Damien Fitzhenry

Damien Fitzhenry, a member of Duffry Rovers GAA club and a former Wexford senior hurling goalkeeper, opens the interview with a discussion of his early involvement in the GAA, the role it played when growing up in a large family. Tracing his participation through underage school, club and county teams, he documents his arrival on the Wexford senior team in 1993 and the subsequent highlights of his inter-county career, in particular the winning of the 1996 All-Ireland and its aftermath. Fitzhenry offers insights into his approach to the game and how he handled the pressure of big occasions, but he also sheds light the importance of his club to the community in which he spent all his life. He profiles the Duffry Rovers club by outlining the facilities it has developed (mostly with voluntary labour), the incredible achievement of winning 7 senior football club titles in a row, and the impact of economic recession on playing numbers. In addition, the interview establishes Fitzhenry’s position on issues of pay for play.