Dublin Footballer Davy Byrne and Ladies footballer Niamh Collins were welcomed at sponsor AIG Insurance’s head office in Dublin today by employees to mark their recent All-Ireland wins and help launch new celebratory Car and Home Insurance discounts being announced.
By John Harrington
Dublin defender Davy Byrne might be improving as a footballer all the time, but he’s happy to concede that he has peaked as a story-teller.
It’s hard to disagree with him too, because the tale he tells about the night after he captained Dublin to the 2012 All-Ireland Minor Football title is a beauty.
A few of his team-mates bumped into film-star Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame on Grafton street and invited him back to Byrne’s house where they planned to continue their celebrations.
Much to their surprise, Radcliffe decided to jump in a taxi with them.
“I got a phone call from Conor Mullally,” says Byrne, picking up the story.
“And he was saying ‘we’re with Harry Potter in a taxi and we’re coming back to your house.’
“I did not believe him in the slightest. So I said, ‘yeah, very good’ and hung up.
“Then the doorbell rings fifteen minutes later and Mullally is looking at me, going ‘Harry Potter is right outside your house.
“I walked outside and he was standing in the front garden so I invited him in. Then I went upstairs to wake my parents. You can imagine the look on my mother’s face when I was shaking her saying ‘Daniel Radcliffe is downstairs.’
“I think she thought I had too many drinks! But she came downstairs and made him a cup of tea.
“He stayed for a good hour and a half/two hours. I had a good chat with him. He’s a good guy.
“We have a few pictures at home. It’s a great story. It’s probably the best story I’m ever going to have in my life. I peaked at 18. It’s not going to get any better than that.”
Daniel Radcliffe is pictured with members of the Dublin 2012 All-Ireland Minor Football winning team at team captain Davy Byrne's house.
Byrne got more than a good story out of Radcliffe’s unexpected visit. He has a memento of the night that means a lot to him.
“I’m a huge Harry Potter fan,” said Byrne. “Absolute Harry Potter nerd. He was in the kitchen and I was saying ‘sorry, sorry…you wouldn’t mind coming in here?’
“So, I brought him into my front room and I had my book there, the final book. And I was like ‘would you mind signing this for me.’
“I wanted to do it away from all the lads, so I wouldn’t get stick for doing it. So I have the final edition Harry Potter book signed by Daniel Ratcliffe. I’m pretty happy with that.”
There were no film-stars involved in Byrne’s most recent All-Ireland title celebrations, but they were still memorable.
His fifth All-Ireland senior medal was his most satisfying yet because he was first-choice player throughout the campaign for the first time since he joined the panel.
He played in every single match except the Quarter-Final series win over Roscommon, and was a model of consistency throughout.
“I think whenever you don't play you're obviously delighted for the team but there's obviously a little bit of individual disappointment there,” said Byrne.
“And luckily for me this year that wasn't the case. It's always going to be a little bit more special when you're out on the pitch.
“I've been on the bench a lot of times and those guys have been out on the pitch. But, I suppose, it's just the nature of the sport, different guys are going to get to represent the team every day.
“It was a goal for me at the start of the year to be starting more or less every game. So to achieve it was fantastic from an individual perspective.
“Every year takes such a huge time commitment, a huge lifestyle commitment really, you don't want to do that to just sit on the bench and not play.
“It can wear you down. Mentally it's tough. Every year you're going out to try to get your place on the starting 15.”
Davy Byrne in action for Dublin against Kerry in the 2019 All-Ireland SFC Final.
What made the difference this year? Why is the 25 year old now a key pillar of the Dublin defence having struggled for the previous five years to force his way into the team?”
“I suppose I'm getting on a bit with age and just being a bit more developed.
“I was called up to the team when I was only 18 so those years of the fitness, the strength and conditioning, working on your skills for all those years, it starts to accumulate and it came to fruition this year. Probably the best year I've had.”
It’s not easy to break into a Dublin full-back line when players like Jonny Cooper and Philly McMahon are filling the jerseys.
Byrne has had to bide his time, but along the way has learned an awful lot from the players he’s competed with for selection.
“Both of those lads you mentioned there have been very influential,” he said.
“Jonny is a real master of detail, he pays a lot of attention to his craft, leaned a lot from him in terms of how he looks after himself as an athlete, he really goes after everything, probably doesn’t eat these sandwiches that I’ve been eating now.
“Mick Fitz as well has been great, all of the defenders have been great and you have to try learn from them as much as you can.”
