WAS HE EXPECTING the offer of leadership poistion?
No, but that didn’t diminish the sense of honour.
Darragh Fitzgibbon is entering his 10th season in the Cork senior hurling ranks. Collecting his third All-Star award last month reinforced his form and standing in the game, all those factors fed into the mix in being selected as Cork hurling captain.
“It wasn’t something you really think about or you’re expecting, but it’s a privilege to be able to be asked and by a man like Ben O’Connor as well, something you can’t turn down.
“I captained Charleville for a year and was captain the time we won the 2018 intermediate Munster final. Sure, I’ve been in so many dressing-rooms now at this stage, well used to it, and I don’t find it daunting.
“The text messages were flooding in as well from all over. It’s a nice thing for your family and for your club. Charleville are checking if I’m the first guy from Charlevillw to captain Cork, but we don’t know yet. Look, they’re very proud, and, just hopefully there’s a few good days ahead.”
He’s in a different place now to the fresh-faced youngster that emerged in his breakout season in 2017.
“Time flew as well, it’s hard to believe it’s been10 seasons to be honest. It’s been totally enjoyable, all the ups and all the downs. It’s all a journey and I know you want to try and win trophies the whole time, but it’s just trying to develop yourself as a player and develop with your teammates. You create friendships and bonds like that last forever.”
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It’s been an off-season that has underlined the theme of change. A switch in the manager hotseat as Pat Ryan departed and Ben O’Connor was installed, the latter a figure Fitzgibbon was familiar with as he guided Charleville to the 2019 All-Ireland intermediate club decider.
“You know what to expect and the way he kind of wants to play. And you know that he’s a winner too as well, so you take confidence from that. Whether he’s on the field playing himself or in management, he’s won everywhere he’s gone. Our generation all looked up to Ben as well when we were growing up as, so it’s an honour to play for him and his backroom team as well.”
There’s been a shift in the dressing-room as well with long-seving attackers like Patrick Horgan and Conor Lehane no longer togging out. Fitzgibbon and his underage contemporaries are now the senior figureheads.
“It feels different alright. I think our age-group probably has to take more of a leadership role, but we have done too in the last few seasons. They’ve definitely left a big hole, because, the last ten years that you’ve been here, they’ve been here.
“There’s five or six of us (from the 2018 U21s) there still [O’Leary, Millerick, Coleman, Fitzgibbon, O’Mahony, Dalton, Kingston, O’Flynn]. We’ve seen all the wins and all the losses and you’re trying to give a bit of experience to the younger boys coming in.
“Maybe a couple of mistakes that you made back in the day, try to encourage them and give them a bit of advice on what’s to be done.”
Tim O'Mahony celebrates scoring a goal with Darragh Fitzgibbon in the 2022 Munster championship. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
His regular midfield partner Tim O’Mahony is somone he is close to on and off the pitch.
“I’s hugely important, for everyone to be on the same page. It’s kind of just that familiarity with people. You’re playing at the highest level, so you need to be on the same page with everyone, but just been obviously been there with Tim the last few seasons as well.
“We’ve been hurling against each other and hurling with each other now, we’re the same age, for a number of years. Travel up and down the road together, obviously we’re good friends, went to school together.”
Time to look at the bleak manner in which Cork closed out the 2025 season, the second-half final collapse against Tipperary overshadowed all that had gone before.
“The belief is definitely still there,” says Fitzgibbon on whether their confidence was dented.
“You have to take the perspective in a whole year, we won two trophies. We were very consistent. Probably gave out in the past that we were maybe inconsistent. We’ve been in two All-Ireland finals now so that obviously is consistency. We’re more eager than ever really to try and get that final step, but sure we know the challenges that are ahead.”
As he coped with the pain of the All-Ireland final loss, Fitzgibbon found sanctuary with his club Charleville. He headed to Portugal in the immediate aftermath of the decider, club manager Dominic Foley advising him to take a break. Their hurling season was progressive, emerging from a competitive group and losing a senior quarter-final by four points to eventual champions Sarsfields. He even dabbled in some football, winning a North Cork junior medal later in the year.
Darragh Fitzgibbon in action for Charleville. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Foley is an interesting character to work under, drawing on his soccer playing experience in England and Belgium.
“Dom is extremely professional. Obviously, he played over in England in the Premier League. It’s an incredible level he got to.
“His background really is the strength and conditioning and then James Kennedy was doing the hurling; he really brought us to another level in terms of professionalism.
“We had to do our best to keep him on board this year – he had a few opportunities elsewhere in different codes and stuff, but we’re delighted to have him on board again for the coming season.
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“Some of the stories that he has are class, to see a Premier League professional soccer player, what they did when he was playing.”
The club game helped Fitzgibbon feel refreshed before preparations began for a new inter-county campaign. A 5th class primary school teacher in Ballyhea, works provides another diversion.
Sunday against Waterford in the league opener represents the start of something new.
“Very excited, refreshed again. I think we’re all eager to get going. We know what’s in store, like how big the challenge is. As the years go on, you start to appreciate it more, probably the latter stages of it now, probably have more years done than more years left, so you want to appreciate it.
“Even when you come back training during the winter, you almost appreciate the winter nights more because, you know you don’t probably don’t have that many of them left.
“I mean if we won the All-Ireland or if we lost the All-Ireland we’d still be playing on Sunday. I think the enthusiasm and the eagerness is still there.”
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Cork captain - 'Probably have more years done than left, so want to appreciate it'
WAS HE EXPECTING the offer of leadership poistion?
No, but that didn’t diminish the sense of honour.
Darragh Fitzgibbon is entering his 10th season in the Cork senior hurling ranks. Collecting his third All-Star award last month reinforced his form and standing in the game, all those factors fed into the mix in being selected as Cork hurling captain.
“It wasn’t something you really think about or you’re expecting, but it’s a privilege to be able to be asked and by a man like Ben O’Connor as well, something you can’t turn down.
“I captained Charleville for a year and was captain the time we won the 2018 intermediate Munster final. Sure, I’ve been in so many dressing-rooms now at this stage, well used to it, and I don’t find it daunting.
“The text messages were flooding in as well from all over. It’s a nice thing for your family and for your club. Charleville are checking if I’m the first guy from Charlevillw to captain Cork, but we don’t know yet. Look, they’re very proud, and, just hopefully there’s a few good days ahead.”
He’s in a different place now to the fresh-faced youngster that emerged in his breakout season in 2017.
“Time flew as well, it’s hard to believe it’s been10 seasons to be honest. It’s been totally enjoyable, all the ups and all the downs. It’s all a journey and I know you want to try and win trophies the whole time, but it’s just trying to develop yourself as a player and develop with your teammates. You create friendships and bonds like that last forever.”
It’s been an off-season that has underlined the theme of change. A switch in the manager hotseat as Pat Ryan departed and Ben O’Connor was installed, the latter a figure Fitzgibbon was familiar with as he guided Charleville to the 2019 All-Ireland intermediate club decider.
“You know what to expect and the way he kind of wants to play. And you know that he’s a winner too as well, so you take confidence from that. Whether he’s on the field playing himself or in management, he’s won everywhere he’s gone. Our generation all looked up to Ben as well when we were growing up as, so it’s an honour to play for him and his backroom team as well.”
There’s been a shift in the dressing-room as well with long-seving attackers like Patrick Horgan and Conor Lehane no longer togging out. Fitzgibbon and his underage contemporaries are now the senior figureheads.
“It feels different alright. I think our age-group probably has to take more of a leadership role, but we have done too in the last few seasons. They’ve definitely left a big hole, because, the last ten years that you’ve been here, they’ve been here.
“There’s five or six of us (from the 2018 U21s) there still [O’Leary, Millerick, Coleman, Fitzgibbon, O’Mahony, Dalton, Kingston, O’Flynn]. We’ve seen all the wins and all the losses and you’re trying to give a bit of experience to the younger boys coming in.
“Maybe a couple of mistakes that you made back in the day, try to encourage them and give them a bit of advice on what’s to be done.”
His regular midfield partner Tim O’Mahony is somone he is close to on and off the pitch.
“I’s hugely important, for everyone to be on the same page. It’s kind of just that familiarity with people. You’re playing at the highest level, so you need to be on the same page with everyone, but just been obviously been there with Tim the last few seasons as well.
“We’ve been hurling against each other and hurling with each other now, we’re the same age, for a number of years. Travel up and down the road together, obviously we’re good friends, went to school together.”
Time to look at the bleak manner in which Cork closed out the 2025 season, the second-half final collapse against Tipperary overshadowed all that had gone before.
“The belief is definitely still there,” says Fitzgibbon on whether their confidence was dented.
“You have to take the perspective in a whole year, we won two trophies. We were very consistent. Probably gave out in the past that we were maybe inconsistent. We’ve been in two All-Ireland finals now so that obviously is consistency. We’re more eager than ever really to try and get that final step, but sure we know the challenges that are ahead.”
As he coped with the pain of the All-Ireland final loss, Fitzgibbon found sanctuary with his club Charleville. He headed to Portugal in the immediate aftermath of the decider, club manager Dominic Foley advising him to take a break. Their hurling season was progressive, emerging from a competitive group and losing a senior quarter-final by four points to eventual champions Sarsfields. He even dabbled in some football, winning a North Cork junior medal later in the year.
Foley is an interesting character to work under, drawing on his soccer playing experience in England and Belgium.
“Dom is extremely professional. Obviously, he played over in England in the Premier League. It’s an incredible level he got to.
“His background really is the strength and conditioning and then James Kennedy was doing the hurling; he really brought us to another level in terms of professionalism.
“We had to do our best to keep him on board this year – he had a few opportunities elsewhere in different codes and stuff, but we’re delighted to have him on board again for the coming season.
“Some of the stories that he has are class, to see a Premier League professional soccer player, what they did when he was playing.”
The club game helped Fitzgibbon feel refreshed before preparations began for a new inter-county campaign. A 5th class primary school teacher in Ballyhea, works provides another diversion.
Sunday against Waterford in the league opener represents the start of something new.
“Very excited, refreshed again. I think we’re all eager to get going. We know what’s in store, like how big the challenge is. As the years go on, you start to appreciate it more, probably the latter stages of it now, probably have more years done than more years left, so you want to appreciate it.
“Even when you come back training during the winter, you almost appreciate the winter nights more because, you know you don’t probably don’t have that many of them left.
“I mean if we won the All-Ireland or if we lost the All-Ireland we’d still be playing on Sunday. I think the enthusiasm and the eagerness is still there.”
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Cork Darragh Fitzgibbon GAA Hurling