SEAMUS DARBY’S PERSONAL life spiraled out of control in the aftermath of his heroics in the 1982 All-Ireland SFC final.
The super-sub famously scored a late goal in that decider to clinch the Sam Maguire for Offaly and end Kerry’s hopes of achieving a historic five-in-a-row.
That goal transformed Darby into an instant Offaly icon, but it also brought him a great deal of hardship.
In his upcoming Laochra Gael episode, Darby recalls buying a pub during a time of economic crisis in Ireland, a decision which he quickly regretted.
“I knew after two weeks I was in serious trouble,” he begins. “I wasn’t able to pay the bills and keep stock in.
“I was there for about a year and a receiver was appointed. I offered him the rents of the shops and I said to take it until the pub was paid for and sell the pub in the mean time and get rid of it.
“I drove up to his office in Clontarf and he wouldn’t have any of it. He made a laugh of me really.”
Darby explained to the receiver that his ex-wife had also suffered a brain haemorrhage during that time and pleaded for help.
He sat in front of me and said, ‘Since when did you start worrying about your wife?’”
He continued:
“At the time, jobs weren’t plentiful, you couldn’t get one in Ireland. So I had to go to England and the marriage then drifted apart. I slept with my clothes on under a radiator in a pub that was closed up.
I’d lost everything at that stage. I came from a big high to a very low place.”
The episode covers other aspects of Darby’s life, including the euphoria that followed Offaly’s unexpected All-Ireland triumph.
Of course, the result brought heartbreak for others as Darby discovered.
This fella came over to me and he said, ‘You fuckin’ cost me a fortune,’” the Offaly legend recalls.
“I’d every caravan in Ballybunion stuffed with Kerry five-in-a-row jerseys. And you come on and scored a goal.’”
Darby inquired as to what the man did with the jerseys to which he replied:
“I put RIP at the bottom of them and I headed for Tullamore and sold most of them.”
Seamus Darby – The Man Who Got the Goal will be shown on TG4 next Wednesday night at 9.30.
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Come on you boys in blue!
Up da dubs.
Jesus, looks like just saying you support the Dubs is enough to get you red thumbed. Anyway, everyone hates us but we don’t care. COYBIB!!
CHAMPIONS!!!!!!
Come on Kerry. Anyone But Dublin
Fantastic display from the Dubs,welcome home Sam!
Come on the dubs!!!
Come on you boys, come on you boys in blue!!!
Who are the 4 muppets on RTE 2 arguing over nothing?
I know!! Everybody wants to see the best play in a final and a Kerry v Dublin is like The Spanish El Clasico!!!
Did they lube the pitch up with baby oil before this match? Shlippin’ and shlidin’ all over the place
Come on Dublin.
Tis a slipping and sliding match.
When I seen the photograph of the woman and baby accompanying this article I thought it was going to be another migrant/refugee story!
It’s a refugee free day!! Beer and maybe a leg over later if Dublin win!!
I’m off the drink but I’ll take you up on the offer of the leg over.
Might be some consolation after the hiding Tipperary got in the minor game
worst allireland final in my living memory. Very very poor.
Puke.
The boys on RTE just after mentioning how both teams have played limited division 1 opposition,to put that into perspective Donegal who were knocked out of the championship in the Q/F have played more Div 1 teams than both Kerry and Dublin combined.
They won’t get any all-stars either despite the lop-sided draw they came through. Perhaps Durcan – had a terrific year.
It’s a very unfair system. Ulster teams get a raw deal there’s no disputing that
Best team won in the end.
Dublin have the better squad, Kerry have the better management. Kerry by 2.
Jack Kerry are not that strong !!!
…Stick to the day job Michael
Na I work nights
Looking like the Dubs having the better on the sideline as well so far, cooper bring dragged up and down the field and o Sullivan getting in on the scoring Gooch too far out from the goals
Wouldn’t completely agree, Kerry’s shooting has been absolutely woeful. When playing Dublin you have to take your chances. 8 wides(?) in 35 minutes is inexcusable in an AIF,
Congrats Dublin, the better side on the day
They should get rid of them clowns up in the studio and stick O’se and Whelao up there.
Come on utd
Carney already has O’Donoghue as his man of the match..
Never understood why they call it football. It should be called handball.
Because the foot kicks the ball? Derp!
Because it’s played on foot! The same reason Association Football is called football, American football is called football and rugby is called rugby football. The more you know *spreads hands in star motion*
Good game so far considering the conditions.
A.B.D
Deserved victory for Dublin, adapted to the conditions better and were unquestionably the better team on the day..faif pay to them..poor quality final..poor championsip.. (from the perspective of a neutral)
Well done best team won in the end to be honest it should hav been a bigger margin and they really should have three in a row by now by far the best team over the last three to four years.
Well done boys!! Up the Dubs!!
Martin carney is getting worried that Dublin might actually win
Dublin being a bit wasteful early on when they’re in shooting distance of a goal
Looks like donaghy is togged to start?????. Let the games begin
Get Paul Flynn off the pitch and this game would be put to bed.
I must have been at a different match . Paul Flynn was my man of the match