Michael Higgins: A Tribute
By University Observer | Nov 29 2016
IT would’ve been a cold September evening when I first encountered Michael Higgins. As a young 15 year-old, I was heading to the UCD Bowl to report on a game between the college and St. Patrick’s Athletic. Now, anyone who knows the campus knows it’s remarkably easy to get lost, which I did. Arriving to the Bowl late, the press area was full so I was sent across to the hut on the other side of the pitch. I got in the door and saw an elderly man who I presumed was quite busy, given his plethora of notes. I set up quietly next to him but forgot my team sheet. That was when Michael noticed me, and plucked his own sheet out. He gave it to this anxious teenager and told me I could keep it as ‘he wouldn’t need it’. He did this even though he was UCD’s PA. It sums up what the man was like. He would never have a bad word about anyone and if you needed help, he was there to provide it. You can ask any League of Ireland fan about UCD’s tannoy announcements and you’ll hear tale after tale.The time he waxed lyrical during half time about the curry on his chips; his utter disgust at a Lady Gaga song being played over the system pre-match. Or the many occasions where he wouldn’t be sure about a substitution, and we’d get ‘’coming on is…number nine… or number 14… whichever’’. With any other person, you’d probably be annoyed. With him, you had to laugh, even if it did make a mess of your match report.There aren’t too many genuine characters around in Irish sport these days but Michael was one of them. He had a heart of gold and will be greatly missed by everyone on campus and within Irish football as a whole.