A former Christy Ring Cup medallist with Kerry, he’s been living in Dublin for the last four years and threw in his lot with the county team at the start of the campaign.
And a landmark 2015 campaign continued on Saturday when Cuala landed a first Dublin SHC title since 1994, with O’Connell notching 0-3 in the victory over St Jude’s at Parnell Park.
“It’s absolutely brilliant,” O’Connell told Newstalk’s Oisin Langan on the Rewind podcast.
“I never thought this day would come, winning a Dublin senior championship.
“I’ve been living in Dublin for the last four years, had been training with Cuala and made the decision with the travelling.
Darragh O'Connell has represented Ireland in the shinty against Scotland. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
“It was too much of a commitment to be going up and down the country, I wasn’t enjoying it.
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“At the beginning of the year, the first aim was to get the respect of the lads inside in that dressing room and try and get a place on the Cuala team.
“From that it just kicked off really. I couldn’t have imagined it would turn out like it did.
“This is the icing on the cake, it doesn’t get much better than this.”
O’Connell revealed that he received good luck messages from the Kingdom on the morning of the game and the Abbeydourney man hasn’t forgotten his roots.
Darragh O'Connell in action for Kerry during the 2011 Christy Ring Cup final. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
“I won a Christy Ring in 2011, I had five brilliant years with the Kerry hurlers.
“They’re a great bunch of lads, so many of them wished me well this morning even, text messages from home which I really appreciated.
“The decision was always going to be difficult but this makes it worthwhile.
“You’ve got to enjoy these moments because winning a county championship, it doesn’t matter what county it is, is always an achievement no matter what.”
O’Connell wasn’t the only ‘outsider’ to claim a Dublin medal, as Kilkenny’s Cian Waldron and Tipperary journalist Shane Stapleton, a brother of Premier County corner back Paddy, also played key roles.
“Of course you’re going to have to prove yourself,” said O’Connell.
“But the lad sitting next to me didn’t care where I was from if my goal and my focus was to win a county championship with Cuala.
“Then I was on board and they were delighted to have us. I couldn’t speak highly enough of the club and the lads in that dressing room.
Darragh O'Connell made his championship debut for Dublin during the summer. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“They’re an incredibly ambitious bunch of players and their sole focus was to win the county championship.
“I’m delighted to have played whatever little part I could in that.
“At the beginning of the year, my aim was to win a county championship with Cuala.
Darragh O'Connell (9) in action for Cuala last Saturday. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
“We met right back at the beginning of January and that was my sole aim.
“When the call came from (Dublin manager) Ger Cunningham, you can’t turn down an opportunity like that.
“Every player wants to play at the highest level and get as much out of it as they can while they’re playing. Careers can be very short.”
Heard the one about the Kerryman who's won a Dublin senior hurling medal?
Updated at 21.30
IT’S BEEN A whirlwind year for Darragh O’Connell.
A former Christy Ring Cup medallist with Kerry, he’s been living in Dublin for the last four years and threw in his lot with the county team at the start of the campaign.
O’Connell featured for the first time in a challenge match against Tipperary before making his championship debut for the Sky Blues in the draw with Galway.
And a landmark 2015 campaign continued on Saturday when Cuala landed a first Dublin SHC title since 1994, with O’Connell notching 0-3 in the victory over St Jude’s at Parnell Park.
“It’s absolutely brilliant,” O’Connell told Newstalk’s Oisin Langan on the Rewind podcast.
“I never thought this day would come, winning a Dublin senior championship.
“I’ve been living in Dublin for the last four years, had been training with Cuala and made the decision with the travelling.
“It was too much of a commitment to be going up and down the country, I wasn’t enjoying it.
“At the beginning of the year, the first aim was to get the respect of the lads inside in that dressing room and try and get a place on the Cuala team.
“From that it just kicked off really. I couldn’t have imagined it would turn out like it did.
“This is the icing on the cake, it doesn’t get much better than this.”
O’Connell revealed that he received good luck messages from the Kingdom on the morning of the game and the Abbeydourney man hasn’t forgotten his roots.
“I won a Christy Ring in 2011, I had five brilliant years with the Kerry hurlers.
“They’re a great bunch of lads, so many of them wished me well this morning even, text messages from home which I really appreciated.
“The decision was always going to be difficult but this makes it worthwhile.
“You’ve got to enjoy these moments because winning a county championship, it doesn’t matter what county it is, is always an achievement no matter what.”
O’Connell wasn’t the only ‘outsider’ to claim a Dublin medal, as Kilkenny’s Cian Waldron and Tipperary journalist Shane Stapleton, a brother of Premier County corner back Paddy, also played key roles.
“Of course you’re going to have to prove yourself,” said O’Connell.
“But the lad sitting next to me didn’t care where I was from if my goal and my focus was to win a county championship with Cuala.
“Then I was on board and they were delighted to have us. I couldn’t speak highly enough of the club and the lads in that dressing room.
“They’re an incredibly ambitious bunch of players and their sole focus was to win the county championship.
“I’m delighted to have played whatever little part I could in that.
“At the beginning of the year, my aim was to win a county championship with Cuala.
“We met right back at the beginning of January and that was my sole aim.
“When the call came from (Dublin manager) Ger Cunningham, you can’t turn down an opportunity like that.
“Every player wants to play at the highest level and get as much out of it as they can while they’re playing. Careers can be very short.”
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