The former Dublin footballer may have left the GAA pitch behind, but he is playing to win in new territory: as CEO of Sanctuary Runners, making a difference to the lives of asylum seekers and migrants
Michael Darragh Macauley: ‘I find it enjoyable to give back. I don’t do it for Instagram likes. I do it because it makes me happy.’
It’s a beautiful Saturday morning in Ringsend in Dublin and Macauley is limbering up for a 5km run with his new clubmates in the shadow of Dublin’s iconic Poolbeg Towers. He may have swapped his sky-blue Dubs jersey for a brighter shade emblazoned with neon yellow lettering, but his distinctive loping gait is a dead giveaway.
And while the fairy-tale ending to his county football career would’ve been nice, his lack of involvement during his final year on the Dublin panel – “not for lack of trying, on my end” – helped to make up his mind. “It was the right time,” he says. “Look, no one gets that finish where you get to walk away on a gold medal, or after kicking the winning goal. Well, unless you’re Kellie Harrington.” He grins. “That would’ve been preferable, but I’m okay with that.
He nods. “I’ll miss that until the day I die. But it’s what goes around all of that. I saw a brilliant interview with a swimmer during the Olympics, and she really nailed it; she said you need to want it so badly, but not need it. I wanted it really badly – and you will not get to the top levels, you will not play for your top club team or county team, you will not push on in elite sport unless you really want it.
Macaulay has always been able to tap into that sense of Zen and balance. He acknowledges that the death of his mother Rosaleen from lung cancer when he was 12 had a big impact on his outlook on life. There is a “big responsibility” that goes hand in hand with being a top-level footballer, he says. “I don’t think that everyone grabs that.”
“When I was 10 years old going to school, I was listening to Tupac and NWA, Dr Dre and all the lads. I remember distinctly having my eyes opened to black America, and the Rodney King riots, and just having that sense of injustice: ‘Why does that happen to them?’. I didn’t fully understand it, but I couldn’t get my head around it because these were all my biggest role models at the time. My childhood bedroom had posters of Michael Jordan, Tupac,.
Macauley has been with his girlfriend Sarah McCaffrey – a former Dublin Ladies’ footballer, and sister of Macauley’s former team-mate Jack – since early 2020. “It’s all good,” he says. “The McCaffrey family are quite well-known – partly for being good at football and partly for being just so nice. They’re an easy family to get on with and they were all so good, during what was happening with my family. They are the real deal, in terms of caring about other people. They’re amazing.
There is a danger of activists getting “burned out”, he says, and for “war fatigue and genocide fatigue” to set in among the general public. “But I think we have to have two things: we have to hold on to a little bit of anger for the people who are facing injustice, both in this country and beyond. And the other thing is to hold on to a little bit of hope. I woke up this morning and I turned on my phone and 90 people were murdered in Gaza ...” He trails off, shaking his head.
“Everyone has the same goal – to finish,” she says, smiling. “This wonderful country is so good for my health and good people are near me. The support and help is great. It’s a new experience for my life, and now I have a new goal – I’m going to do the full marathon for the first time in October.” She grins. “I want the big medal.”
Immigration Concern Running Kellie-Harrington Dublin Michael-Darragh-Macauley
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Michael Darragh Macauley named new chief executive of Sanctuary RunnersFormer Dublin footballer takes over from Graham Clifford, who is now developing the organisation internationally
Read more »
Macauley: 'In terms of standards, Kellie's on a different planet'Dubs hero will be ringside for Olympic final with his beret
Read more »
General Manager of Zambrero Ireland Darragh Fanning on his life in foodHere, we catch up with Darragh Fanning to chat about everything from his earliest memories of food to his favourite flavours...
Read more »
Eoin Ó Broin asks Darragh O'Brien to stop emailing him for 'political stunts'Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien previously stated he had emailed Sinn Féin's housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin several times looking for details about the party's housing policies
Read more »
Rachel Darragh bows out after straight sets defeat to Carolina MarinFormer Olympic champion too strong for Donegal competitor.
Read more »
Rachael Darragh suffers agonising defeat on Olympic badminton debutThe Donegal woman had match point in the second set but fell to a 2-1 defeat.
Read more »