Gambling left Oisin Mc Conville with debts of £100,000

[Balboa]

McConville talks of gambling hell 

Oisin McConville has been helped by Gamblers Anonymous 
Armagh gaelic football star Oisin McConville has spoken of his gambling addiction which left him with debts of more than £100,000.
In an exclusive interview with BBC Sport NI, McConville revealed that the problem "spiralled out of control" after Armagh's 2002 All-Ireland win.

"There was one day when I'd lost maybe £10,000," said the Crossmaglen man.

"I went out to the car and gathered together maybe £8 and went back (to the shop) and had another bet."

With no money left after that day's betting, McConville has barely enough fuel left in his car to take him home.

"When I was was driving home, the diesel light was on my car and I almost didn't have enough to get home.


"At that point, I just said to myself:'I can't go on like this any more'."


McConville spoke to BBC Northern Ireland journalist Denise Watson in advance of the publication of his autobiography entitled 'The Gambler' in November.

  My life was totally unmanageable

Oisin McConville


The book will detail the former All Star's five-year battle against his addiction and subsequent rehabilitation.



McConville told the BBC that he had been "eaten up" by his gambling problem.

"I was trying to portray to the general public that everything was brilliant, that I was playing great football and that it was great to be in the limelight.

"It was probably late 2002 and 2003 that the whole thing really started to spiral out of control.


"But the first thing you hear when you go to Gamblers Anonymous is the way your life has become uncontrollable due to gambling.


"That was exactly what it had done. My life was totally unmanageable.

"It had taken me from one of the highest points of my life to just rock-bottom."

McConville acknowledged that he felt "humiliated" by his situation.

"I had no pride left, no self-esteem."

  With gambling it is inside. Generally speaking nobody know that it's happening

Oisin McConville

The footballer gambled on "horses, poker games - really anything that moved" before his family's intervention started him on the road to rehabilitation.



"They were very good. They got me to spend three months in a place in Galway and that was where it all started for me.

"People may see it as three months of your life wasted but to be honest, it was the best three months I ever spent in my life."

McConville says that he knows that there are many people who have become mired in exactly the same predicament that he found himself.

"They need to come forward and admit it.

"Alcoholism you can see because you may see something stumbling out of a pub.

"With gambling it is inside. Generally speaking nobody know that it's happening."

McConville believes that sporting organisations such as the GAA should be aware of the problem.

"The GAA maybe needs to go out into the clubs and the counties and say that if there is a problem that we maybe have somebody here who can help."

[Gnevin]

He should of stopped betting on Armagh to win sam 3 years ago 

[Tyrone Dreamer]

Will someone please think of the children and ban him from the gaa! Looks like another money raising initiative, at least its an original one for the gaa.

[the Deel Rover]

Just wondering was this common knowledge ? I hope he comes through his addication he did well to play at at with debts of £100,000.00

[full back]

Will someone please think of the children and ban him from the gaa!

WTF?

[Balboa]

I would be a bit wary of stories like this preceeding an autobiography, of course it may well be true but he may also be trying to maximise the selling potential of his book.

[whiskeysteve]

Been on the BBC NI website and compared their coverage of this to their report on the all-ireland. Needless to say anything negative about the GAA gets twice the column and headlne, as well as a video report (none for all-ireland day of course). The BBC sports department are disgraceful in their bias and balls to their license fee

[Tyrone Dreamer]

I was joking full back for god sake. If he wasnt trying to sell a book dont think he'd be that keep to let everyone know about it. Wonder has it been exaggerated - £100,000 seems like a fair amount.

[Balboa]

Been on the BBC NI website and compared their coverage of this to their report on the all-ireland. Needless to say anything negative about the GAA gets twice the column and headlne, as well as a video report (none for all-ireland day of course). The BBC sports department are disgraceful in their bias and balls to their license fee

Do you not think Mc Conville went to them with this story, as he has an autobiography coming out?

[longball]

think his book wud be an interesting read....

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Spreading rumors about players personal lives will not be accepted on this board. It is inappropriate.

mod1

[Fear Boirche]

Good point whiskeysteve, but it seems Oisin has given his full co-operation, ie the exclusive interview with Denise Watson. I agree that the BBC's coverage of GAA needs to radically improve, but I think in this case the real issue is that Oisin got himself into the situation he did. The three months he spent in Galway was well covered up as none of the papers picked up on it. Was the line put out that he was injured? Has he really got a recurring back problem or is this another cover story? Knowing the family, and his mother in particular, he is very lucky to have such help when he needed it. Of course, the clue is in the title of the his book. Also, I wonder did he ever have a flutter on himself to score the first goal, as a certain Down footballer reportedly does before every Championship match.

[5 Sams]

Whatever about his gambling being common knowledge.....I would seriously consider removing your last post there Longball....I wouldn't be a fan of Oisín's but theres no place for that shite on here.

[full back]

Well done mod
Bollix

[Jinxy]

Was there nowhere nearby he could get some cheap diesel?

[Maximus Marillius]

Have to say i knew about this a while back and fortunately for Oisin he has it all sorted, he deserves alot of credit for having the strenght to fight the problem. Another great line that will shock people in the book is and I am not quoting, its goes someting like...the last time i spoke to Joe was two years ago....something like it

should be interesting