When Desmond Courtney bought The Schoolmaster's House in Ireland's horse heartland in 2002, he turned it into a "bachelor pad". The civil engineer did most of the restoration of the property himself, with some help from friends. After nearly two decades of living there alone, a random reunification with his long-lost love Monica (née Barron) transformed his life and his Kildare home.
Cian O'Neill has emphasized the importance of connection in coaching, profoundly influencing the county scene over 20 unbroken seasons at the highest level.