The rest is history.
Davy Fitzgerald is a cult figure in Ireland and his passion is always on show for all to see whether it’s on the sideline of a hurling pitch or screaming on struggling contestants in Ireland’s Fittest Family.
He joined Dion Fanning on this week’s episode of Ireland Unfiltered to discuss his hurling career, why tough love works on players and a whole host of other topics. But he also discussed how hurling was one of his only means of escape during some tough days in secondary school.
“In them particular years when I was in secondary school in first, second and third year,” Fitzgerald said. “I didn’t know what to think. I did feel very alone and very isolated without a shadow of a doubt.
“So you’d left Sixmilebridge, you’re going up to Ennis to school and there’s only a few guys with you and a few of them would have picked on you, and you’re isolated, and you do doubt yourself and you do wonder.
“The only thing that kept me going was the hurling.”
“I remember one particular time the lads were having a few drinks, 15 or 16 years of age. And I said, ‘sure Jesus I might as well try to be one of them’.
“And I remember my Dad found out, well he nearly killed me. And then I was thinking, I actually, I didn’t really want to drink, but I did it just to be one of them. And I went up to Father Carey and I took the pledge again, would you believe that?
“My Dad didn’t tell me to do it, I did it myself. And I think that was a turning point for me where I said, ‘enough is enough, and I’m going to do what I’m going to do.'”
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Ireland Unfiltered, brought to you in partnership with Carlsberg Unfiltered, will be available everywhere you get your podcasts and on YouTube every Tuesday.
