Michael Darragh Macauley, often recognised as joint names, Michael Darragh or simply Mick for close mates, and coined as “MDMA” by the tireless Dublin football team’s fans, has pocketed eight All-Ireland awards in his 10-year career span. Now, he embraces a new role as the head of Sanctuary Runners, a running club rooted in Cork in 2018, aiming to foster harmony amongst asylum seekers, refugees, migrants, and the Irish natives.
It’s a pleasant Saturday morning at Ringsend, Dublin, and Macauley prepares for a 5km run with his fresh team members, under the iconic Poolbeg Towers. Having traded his sky-blue Dublin jersey for a more vibrant one with bright yellow letters, his unique stride gives him away. Few dedicated GAA spectators notice him, while to others, the 37-year-old fits in as another humble Sanctuary Runner, mingling with the locals and the club’s diverse members.
Despite no personal record set after the run, he isn’t disappointed, having spent the previous week feasting on croissant in France at the Olympics, alongside his friend, Kellie Harrington, who won a gold medal for boxing. He reminisces the fun of late-night celebrations in the Olympic village and recounts an amusing idea of getting identical tattoos of croissants.
Macauley has always chosen the road less travelled, despite having the chance to opt for more conventional career paths given his eloquence, expertise and genial persona. Those who followed his career expected he’d try his hand at media as an analyst or a writer post his 2021 retirement from Dublin football, or possibly enter coaching. However, taking a break from high-pressure inter-county football came as a welcome relief.
Deciding to retire from county football wasn’t an easy choice for him, though his limited participation in his last year with the Dublin panel certainly factored into the decision. He reflects candidly on the reality that very few athletes get the chance to bow out with a gilded farewell. The goal-winning finish is something that hardly anyone, apart from Kellie Harrington maybe, gets to experience. Despite this, he feels content with the decision he made.
Recently, he also called time on his football career with Ballyboden St Enda’s, a club he faithfully represented in the midfield for two decades. His days now are filled with basketball games, his other sporting love, and travelling. Although referring to himself as a “former sportsperson” makes him cringe, he is navigating his new identity as a Sanctuary Runner with grace.
Retiring from football doesn’t imply he has lost his affection for the game. He often finds himself reminiscing about the joyous days when 80,000 spectators would fill up Croke Park, under the beaming sun, eagerly awaiting a match. It’s those electrifying moments that he’ll dearly miss and will remember fondly.
That being said, he also understood the distinction between wanting to excel in a sport and needing the sport to shape your identity. During his time in elite county sports, he wanted to perform at his peak, but never allowed the game to consume his identity. He shares his worry for others who can’t seem to separate their sport from their self-identity. Furthermore, embracing yoga and meditation has allowed him to protect his mental wellbeing and focus on life beyond sports, offering him a greater sense of perspective.
Macaulay acknowledges that sports play a crucial role but his life experiences have taught him to maintain a balanced perspective. He claims that losing a game or a fight is not a cataclysmic event. Even though he admits it’s easier to have this view while standing under a tree in Ringsend as opposed to right after a significant game, he’s learned not to let failures affect him and always strives to comprehend the grand scheme of things.
Macaulay has a capacity to maintain a Zen attitude and equilibrium, a quality he attributes in large part to the death of his mother Rosaleen from lung cancer when he was only 12. This event significantly transformed his life perspective and made him realize the ephemerality of life.
He also discusses the presence of ill health in his family, specifically pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease that his sister, Margaret, his late father Michael, who passed away in 2012, and his brother, a medical practitioner in Australia, all suffer from. Unwilling to know his own health future, he elects not to get tested for the condition. Awareness of the potential health implications makes him understand the importance of living in the moment.
Macaulay has consistently been an active community influencer, taking on varied roles that have included serving as an ambassador for Concern, a previous career as a primary school teacher, advocating for organ donation, working with the Irish Support for Palestine Group, and his current engagement in Dublin’s northeast inner city community. A remark likening him as the antithesis of Conor McGregor delights him and he quips, “Finally, someone gets it.”
He points out that top-level footballers bear substantial responsibility, a fact he feels not everyone fully embraces.
He affirms his sheer pleasure in giving back to the community, not for any empathy or likes on social platforms, but for more personal reasons. His happiness comes from these acts of kindness, such as the satisfaction of making someone’s day by handing over his stinky Dublin jerseys. Similarly, he finds it an honour being invited to witness charities happening in places like Kenya, Iraq or Lebanon. He is left marveled by the wealth of opportunities that came his way through football.
As for Macaulay, his social involvement has been shaped by his childhood interests in basketball and hip-hop music. His unwavering passion for music is evident in his tattoos dedicated to rap artists J Cole and Tupac Shakur. He recalls being influenced by the likes of Tupac, NWA, Dr Dre, and more, as a 10-year-old. His exposure to the racial issues faced by black America, such as the Rodney King riots, invoked a sense of injustice in him. Posters of Michael Jordan, Tupac, Notorious B.I.G., Dennis Rodman, and other prominent black American figures adorned his childhood bedroom walls. This early exposure to the treatment of people of colour deeply affected him, steering him towards social justice initiatives.
In April, Macaulay made an emotive appearance on The Late Late Show to highlight the significance of organ donation, garnering an immense response. He highlighted the tragic case of his father, who passed away at 71, awaiting a lung transplant. On a brighter note, his sister Margaret benefited from a successful organ transplant late last year. He fondly mentions how rejuvenated she looks after the transplant. The experience of witnessing both the struggle of his father and the transformation of his sister after the transplant turned him into an ardent advocate for organ donation. He beams at seeing Margaret’s health improvements, declaring that the benefits are indeed life-transforming.
The idea of him and his two siblings sharing a peaceful bond as youngsters always makes him chuckle. “We were at each other’s throats all the time,” he reflects with a touch of amusement. “Did you not constantly wrangle with each other during car trips? I always assumed that was a routine part of childhood.” Yet, he acknowledges that the trials they faced have absolutely drawn them closer.
Macauley has been in a relationship with Sarah McCaffrey, an ex-Dublin Ladies’ footballer and sister of his previous colleague Jack, since the start of 2020. He shares, “Things are great. The McCaffrey clan is quite famous, both for their footballing prowess and for their congeniality. They’ve been incredibly supportive while we were dealing with our family situation. They’re genuinely compassionate and simply incredible.”
As the new CEO of Sanctuary Runners, Macauley’s tenure begins at a crucial point for the organization. There are currently 40 branches across Ireland, and there are ambitious plans for international expansion. However, with a rising tide of anti-immigrant sentiment both in Ireland and globally, Macauley is under no illusions about the task ahead.
He says, “The reality is anyone claiming to have all the answers is misleading. From Sanctuary Runners’ perspective, the goal is to provide hope. The sight of people being heckled on the streets to ‘Leave our country’ fills me with rage. How did we reach such a level of division? It’s concerning, the state the country finds itself in. The alarming news seems to be what draws attention most. Extreme views seem to gain more traction, but I don’t feel the brash stances we see gaining momentum on social media truly represents the Irish populace.”
The welfare of activists is under potential threat due to the risk of burn out, warns the spokesperson of the Sanctuary Runners–a running club that supports social integration, and there is also a real peril of society becoming desensitised to the atrocities of war and genocide. However, they stress the importance of maintaining a modicum of indignation towards injustices inflicted on individuals both domestically and internationally. Moreover, they also urge maintaining a shred of optimism, such as the hope for a better life for the affected victims and for the Irish population as well. The distressing news of the massacre of 90 people in Gaza deeply upset them, serving as a stark reminder of the crucial need to not let such incidents become merely routine news but to retain some anger and hope surrounding these events.
The sentiment is supported by Deirdre McGing who is an important contributor to the activities of the Sanctuary Runners in Poolbeg. Notably, she helps in setting up the tea and coffee station for the members to mingle and familiarise with each other after their runs. For McGing, solidarity and unity are the main charms of this club. Her experience with the club, especially regarding hosting newcomers into the local community, has been immensely insightful. Helping members by providing transport, aiding with running equipment, or even extending support in employment or educational courses, McGing strives to facilitate the members’ integration into the broader community.
The club has genuinely transformed numerous lives, including that of Yuliia Shebek from Ukraine. She had fled from the war in her hometown, Lviv, and taken refuge in a housing centre in Dublin for the past 17 months. Yuliia arrived in Ireland without any knowledge of English and no prior experience in running, with health issues such as asthma only making things worse for her. However, joining this group, identified by their blue tees, has been a game-changer for her. It has not only given her a sense of belonging but also boosted her health and helped her to improve her English-speaking skills.
She expresses delightfully, “We all have the same objective in mind – to cross the finish line.” Talking about how much this kind country and its people have done for her health, she says, “The amount of support and help I’ve received here is incredible. This is a completely new chapter in my life and with a new objective now, that is to participate in the full marathon this October for the first time.” She beams, “I have set my sights on the large medal.”
Macauley, however, will not be participating in the marathon this year, even though he mentions having run a half-marathon with ex-Dublin team members in an effort to stay fit. His focus currently lies in expanding his new club and promoting the significance of being open and inclusive within communities. According to him, other groups like the Sanctuary Swimmers already exist, signifying the potential impact sports can have at this level.
He admits, “There are others who are proficient in different aspects of this role, but I’d like to believe that very few are as dedicated to this cause as I am.” He elaborates on the dedication of the team that passionately believes in the Sanctuary Runners mission, which is vital to this role. He adds, “They could earn more working for banks or tech companies, but they chose this because they truly care about the mission. Hence, it feels great to be around people who share a similar mindset.”
When asked about where he sees himself ten years from now, he was unsure. Considering how unpredictable his life has been during the past ten years, transitioning from a primary school teacher to a CEO, he believes anything can happen. While he dismisses the idea of a career in politics, despite often being queried about it, he doesn’t rule out the possibility of becoming President Macauley at some point in future.
“He cheerfully admits that the sandwiches made by the staff at Áras are simply wonderful, with no crusts attached – something he hasn’t experienced since his childhood years at his auntie’s place. Hence, whenever he recalls Áras an Uachtaráin, it is those extravagant sandwiches that pop into his mind. Given an option, he would gladly have those sandwiches without a second thought.
Macauley may appear lighthearted, but his dedication to bringing positive changes for the less privileged in society is unquestionably his main motivation. He finds humour in the fact that he was recently invited to provide career guidance to teenagers.
He questioned, somewhat jokingly, ‘How could a 37-year-old Michael Darragh guide 17-year-olds in their careers, when he himself was the most confused amongst them all?’ He follows a simple philosophy, one he borrowed from Conan O’Brien that says, ‘Work diligently, be kind, and good things will follow.’ He believes that success doesn’t necessarily come to those who are the cleverest, the quickest, or the wittiest; it’s the hard work and sound manners that matter. On a lighter note, in Dublin, being ‘nice’ is interpreted as being ‘sound’.
This philosophy has always resonated with him and so far, it has indeed served him well.”