Former Kerry footballer Eoin 'Bomber' Liston has told of an incident on a flight from Cardiff to Cork recently which was almost turned around by the captain after a cabin crew member became alarmed when he was called by his nickname.
He said that he and a group of more than 30 were returning from a day's racing at Cheltenham as part of a stag outing for David Moran, son of his former team mate Ogie Moran.
A friend shouted out “Bomber” to him from a few rows back, but he did not hear him, so the friend called again in a louder voice. The cabin crew member was passing by at the time, heard him and became alarmed.
She told him that she was going to inform the captain. Both the friend and Mr Lison tried to explain the nickname to the cabin crew member while the friend googled the name Eoin ‘Bomber’ Liston to verify their explanation.
“In fairness it was totally innocent. There was a bit of tension for him (his friend).”
Afterwards when Mr Liston spoke with the pilot, he (the pilot) admitted that he had been close to turning around.
When asked why he had not responded when hailed by his friend, Mr Liston replied: "I had Kieran Donaghy telling a story into my ear."
He said he does not think he will be hailed by his nickname again in such circumstances. He explained that the nickname had been given to him in the early 1970s because he was “a plump young fella” and his friends were comparing him to a well known German soccer player at the time - Gerd Muller who was known as “Der Bomber”.
“The fellas I was playing with started calling me that and it stuck ever since.”