Description
There was a time when DJ Carey didn’t need a surname. The star player of a Kilkenny hurling team that dominated the sport for a decade, he had a rare, natural talent that led his county to five All Ireland titles and won him nine All Stars. DJ wasn’t just a hero on the pitch – his easy charm, generosity, and readiness to meet young fans made him a national treasure.
Throughout his meteoric rise, strange rumours followed him. In 2003, shocking claims that DJ was dying of cancer swept the country. Who would spread such a story about one of Ireland’s most beloved sporting legends? And what could possibly be gained from it?
Two decades later, the truth emerged. DJ Carey was arrested and charged with deception and forgery – accused of faking cancer to con money from those who trusted him most. For years, he had been telling the same lie to generous supporters who believed they were funding life-saving treatment in the U.S.
In this riveting exposé, Eimear Ní Bhraonáin uncovers the extraordinary fall from grace of a national icon, and how he betrayed the fans that once loved him.
Contents
Prologue
Introduction
1. Little DJ
2. Lovely Hurling
3. Life Off The Field
4. DJ The Video Star
5. Enter The Dragon
6. High Fliers
7. ‘It’s all in his head’
8. Falling for DJ
9. Hurler on the Rich
10. Terminal Illness
11. His Right-Hand Woman
12. Full-Time
Conclusion: DJ The Malingerer
Praise for The Dodger
‘Terrifically forensic’ – The Irish Times
‘The details, grisly and lurid, are all laid out superbly in Eimear Ní Bhraonáin’s shocking book of Carey’s downfall’ – The 42
‘Ní Bhraonáin has carefully and skillfully weaved together the many, many strands to the web of deceit and lies spun by Carey’ – Sunday Independent
‘[A] book that feels both timely and extraordinary’ – Dublin Gazette
‘Forensic journalism at its very best’ – Killarney Outlook
About the Author
Eimear Ní Bhraonáin is a journalist deeply rooted in her community. She previously worked as midlands and south east correspondent of the Irish Independent, and in more recent years spent almost a decade working as a local broadcaster with KCLR (Kilkenny Carlow Local Radio). Since leaving her presenting role in May 2023, Eimear has been running her communications firm, Eimear.ie, based in County Carlow. She is mother to Róise, and is married to Alan O’Reilly, better known as ‘Carlow Weather’.
