CIAN Byrne is hoping to help Bohemians cook up something special after learning how to fend for himself at Galway United.
When Seán Grehan was brought in on loan from Crystal Palace for the first half of the season, Alan Reynolds sent Byrne to Galway to ensure he continued to get regular football.
With Grehan since joining Doncaster Rovers on a permanent deal, Byrne returned to Dalymount Park and made his first appearance of the season for them in the 3-0 win over the Tribesmen last Friday.
And the centre-half beamed: “I’m delighted to be home. I obviously had a great loan spell there for six months and I got what I needed out of it. But I’m buzzing to be back home.
“When I spoke to the staff, they thought from last year, playing so many games, starting, to continue that, just to keep starting games and keep building my CV, if that’s the right way to say it.
“It was a conversation me and Rennie had together and we both felt that was the best thing for me, a six-month loan. Hopefully now I can prove I’m good. It’s great to start with a clean sheet.
“I knew with the squad we have there, when I was coming back that there was going to be a challenge to get into the starting XI, because everyone is chomping at the bit to play.
“I’m just back and I want to keep my head down. It was great to start and hopefully I can continue with it.”
The 22-year-old reckons he grew on and off the pitch during his time in the west.
Byrne explained: “Obviously Galway’s strengths are direct. I’ve been at Bohs since I was 14, so it was a different style of play.
“But I think the more you can understand the game, learning it from different perspectives, from John Caulfield and Ollie Horgan, was great. I’m very grateful for it.
“I was playing kind of holding midfield. I used to play there when I was younger and the lads spoke to me and said, ‘I think that would be best suited for you here’.
“I just went about my business and hopefully I gave a good six months to the lads. I was really grateful to them.”
Byrne — from James’s Street — shared a house with Seán Kerrigan, Ed McCarthy and Killian Brouder and he said: “Seán has left as well. The two lads were playing and it was good to see them. I was delighted to get one over on them — the bragging rights.
“I’d never lived away from home, I was obviously living with my parents. The amount of time I woke up during the night with my gear not washed.
“And learning how to cook and clean, it was a good reality check and I think I needed it. I came back the other day and I made my breakfast and cleaned the dishes, my ma couldn’t believe it!
“I’ve cooked her dinner, just the once. She says it’s not as good as hers, but they are high standards.”
EUROPEAN DREAMS
Bohs set the standard on Friday with a polished performance which saw them move into second.
Byrne is hopeful they can stay there so he can experience European football, having watched on during their run in 2021.
The defender said: “With the team here, you never know what could happen once you keep working hard and sticking together.
“I haven’t played in Europe myself. The last time the lads were in it, I was in the academy. I was just in the stand watching, and that gives you the extra motivation to get there one day and play.
“Obviously the lads did really well that year, so hopefully we can get back this year and qualify for the group stages, because I think this group of players that we have, we have to set our goals high.
“That’s definitely something that everyone wants to play in and I’d love to play in. Hopefully this season we can keep going the way we’re going and qualify.”
