A fortnight ago, RTÉ opened an episode of 'Ireland's Greatest Sporting Moment' with an apology. It was regarding what Des Cahill described as some "robust conversations" about Barry McGuigan involving both Joe Brolly and Eamon Dunphy.
Neither Brolly or Dunphy had been particularly complimentary about McGuigan on the previous week's show while they spoke about the Monaghan man's 1985 world title victory.
Dunphy said that the real hero of the McGuigan story was his manager Barney Eastwood for setting up a series of easy fights which turned him into a title contender and then finding an "over the hill" belt holder in Eusebio Pedroza. Brolly agreed while also dismissing the narrative that McGuigan had united the island, North and South, as "showbiz".
Brolly was also unambiguous in expressing his dislike of McGuigan.
"The conversations that followed were robust and they strayed somewhat from the great moment that we set out to mark," said Des Cahill. "For that we would like to apologise to Barry and his legion of supporters. It wasn't in the spirit of what the programme was designed to do and lots of you let us know your feelings. We're happy to recognise that."
One wondered at the time how Dunphy and particularly Brolly felt about the apology. The perfect medium for them to let that be known was Dunphy's podcast, 'The Stand', on which Brolly this week appeared as a guest.
The apology was alluded to early on by Brolly.
"The world has increasingly become like the Rose of Tralee. You can't even say that Barry McGuigan was a mediocre fighter," said the Derry man.
It was a topic to which he later returned when speaking with Dunphy about how the media world is becoming increasingly bland in its output.
We’re either interested in the truth and in the facts of things or we’re in Rose of Tralee world where no-one says anything and where, for example, RTÉ apologise because you and I took an entirely fair, but robust view of Barry McGuigan.
I mean, apologising? And, of course, everybody knows the apology is false as well.
Everybody knows, ‘Well that’s a false apology, obviously McGuigan has rung up to complain about this.' You know, the wee shite that he is.
