Former GAA star Colm Cooper may miss his days playing with the Kerry team in Croke Park, but he says that having children gave him a completely new perspective on life.
Making his debut for the Kingdom in 2002 at just 18 years old, he was one of the greatest players of his era with five All-Ireland Senior Football titles, eight All-Stars and nine Munster Championship titles.
Life for Colm has changed since hanging up his boots in 2017, but in addition to the juggle of family life and work, he also keeps his toes in the GAA world.
In 2017, Colm married his long-term partner Céitilís Ní Bheaglaoich in Dingle, Kerry, with an intimate reception at the Dingle Skellig Hotel.
The couple has since welcomed two children, Conall in 2023 and Colm Oige, who is just a year and a half.
Jumping on board with Train Like A Legend, Support Your Club competition, he spoke about fatherhood and how life has changed for him.
In the past, when he was playing for his county, Colm’s week would see him dedicating most of his time to training and matches; now the dad of two is enjoying his free time.
‘Spending time on holidays and being able to give them time at weekends and evenings when we’re working, it gives you a new lease of life, and a new outlook on life as well.’
His position as a dad is a ‘reminder of what’s important, the important things in life. We all work a busy lifestyle, and we’re on the go the whole time, but maybe when kids come along, they make you slow down a little bit and appreciate what you have. Everybody that I talk to tells me to enjoy it because those early years fly by, so we’re trying to do that, and so far it’s been incredible. ‘
However, for Colm, GAA has not been completely erased from his life as he is a coach to the under-sixs team at his club in Dr Crokes – Once a GAA man, always a GAA man – the love for the sport never leaves you.
