The McCarthy family have been under intense media pressure in Scotland as a result of James' Irish allegiances. With the Daily Record launching a mini campaign against James to get him to declare for the land of his birth. The paper went as far as calling James "a country bumpkin" in an article criticising his decision to play for Ireland.
In claiming a "Player of the Month" award recently, the ceremony turned into a media grilling in which James handled himself very well. "It's at the stage where I just say I'll see what happens to just get them to stop, every time the answer is the same but they just keep asking"
But the FAI's fears that they were about to lose James' prodigious talents were unwarranted as McCarthy released a statement before their meeting. It read...
"James is flattered by the interest shown in him by George Burley in recent weeks with view to him being selected by Scotland. However, he is now in his third season with the Irish set-up having already represented them at 17s, 18s, 19s and 21s, despite being a month short of his 18th birthday.
"James feels he would be letting too many people down by switching from the Irish at this stage. He is content to end the speculation and concentrate on his club commitments with the Accies."
Indeed McCarthy feels he owes Hamilton manager Billy Reid so much that he has stuck around this season to try and keep them in the league. In an age where players can demand moves at the drop of a hat, young James shows a remarkable level of maturity.
Promising teenagers are a dime a dozen in the modern age, and everyone has heard stories of who's the next big thing only to never hear of them again. But word in football circles are that James has all the necessary tools to succeed.
His grandfather would be proud, almost 100 years since he left the home he loved in search of work, part of his legacy may be about to give something back.
After all, home is where the heart is.
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