WITH HIS MIND, Paddy Stapleton forged an outstanding career. In a decade-long stint with Tipperary, he won two All-Irelands. At times it felt like he was swimming against the tide and just trying to survive. In those moments he could retreat inside his head and seek shelter.

“There were way more talented players that should have played in front of me for Tipp but I was mentally strong,” Stapleton says.

“If you could have a better head or more skill, I’d always look for the head. Knowing what to do, what decision to make. That stands to you.”

As the team’s GPA rep, he was conscious of the support network and resources available to him. It was during a conversation with a life coach that he first vocalised an idea, a vision for his life outside of hurling.

Stapleton works as an English teacher and the thought of a children’s book had been rattling around in his head for years. By 2020, ‘Up In The Air’ was released. This year, the Borris-Ileigh club man released another two. 

“That was one of the first people I said it to. At the end of a two-hour conversation, I just threw it in. ‘I’m half thinking of writing a kids’ book.’

“I had no confidence writing it. I didn’t go, ‘this is going to be great.’ I didn’t tell anyone until it was nearly done.” 

In his life, the game touches everything. It has always been that way. Early memories of Parish League rivalries were drawn on for his recent book. The clash of children, sometimes even clashes on the sideline. 

Growing up his father made hurleys, which inspired the other book. Despite this, as a child Stapleton hardly gave his stick any consideration. The hallway would be stacked with hurleys, some dropped in to be fixed, others just repaired and he’d select one at random and head away to play. Any would do.

“Cobbler’s kids go barefoot,” he says with a smile. Not until he was 16 and invited to county minor trials did he finally select a hurley of his own.

In the 2009 All-Ireland final, Stapleton played with one of his father’s hurleys. “He was delighted with that. I know it meant a lot to him.”  

As he progressed as a player so too did his investment. That was the cost he deemed necessary for the ultimate payoff. In order to wear the royal blue and gold, he felt compelled to sacrifice everything.  

“I know they get a lot of criticism at times, but I got a lot of development through the GPA. Talking to development coaches there really helped. I wasn’t that talented at all. I’m being completely honest. So it took a lot for me to make it at the top level for Tipperary.

“I was very blinkered. Not thinking about what was going on in society or anything else really. By the end of my career, I had a huge opinion on how the club season should go or the importance of balancing life, just enjoying yourself outside of training. For a long time, I didn’t have that.

“I was happy, living the dream, playing for Tipperary but I’d love to go back and tell that lad, ‘Relax now. Go into town and meet the lads for a cup of tea.’ 

“Players are better now. I see it online. They are off now Jetskiing or out for coffee.

“When I was growing up too much of it was drink culture. Just training when you are not drinking. There is more balance now. I first went in with Tipp and all the talk was about when can we have our next night out. Those extremes aren’t healthy.”  

MuckFest is the sequel to his original. My First Hurley is for younger children, 5-8. 

Stapleton self-published both. After the writing process, he sourced an editor and artwork. They had to put it together for print, establish an online presence and liaise with shops for distribution. That way it was his vision coming to fruition, totally. Without compromise.  

The editor had to appreciate what the GAA meant and what he was trying to convey. Former Tipperary footballer Patricia Hickey, who is also an English teacher, took on the task. She understood the purpose. That was vital. In his world, the GAA is the portal. 

“I would see in my own life, I struggled badly in school and to access the curriculum. Really, I had no idea what was going on in a lot of subjects.

“That is just being honest. I think I learned an awful lot about who I am and how to navigate life in GAA circles. That was something I could access.

“I learned there first and transferred back over to college. Teamwork, discipline, goal setting, keeping cool under pressure, taking negativity and moving on, dealing with management and colleagues, it is all there.

“When I did my Leaving Cert at 18, I had the mentality of a 14-year-old. Without GAA, I don’t know what I would have done. The biggest education I got was from the GAA.” 

A distraction? Hurling was his prism. Still is. 

“I’ve been thinking about this recently. It is how we live our life. Comfort in conversation. How did the game go last weekend? It is all interlinked. It could be music or farming in other places in Ireland. It serves a function. 

“You saw during Covid, when there was no sport, there was almost an unhappy nation. When sport came back it was a release. Anyone who says that sport is unimportant is saying everything is unimportant bar work and family.

“When we won the All-Ireland in 2010, it was massive because we beat Kilkenny, stopped the five in a row etc. But there was a huge recession at the time.

“It was a dark cloud, I was back in college, there wasn’t a shilling to be had. That two weeks, it was like it wasn’t happening. What that gave to people… Everyone was on cloud nine.”

That is his big hope with the latest edition. Shoot football magazine played an enormous role in his childhood. The dream is that these books can do similar.

“I started reading Soccer magazines and it led to me becoming an English teacher. There are a lot of reluctant readers out there.

“I was very lucky with the first book, the number of parents who said to me, ‘I couldn’t get him to read anything and he was happy to read your book.’

“To me, you could have great sales, good exposure, but when somebody says that to you that is what you take the most pride in.”

Up In The Air – MuckFest and Muckfest by Paddy Stapleton are now available for sale on paddystapleton.ie and stockists across Tipperary.