Bernard Jackman was this week's guest on The Big Jim Show podcast with ex-Scottish international Jim Hamilton, telling stories and providing his usual expert insight into Irish rugby affairs.
Now one of rugby's most sought after pundits, Jackman has previously held big coaching jobs with the Dragons, and before that with Grenoble from 2011-2017.
Raised on a cattle farm, Jackman's career in France was a far cry from Tullow and his father's way of life, and on the podcast he tells a hilariously Irish tale of a mixup between these two worlds.
"I went to Grenoble," began Jackman. "And I ring my Dad every week just to chat and to talk about cattle. If I talk about rugby he has no interest. If we met Tiger Woods on the street he wouldn't know who he is. He's a legend, hardest working man I know, inspirational, but no interest in sport.
"I remember one day I rang him and he said what's the name of that place you're in again and I said Grenoble. And he drives a lorry so maybe the hearing or sound wasn't that good.
"He said Pat Fox said there's no rugby over there, and Pat Fox is a neighbour of ours. So I said tell Pat Fox to F off, he wouldn't know one end of a rugby ball from another. And then a few other times he said a few strange things but I just thought he was losing it."
Bernard Jackman On His Time In Grenoble
9 April 2016; Grenoble head coach Bernard Jackman. European Rugby Challenge Cup, Quarter-Final, Grenoble v Connacht. Stade des Alpes, Grenoble, France. Picture credit: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE
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"So I went home that summer and went to Carnew Mart on the Saturday, and at a cattle mart everybody crowds around the ring to buy the cattle. So it might be two or three deep, it's like a maul.
"As soon as I went to the ring people just dispersed. I was like there's a rumour going around about me, there's something going on or maybe I smell.
"So I went to the auctioneer, a fella called Arthur Quinn, I said Arthur what's going on, no one wants to be near me, someone's spreading a rumour about me.
"And he just kind of rubbed his chin for awhile and said ah what do you expect you're over there in Chernobyl coaching the rugby team."
Only in Ireland..... or Carlow even.
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