Family pride as Mayo descendant named as Airtricity Player of the Month

A young man with strong Lahardane connections has been named SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for March.

Patrick Hickey, the star defender for Bohemians has been one of the stand-out players in the top tier so far and is a key member of the Gypsies squad that have started the campaign impressively.

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The Chicago native's grandmother Mary Ann Murray, a proud native of the Nephin-side parish is also an aunt of former Lahardane MacHales' players Declan and JJ Leonard.

Hickey's father, Tommie, was a regular visitor to Lahardane for his summer holidays in his youth and the star football has two grand-aunts living locally – Tina Leonard and Eileen Loftus.

Paddy Hickey who was born in Des Plaines in Illinois began his football career at college level in the United States for Illinois Wesleyan University before spending two years in Spain where he lined out for Herbania and Villanueva CF. He then played for Athlone and Galway United before joining Bohemians at the start of this season. 

American-born Hickey helped Bohs’ to three clean sheets over the month under review, adding two goals to secure his second nomination in-a-row for the SWI monthly gong. 

Hickey was delighted to pick up the award and said: "We have the best defensive record in the league so far but that’s testament to the hard work and graft that we put in as a back four and it’s living proof of the great start we have made to the season," said Hickey who is very proud of his Irish heritage which includes a vast array of cousins in Lahardane, Castleisland in Kerry and Newmarket on Fergus in Clare.