team came home from the 1990 World Cup. It was like the time the Pope came to Ireland. Dublin had never seen crowds like that ever’ Charlie McGeever