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YESTERDAY, AN 18-year-old lost a case taken on his behalf by his parents, against his former football team.
The then-14-year-old Sean Cooke played for Carrigaline United in Cork, and it had been alleged that he suffered from post-traumatic stress and bullying after being dropped from the team.
Speaking to the Neil Prendeville Show on Cork’s Red FM, his father Declan said that the family had no regrets about taking the case.
Addressing the issue of being dropped from the team, Declan Cooke said that “it couldn’t be further from the truth” that they brought the court case for that reason alone.
He described how Sean had represented Carrigaline at the Kennedy cup level, and had been approached by scouts from English clubs who’d shown an interest in his abilities.
Declan referenced a disagreement he had with the coach of his son’s team, and said he raised his concerns at the club that Sean wouldn’t be treated fairly following this disagreement.
He said that he tried to get clearance to change teams but this wasn’t permitted by the league.
He couldn’t play from November 2012 for another nine months.
Declan said that being dropped from the team following the dispute with the coach had a very negative effect on Sean.
“He didn’t feel comfortable in those surroundings,” he said, after Sean was offered a chance to switch to the older age-group team.
When he eventually made the switch to a new team a year later, Declan said he impressed there but did not receive contact from overseas scouts.
The boy’s father alleged that bullying persisted from members of the club after Sean left Carrigaline, but this was dismissed in court.
This was not about a child not getting a game. This was never about Sean losing any opportunities.
When asked if Sean was simply not good enough to play for the team, his father rejected that, saying that he had started almost all of the other games the previous year.
He said that if the case was all about him being dropped from the team, they would have taken it years ago. It was due to the abuse he allegedly received after leaving the team that caused Sean to suffer from the post-traumatic stress which prompted the case.
Declan Cooke also denied that the case was “about money”.
Reading out a statement issued by Sean Cooke, the host Prendeville said: “My parents took this case on my behalf due to a two and half-year spell of consistent bullying.
I’m very proud of my parents for taking the stand for me. It was the right thing to do. It wasn’t about “not getting a game”.
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Scrap it. Abysmal show.
Very disappointed as a senior citizen I’m not interested in watching tonight..
What a pointless article. Numerous examples of good chat shows with many fans. The reason RTE and the Late Late Show is so dreadful is largely because of RTE’s cozy collusion with the government of the day. They have an agenda which dictates the guests, the content and the message. It’s 2 hours of fluff and essentially a form of propaganda. And to think they used to pay Tubridy €700,000 a year, it tells you all you need to know. Also keep in mind your government recently allocated E250 million a year to RTE for the next 3 years, despite the recent scandals, again, alleging corruption and cronyism at RTE. They are giving your tax euros and TV licence fee to an organisation that then attempts to brainwash you!
@Paddy Short: while I don’t disagree with the show not being great to put in perspective – Graham Norton gets 3million a year with the bbc… brainwashing and propaganda point is a bit tinfoil hat-ish. They try a variety show but doesn’t work on the format. You need a charismatic host (Patrick Kielty is awkward and not charismatic) and you need good acts that are relevant. Act booking is a pretty bad when they have no names and non interesting stories (and can be depressing). It should be fun and easy and chill like the Graham Norton show which proves that type of show is successful. Nobody wants to hear about another child abuse survivor on a Friday evening when they are trying to chill.
Does anyone know why the comments are closed here in relation to both of the articles covering Meehole Martin’s unwarranted, comments in the case of the death of Sophie Tuscan du Plantier? I have long regarded Meehole as a dope but he has reached new lows of dope hood with this one. He has impugned the integrity of the Garda investigation, cut across the independence of the DPP and implicitly found a man who was not charged with her murder guilty of the same. In any functioning democracy this idiot would be chastised by the Head of Government and asked to resign for such a transgression. But this is Meehole so it’s alright.
@Minnie Mouse: so true
@Minnie Mouse: Totally agree with you, the man has reached a new low regarding this.
@Minnie Mouse: Your last sentence says it all. You are talking through it.
Unless you’re able to attract/pay for actual celebrities you’re left with bottom of the barrel types, which is what we’ve had the last number of years. It’s stale. Rte are right not to pay big bucks to land the same standard of guests as Graham Norton, but then you’re left with a show that has very little else to offer. It should be scrapped apart from the toy show.
@ecrowley ecrowley: I don’t think Daniel O Donnell would appreciate you calling him the bottom of the barrel.
@Dave Barrett: daniel is not even in the barrel he is the barrel,,,
@Dave Barrett: But he is!
It’s never been the same since Gaybo!
@ Minnie Mouse. Couldn’t agree more. He is exposing himself as a spoofer and a liar.
The “investigation” of the murder of Sophie Du Plantier was a f up a la the Kerry Babies and rather than posthumously taking a cheap shot at Ian Bailey he should call out the Gardai involved.
D O’D. Sweet sufferin Succotash! I’ll stay in the kitchen and watch the tumble dryer!
Surface level interviews of people seem redundant in the internet age when the same people are posting on social media and half a dozen youtubers have probably interviewed them asking the same questions already.
It’s a nice reminder of what old television was and people will miss it when it’s gone but it’s definitely hard to call it relevant anymore.
A sure some people like it, I think the older stay at home folks tune and enjoy it.
@Ned: I’m of that older generation having been around on this earth for last 65 years I certainly haven’t watched the late late in years I’ve no intention of going outa my way to waste my Fri night on it we have been warned and it gave me time to did out my add free telly 4 the night with loads a sports to enjoy 4 the weekend other than rtes rubbish been passed off as quality entertainment
@Ned: as one of the older generation I haven’t watched it in years. Tuned out during the Pat Kenny era
@liam ward: be god lad looks like you don’t like it or rte but some people do wat h I hear.
@Rebekah Corbett: ya I hear ya, haven’t watched it myself in years so didn’t know it was that bad yikes,
@Ned: No Ned we dont. Well at least I dont. I cant stand the Late Late show
Thank God I’ve prerecorded Jools Holland, can’t stomach the Late Late
I’d prefer inhale the farts out of the cinema seats than subject myself to watching that
@Johnny King: or have your Micky bitten off, as in your avatar. Painful! But not as painful as watching the late late
This is the 3rd article today on this completely 5H1Te show ,
Nobody what’s to watch this total rubbish from rte
Time for it to go. Hold a toy show once year with different hosts. Only time people watch it.
have your say