Kevin Cassidy has revealed he turned down an invitation by Jim McGuinness to re-join the Donegal panel earlier this year.
Speaking on the eve of Sunday’s All-Ireland final the Gaoth Dobhair man recounts how McGuinness met him at his Letterkenny school at Easter.
He revealed they had what Cassidy, 31, described as “a very civilised conversation, there were no heated moments”.
It was the first time the pair had sat down together since Cassidy contributed to the This Is Our Year book, which resulted in McGuinness axing him from the panel, deeming it was a breach of their code of conduct.
After clearing the air, McGuinness offered Cassidy the opportunity to come back but he later declined because he feared it would impact on the panel as well as his family.
Cassidy told the Irish Examiner “The opportunity was there to go back but I said to him I didn’t want to go back and bring a whole mediacircus with me because these boys were about to go into their Championship season.
“I don’t hold any grudges, I’ve never fallen out with anybody (about it) and I never will but you learn as you go on.”
Cassidy informed McGuinness of his decision while on holidays a week later.
In it, he expressed his gratitude towards McGuinness for everything that he had done for him last season.
At the meeting, Cassidy stressed to McGuinness that he had not revealed any major secrets about Donegal.
“I didn’t think I let him down and that’s where we had the conversation.”
Cassidy said he has no regrets about passing up the chance at rejoining the panel which might have led to playing in Sunday’s All-Ireland medal.
“You talk about your All-Irelands and your Ulsters or Connachts but at the end of the day it’s only a circle of a medal.
“I’d appreciate more the people I have met. I’ve had fantastic appearances and it’s shaped me as a character.
“If I wasn’t involved in the GAA I don’t think I’d be the person I am today and that’s what I take away from it.
“There are a lot of people who weren’t lucky enough to play on good teams like we were able to and won stuff.”
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