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Sports journalist Declan Bogue said of former Tyrone GAA footballer Cathal McCarron back in October: “To the outside world, it may have appeared that he was a man who had it all. The reality is that while he was gliding along like a duck on water, underneath it was a chaos of flapping and struggling.”
At the time, it was revealed that McCarron had a serious gambling addiction.
From Bogue’s October piece on the subject:
Reality for some, is having to deal with crippling addictions that can rob you of your pride, dignity, your moral code, your personality and of your desire to do what you know in your heart is the correct thing. For some, reality sucks and they will try to escape it through whatever means.
The Gaelic Player's Association have a counselling service helpline, and after depression, gambling is the biggest problem affecting inter-county players. Almost a third of their calls concern this issue.
Oisín McConville was the first GAA figure to go public with a gambling problem when he laid himself bare in his harrowing autobiography 'The Gambler'.
This week, McCarron was subjected to extensive ridicule via Twitter when it was revealed he had reportedly appeared in a gay porn flick under the alias of “Fergus”. Just type in #Fergus into Twitter and one can read all the salacious comments, most of which are not appropriate for small children. Unless Cathal has a look-a-like living somewhere in the world, it appears to be him.
McCarron hasn't admitted to “starring” in the porn video (actually it’s two videos now) but reacted to the news by swiftly deleting his Facebook and Twitter accounts.
The hardcore gay porn website, TheCastingRoom.net, features “mostly straight guys” performing solo and with others.
The initial video that had everyone up in arms allegedly shows McCarron in a solo masturbation scene. A second released video late Wednesday is sure to have those upset over the first video gasping for breath as McCarron is allegedly shown receiving anal sex by what is described as a “robust daddy type”.
“I am devastated for him,” a fellow GAA star told the Mirror. “He’s such a sound lad and he dealt with a lot of issues in the past and we were all thinking London was his fresh start. But now we’re just all wondering what could have pushed him to this.”
GAA county vice chairman Tony O’Halloran said he was made aware of the video this week.
“I wouldn’t know him very well but I wasn’t aware that he had any problems since he moved here,” he said, “and now we’re just hoping he’ll get any help that he needs.”
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
