When you're from Leitrim you know that the chances of meeting another person from the county in any other part of the world is about as likely as winning the lottery.

But the most far-flung place I have ever bumped into a fellow Leitrim man was New York 14 years ago.

The Central Park horse and buggy driver was from a village called Cloone, ten minutes from my hometown of Mohill and choosing his mode of transport was a completely random event.

Of course, it should not have been such a surprise seeing as New York and most other parts of the USA have thriving communities with immigrants from Leitrim and other parts of Ireland.

But while you will find Irish people and communities far and wide across the globe, the same cannot be said of professional footballers. At least not to the same extent.

Technically most Irish pros play abroad but the pervasive presence of the Premier League, Championship and SPL means British football is an even bigger home from home for players with aspirations of playing for the Boys in Green.

In many ways, Irish players would benefit from breaking free of British football and trying their hands in Europe’s biggest leagues especially as those countries play more technical football.

But there are a few Irishmen playing outside Ireland and the UK. The most obvious examples are Aiden McGeady who has been at Spartak Moscow (he has spoken of returning to the Premier League however), Darren O’Dea at Metalurh Donetsk in the Ukraine (he was at Toronto FC prior to that move) and former Trapattoni favourite Liam Lawrence at Greek side PAOK.

An of course there is Robbie Keane, who recently told The Guardian about his motivations for closing out his club career at LA Galaxy.

Below is a map showing Irish qualified players who are contracted to “foreign clubs”:

©INPHO/Morgan Treacy