Awards

• Short-listed for Sports Book of the Year 2021 (Ireland)

Overview

Shane Carthy writes frankly and eloquently about his journey over the last five years. He details, without overdramatising, the downward spiral which, days after producing a man-of-the-match display in Dublin’s 2014 Leinster under-21 final win over Meath, saw him wake up in St Patrick’s Mental Hospital. Carthy also explains what ultimately brought him back to where he is now, discovering a path where life is worth living. He hopes that through his words and actions he can show people that there is a way out of the suffering they may be experiencing and the path, although difficult, is worth travelling.   

Full Product Details

9781788491501

Table of Contents

Reviews

Shane Carthy took a seat beneath the Late Late Show studio lights, opened the pages of his life to the nation, and brilliantly realised the ambition of every elite athlete. In shining a light on his battle with depression, by inviting us into the Stygian darkness of the mental cell in which he was incarcerated for two years, the Dublin footballer delivered a performance that will live through the ages. It was mesmerising, electrifying TV, a show-stealing portrayal of a silent killer that demanded an All-Star for unvarnished honesty and stupendous courage. This (hopefully) is a year when the Olympic flame will blaze over Tokyo. It is earmarked also as a Euro finals summer. A GAA Championship, the Ryder Cup and the Tour de France lurk somewhere on a horizon Covid continues to shift. Yet, there will not be a more important, deeply affecting or braver display by an Irish sportsman or woman in any global arena in 2021 than Carthy's Friday night tour de force. Even if he never again steps into the Sky Blue uniform on a Croke Park summer Sunday, he leaves behind a body of work to equal the best of Brian Fenton or Stephen Cluxton. That's how unforgettable, important, hypnotising and life-affirming a message he delivered from the RTE couch. Carthy's words were pitch-perfect: It is okay to not be okay. is not a weakness to say you are suffering. And then a nugget of advice, both gentle and emphatic, a dispatch from a landmined war-zone he himself has crossed: If you are suffering in silence, take the step and talk to somebody . It may not be an exaggeration to say that Shane's eloquent peeling back of the layers to reveal the suffocating chokehold clinical depression took on his world, along with his mapping of a route back to the sunlight, might save another's life ... Dark Blue ... the author's unblinking honesty, boundless compassion and ultimately upbeat message of hope, should be compulsory reading * Sunday World, SW Sports's Curtis * Your story is a story for our time ... if ever there was a story to connect with the young people of Ireland ... it's Shane's story * Ryan Tubridy, RTE's The Late Late Show * A must read for young people and parents alike ... brilliantly written * RTE's Des Cahill * We can never underestimate the power of hearing from people like yourself * Today FM's Dermot & Dave Show * Subject matter like this is never a comfortable read, but it can often be a necessary one, as it might just help someone in Shane Carthy's position to open up about their issues and seek help * The Kerryman * Read this in one sitting yesterday. Compelling stuff and ultimately a much-needed good news story * Irish Times' Malachy Clerkin * In a world today where looking after your mental health is so vitally important, the story of Dublin's Shane Carthy's battle with depression is very thought-provoking. On the surface of things, he had the world at his feet. He broke into the Dublin panel while still in secondary school, and was a member of the 2013 All-Ireland winning side at the tender age of 18. The following year, he produced a man-of-the-match display in Dublin's 2014 Leinster Under 21 final win over Meath, a star-studded team that, on the day, featured the likes of Jack McCaffrey, Ciaran Kilkenny, Paul Mannion, David Byrne, Cormac Costello, John Small and Niall Scully. Days later, he woke up in St. Patrick's University Hospital, a mental health service, where he would spend the next 11 weeks. Carthy's interview on The Late Late Show recently was powerful as he spoke out about the silent battles and the stigma. No matter what walk of life you have come from or the success you appear to enjoy, you can go through difficult times. Through his book Dark Blue: The Despair Behind the Glory, Carthy details his journey to the brink. It may be a difficult read at times, but it is more powerful because of it. * Connaught Telegraph * Just finished the raw, honest, powerful story of @S_Carthy8 by @OBrienPress full of admiration for him and his amazing family * Michael Corcorcan * Powerful and compelling * Midwest Radio's Sunday Sports Show * What an incredible read and his story will help so many people * Meghann Scully, RTE & Limerick journalist * Having these words and this story told will be a release for so many * Hope Collective *

Subject matter like this is never a comfortable read, but it can often be a necessary one, as it might just help someone in Shane Carthy's position to open up about their issues and seek help * The Kerryman * We can never underestimate the power of hearing from people like yourself * Today FM's Dermot & Dave Show * A must read for young people and parents alike ... brilliantly written * RTE's Des Cahill * Your story is a story for our time ... if ever there was a story to connect with the young people of Ireland ... it's Shane's story * Ryan Tubridy, RTE's The Late Late Show * Shane Carthy took a seat beneath the Late Late Show studio lights, opened the pages of his life to the nation, and brilliantly realised the ambition of every elite athlete. In shining a light on his battle with depression, by inviting us into the Stygian darkness of the mental cell in which he was incarcerated for two years, the Dublin footballer delivered a performance that will live through the ages. It was mesmerising, electrifying TV, a show-stealing portrayal of a silent killer that demanded an All-Star for unvarnished honesty and stupendous courage. This (hopefully) is a year when the Olympic flame will blaze over Tokyo. It is earmarked also as a Euro finals summer. A GAA Championship, the Ryder Cup and the Tour de France lurk somewhere on a horizon Covid continues to shift. Yet, there will not be a more important, deeply affecting or braver display by an Irish sportsman or woman in any global arena in 2021 than Carthy's Friday night tour de force. Even if he never again steps into the Sky Blue uniform on a Croke Park summer Sunday, he leaves behind a body of work to equal the best of Brian Fenton or Stephen Cluxton. That's how unforgettable, important, hypnotising and life-affirming a message he delivered from the RTE couch. Carthy's words were pitch-perfect: It is okay to not be okay. is not a weakness to say you are suffering. And then a nugget of advice, both gentle and emphatic, a dispatch from a landmined war-zone he himself has crossed: If you are suffering in silence, take the step and talk to somebody . It may not be an exaggeration to say that Shane's eloquent peeling back of the layers to reveal the suffocating chokehold clinical depression took on his world, along with his mapping of a route back to the sunlight, might save another's life ... Dark Blue ... the author's unblinking honesty, boundless compassion and ultimately upbeat message of hope, should be compulsory reading * Sunday World, SW Sports's Curtis *

In a world today where looking after your mental health is so vitally important, the story of Dublin's Shane Carthy's battle with depression is very thought-provoking. On the surface of things, he had the world at his feet. He broke into the Dublin panel while still in secondary school, and was a member of the 2013 All-Ireland winning side at the tender age of 18. The following year, he produced a man-of-the-match display in Dublin's 2014 Leinster Under 21 final win over Meath, a star-studded team that, on the day, featured the likes of Jack McCaffrey, Ciaran Kilkenny, Paul Mannion, David Byrne, Cormac Costello, John Small and Niall Scully. Days later, he woke up in St. Patrick's University Hospital, a mental health service, where he would spend the next 11 weeks. Carthy's interview on The Late Late Show recently was powerful as he spoke out about the silent battles and the stigma. No matter what walk of life you have come from or the success you appear to enjoy, you can go through difficult times. Through his book Dark Blue: The Despair Behind the Glory, Carthy details his journey to the brink. It may be a difficult read at times, but it is more powerful because of it. * Connaught Telegraph * Read this in one sitting yesterday. Compelling stuff and ultimately a much-needed good news story * Irish Times' Malachy Clerkin * Subject matter like this is never a comfortable read, but it can often be a necessary one, as it might just help someone in Shane Carthy's position to open up about their issues and seek help * The Kerryman * We can never underestimate the power of hearing from people like yourself * Today FM's Dermot & Dave Show * A must read for young people and parents alike ... brilliantly written * RTE's Des Cahill * Your story is a story for our time ... if ever there was a story to connect with the young people of Ireland ... it's Shane's story * Ryan Tubridy, RTE's The Late Late Show * Shane Carthy took a seat beneath the Late Late Show studio lights, opened the pages of his life to the nation, and brilliantly realised the ambition of every elite athlete. In shining a light on his battle with depression, by inviting us into the Stygian darkness of the mental cell in which he was incarcerated for two years, the Dublin footballer delivered a performance that will live through the ages. It was mesmerising, electrifying TV, a show-stealing portrayal of a silent killer that demanded an All-Star for unvarnished honesty and stupendous courage. This (hopefully) is a year when the Olympic flame will blaze over Tokyo. It is earmarked also as a Euro finals summer. A GAA Championship, the Ryder Cup and the Tour de France lurk somewhere on a horizon Covid continues to shift. Yet, there will not be a more important, deeply affecting or braver display by an Irish sportsman or woman in any global arena in 2021 than Carthy's Friday night tour de force. Even if he never again steps into the Sky Blue uniform on a Croke Park summer Sunday, he leaves behind a body of work to equal the best of Brian Fenton or Stephen Cluxton. That's how unforgettable, important, hypnotising and life-affirming a message he delivered from the RTE couch. Carthy's words were pitch-perfect: It is okay to not be okay. is not a weakness to say you are suffering. And then a nugget of advice, both gentle and emphatic, a dispatch from a landmined war-zone he himself has crossed: If you are suffering in silence, take the step and talk to somebody . It may not be an exaggeration to say that Shane's eloquent peeling back of the layers to reveal the suffocating chokehold clinical depression took on his world, along with his mapping of a route back to the sunlight, might save another's life ... Dark Blue ... the author's unblinking honesty, boundless compassion and ultimately upbeat message of hope, should be compulsory reading * Sunday World, SW Sports's Curtis *

Author Information

Born in 1994, Shane Carthy lives in the seaside town of Portmarnock in north Dublin. He has played Gaelic football at the very highest level, representing Dublin at Minor, U21 and Senior levels, and collecting five All Ireland medals to date. When he’s not playing football, Shane spends most of his time with family and friends and travels the length and breadth of the country sharing his experiences with mental health. 

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