Michael Darragh MacAuley explained

Michael Darragh MacAuley
Irish:Micheál Darragh Mac Amhalghaidh
Nickname:MDMA, Mick
Occupation:CEO, Sanctuary Runners
Birth Date:21 August 1986
Birth Place:Dublin, Ireland
Height:1.90NaN0[1]
Sport:Gaelic Football
Code:Football
County:Dublin
Province:Leinster
Colleges:Froebel College of Education
Maynooth University
Club:Ballyboden St Enda's
Clposition:Midfield
Clcounty:3
Clprovince:2
Clallireland:1
Counties:Dublin
Icyears:2010–2021
Icposition:Midfield
Icapps(Points):27 (2-06)
Icprovince:10
Icallireland:8
Nfl:5
Allstars:1
Icupdate:21 January 2021

Michael Darragh MacAuley is a Gaelic footballer who plays club football for Ballyboden St Enda's. He played at inter-county level for the Dublin county team from 2010 until 2020, winning eight All-Ireland medals.

With Ballyboden St Enda's, he won the 2016 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship. He also won the Dublin Senior Football championship (2009, 2015) and the Leinster Senior Football Club championship (2015). MacAuley was the 2013 GAA/GPA Footballer of the Year.

In 2024, MacAuley took up the position of CEO at Sanctuary Runners, Ireland.[2]

Playing career

Club

MacAuley plays his club football with Ballyboden St Enda's, with whom he won the Dublin Senior Football Championship in 2009.

Inter-county

MacAuley made his senior football debut for Dublin against Wexford in the first round of the O'Byrne Cup; he scored a point on his debut.[3] McAuley made his debut in the league against the 2009 All-Ireland Champions Kerry. He scored a decisive point in the game which assured the win for Dublin against Kerry.[4]

MacAuley made his Championship debut as a substitute against Wexford in the 2010 Leinster Senior Football Championship.[5] He made his second appearance against Meath in the semi-final of the Leinster football championship, a game in which Dublin were easily beaten by the Royals.[6] MacAuley had his first start for Dublin against Tipperary in a second round qualifier for the All-Ireland Championship. He scored his first Championship goal and point in a game in which he finished with 1-01 of the final score of 1-21 to 1-13 at Croke Park.[7] MacAuley scored a point in Dublin's eventual exit from that season's All-Ireland Championship at the semi-final stage.[8]

MacAuley won his first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in September 2011, when Dublin beat Kerry at Croke Park.[9] He wasn't surprised by the comeback nature of the game, saying: "We had been down before in matches. It wasn't the first time we were down. We actually had a training game the week before when the As played the Bs and it was a very similar situation".[10] His second All-Ireland title came against Mayo in 2013, as did the GAA/GPA Footballer of the Year, when he succeeded Karl Lacey to the title.[11] [12]

On 21 January 2021, MacAuley announced his retirement form inter-county football.[13] [14] [15] [16]

Personal life

After retiring from playing inter county football he visited Hikkaduwa - a surfing town on the south coast of Sri Lanka.[17] During the 2023 Israel–Hamas war he and David Hickey formed a group called Dublin Footballers Support Palestine to advocate for Palestinians and to put pressure on the Irish Government to take a stronger stance against Israeli human rights abuses.[18]

Honours

Team

Dublin

Ballyboden St Enda's

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Michael Darragh McAuley Profile - Ballyboden St. Enda's GAA - Gaelic Football, Hurling, Camogie, and Ladies Football - Dublin, Leinster, Ireland . 29 June 2014 . 18 October 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141018225822/http://www.bodengaa.ie/news/michael_darragh_macauley.448.3680.html . dead .
  2. News: O’Riordan . Ian . 21 August 2024 . Michael Darragh Macauley named new chief executive of Sanctuary Runners . Irish Times.
  3. News: Dublin ease past Wexford to spark new hope. Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 18 January 2010. 18 January 2010.
  4. News: Dublin 1-12 Kerry 1-10 . RTÉ Sport . 7 February 2010 . 7 February 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100210052434/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2010/0207/dublin_kerry.html . 10 February 2010 .
  5. News: Dublin 2-16 Wexford 0-15 (AET) . RTÉ Sport . 13 June 2010 . 13 June 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100615002441/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2010/0613/dublin_wexford.html . 15 June 2010 .
  6. Web site: Royals rout Dubs in Leinster semi. Hill16.ie. 2010-06-27. 2010-07-21.
  7. Web site: Dubs book place in next round of football qualifiers. Hill16.ie. 2010-07-11. 2010-07-21.
  8. News: Dublin 1-14 1-15 Cork. BBC News. 22 August 2010. 22 August 2010.
  9. Web site: News.
  10. News: MacAuley was never in doubt. 23 December 2011. 23 December 2011.
  11. News: MDMA and Tony Kelly scoop top gongs at GAA GPA All Star Awards. 8 November 2013. 8 November 2013.
  12. News: Michael Darragh Macauley crowned Footballer of the Year: Macauley's team-mate Jack McCaffrey picked up the Young Player gong . 8 November 2013 . 8 November 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131202235005/http://www.thescore.ie/michael-darragh-macauley-footballer-of-the-year-1167724-Nov2013/ . 2 December 2013 .
  13. Web site: Michael Darragh Macauley brings curtain down on superb Dublin career. 21 January 202. The 42. 21 January 2021.
  14. Web site: Eight-time All-Ireland winner Michael Darragh Macauley hangs up his inter county boots. 21 January 202. Irish Independent. 21 January 2021.
  15. Web site: Eight-time All-Ireland winner Macauley announces inter-county retirement. 21 January 202. RTE Sport. 21 January 2021.
  16. Web site: Conal Keaney: Michael Darragh Macauley was one of the greatest midfielders. 21 January 2021. Irish Examiner. 22 January 2021.
  17. Web site: O'Kane. Karl. 2022-01-19. Michael Darragh Macauley on his career and people's conflicting view of him. 2022-01-19. Irish Mirror. en.
  18. Web site: Dublin GAA heroes calling on sport stars to join march for Gaza . 2 December 2023 .