Derry kitman Colm McGuigan has been a consistent presence in a time of uncertainty The Irish News

I recently completed filming the third series of Scalta na gCorn with television production company Imagine Media for TG4.

It's a wonderful series produced by the brilliant Hannah N Dhubhchin and it looks at the stories behind the GAA silverware as we discover who these characters were and why the cups are named after them.

It is a true grassroots series, as trophies are named after presidents, officials, players and volunteers.

The people who give and do the most are remembered for the great work they have done.

It means a lot to the families and I really enjoy hearing the stories about them.

During my travels this year I found Derry and had the pleasure of meeting one of the great characters of the GAA, Colm McGuigan, as we talked about his father Jim and the cup named after him.

Jim McGuigan was a tremendous servant of Watty Grahams Glen and was Derry County Treasurer for 32 years.

When he completed that term in 1995, he became Treasurer of the Ulster Council for five years and subsequently remained a member of the Ulster Council Finance Committee.

He was a firefighter and qualified pilot and was also a referee and equipment man for Derry's senior teams.

He passed away in 2011 and in 2012 the Jim McGuigan Cup was awarded for the first time to the Ulster Intercounty U17 football champions. Derry received it in his freshman year.

Jim's son Colm, better known as Colm Banty McGuigan, took over the care of the jerseys in 1995 and together with his father they have been kitmen for almost 60 years.

I was originally called Bandy as a nickname when playing football growing up on the green, but it changed to Banty and I've been called that ever since, says Colm.

In 1995, Jim went to a district convention in Dungiven and fell on the way out, breaking his hip.

We had to take him to Altnagelvin hospital. He was in the position of kitman for quite some time.

It was after Derry had won the All-Ireland so he said to me, will you look after the kits for me.

I said, no problem, so I started going to the games for him, you know, and picking out the jerseys.

When he came out of the hospital, and I said to him, what about these sweaters? He says go ahead and work on it. So that's how I became a kitman. I have been working in this position for almost 30 years now. I started in 1995

Colm is the kitman in charge of all Derrys men's teams, from underage development groups to minors, U20s and seniors in both football and hurling.

I go to all the matches and we leave early to set up at the hotel, especially when we travel around the country with decking boards for table tennis, tables, everything is ready.

Another boy called Hugh McGrath, a man from County Down but who now lives in Derry City, helps me and we have the room ready when the boys come in.

They come down to eat, play a game of table tennis and some darts to kill some time. They set up some new tables to play cards to relax before playing.

I enjoy the fun of being a kitman. I get along well with the players and have a good relationship with them. They like a bit of fun and banter and the back and forth.

I've had a great relationship with the Derry players over the years, you know. The older players always stop to talk to me.

I've made loads of friends through the GAA and for me that's the GAA and what it's all about. I also made a lot of friends outside of Derry.

The most challenging part about being a kitman is being there on time. Make sure your locker room is organized and everything is in order on the day, especially before big games.

The dressing room is a sanctuary and Colm has seen the highs and lows of what happens there.

When you win everyone starts taking pictures, especially if they've won the two Ulster football titles. And sometimes I go with a song and the banter and craziness is good.

To note that his favorite song is The Wild Colonial Boy.

If you lose, it's the opposite. You don't have to get involved because the locker room can be a volatile place after a loss, especially after a big loss.

I'm going to lift up the socks and the togs and sweaters and maybe say, keep your head up. They have to keep going, things like that. But you have to take the good and the bad.

I try to remember the good days, not the bad

We had a good year in Derry last year. Our wins include an U20 Ulster Hurling Cup, an U17 Ulster Minor Football Cup, all at Owenbeg, as well as the Allianz National League Division One Cup, the Jim McGuigan Cup and an All-Ireland Minor Football Cup. There are many counties in Ireland that don't have that.

Standout memories for Colm include seeing the Derry hurlers win the Ulster Final in 2000, taking the cup home to Derry and crossing the Toome Bridge for the first time in 90 years.

He was the bus driver when Derry won the All-Ireland football final in 1993 and remembers taking the team to Maghera.

It took almost an hour and twenty minutes to get into the main street, which would normally take five minutes. It was a huge memory for me, even before I became a kitman.

As a kitman, Colm is aware of what is happening in the dressing room and as everyone knows, they are in the know when it comes to hearing the inside track.

There must have been at least a dozen managers I worked with. Brian Mullins was the first. I got along well with all the managers. Each of them gave everything they had.

So who will be the next Derry manager?

I can't actually answer that he's laughing because I have no idea. I'll have to do it myself eventually, he chuckles.

Not many counties have the same person involved as team people across all their teams, but it shows the great respect, admiration and affection that the Derry County board and players hold for Colm.

It's the way my father did it and I'm following suit. If I go, it may change, but right now, thank God, I'm healthy enough to continue. I'm retired and I'm happy to keep going and going.

With all the uncertainty in Derry GAA management circles at the moment, perhaps what offers players the most consistency is the friendly face and banter of the one and only Colm Banty McGuigan.