James McCarthy (born 1 March 1990) is a Gaelic footballer who plays for the Ballymun Kickhams club and, formerly, for the Dublin county team. He is widely regarded as one of Dublin's greatest ever players.
Contents
Early life
He was a student at Sacred Heart BNS Ballygall and St Kevin's College in Ballygall.
His father John was also a Dublin senior inter-county player, who won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC) on three occasions.
Playing career
College
McCarthy attended DCU where he was a defender for the Gaelic football team. In 2012, he won the Sigerson Cup and the O'Byrne Cup with the college.
Club
McCarthy won two Dublin SFC titles with Ballymun, in 2012 and 2020. He added a Leinster Club SFC title in 2012. Ballymun then defeated Dr Crokes in the All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final before losing the 2013 All-Ireland Club SFC final to St Brigid's GAA (Roscommon).
Inter-county
McCarthy won the 2010 Leinster Under-21 Football Championship and All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship with Dublin.
He made his championship debut for Dublin against Laois in the 2011 Leinster SFC quarter-final, winning his first Leinster SFC title against Wexford at Croke Park in July that year. Dublin progressed to the 2011 All-Ireland SFC final against Kerry, and McCarthy won his first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. The game finished on a scoreline of 1–12 to 1–11, in Dublin's favour. McCarthy was nominated for GAA GPA Young Player of the Year for his performances.
On 4 November 2024, McCarthy announced his retirement from inter-county football, ending his 14-year senior career. In a released statement he said: "I have decided to retire from representing Dublin GAA at inter-county level, this decision hasn't been an easy one to make but I feel it's the right time."
Personal life
As of 2020, McCarthy was employed by AIB and lived within two kilometres of Poppintree Park, Albert College Park and Johnstown Park.
Honours
Dublin
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (9): 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023 (c)
Leinster Senior Football Championship (14): 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 (c), 2023 (c), 2024 (c)
National Football League (5): 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
All-Ireland Under 21 Football Championship (1): 2010
Leinster Under-21 Football Championship (1): 2010
Ballymun Kickhams
Leinster Senior Club Football Championship (1): 2012
Dublin Senior Football Championship (2): 2012, 2020
DCU
Sigerson Cup (1): 2012
O'Byrne Cup (1): 2012
Individual
All Star (5): 2014, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final Man of the Match (1): 2017
The Sunday Game Team of the Year (1): 2023
The Sunday Game Footballer of the Year (1): 2023
In May 2020, the Irish Independent named McCarthy at number eighteen in its "Top 20 footballers in Ireland over the past 50 years".