This much I know: Bernard Dunne

I believe you get what you work for — luck doesn’t come into it. I was a very sporty kid, and competitive by nature. I trained in boxing clubs from the age of five and all my life I dreamt of being World Champion. Fulfilling that dream was something special.

Growing up, I missed out on a lot of basic things that teenagers do — chasing girls, going out after Junior Cert and so on — because I was training all the time.

I believe that we are at our best when we are doing something we enjoy. I’m 33 now and I don’t take on things I don’t enjoy. That’s why I retired from boxing — it began to feel like work.

I made the decision in Sept 2009 and announced it in Feb 2010. I’d achieved everything I’d set out to do, unscathed, and my family were very supportive about my decision.

The first year was very difficult. I had left the one thing that I knew I was really good at and it was daunting to ask ‘What’s next?’. At first, I spent far too much time at home, thinking and watching boxing on TV saying ‘I could be him!’ Then I started to set myself new challenges, like learning Irish from scratch. I’d failed Irish in school. It took me a good year to have any sort of confidence — speaking any language is all about having confidence — but I did it.

My biggest fault is being stubborn. I can really dig my heels in.

I met my wife when I was out for a drink on the Belgard Road with my brother. Later, she told me that she took an interest in me because I had a cut on my face — a fortune teller had told her that she would meet a man with a scar on his cheek. I didn’t like to point out that could have been half the men in Dublin.!

The biggest challenge for me is being a father. I take the role very seriously. I have a boy and a girl and I certainly wouldn’t put any pressure on them to get into boxing. If they want to get involved I won’t stop them but I know what it’s like to follow in your daddy’s footsteps — my dad was one of the first Irish champions.

It’s easy to get stuck in a problem, which makes if almost impossible to see a way out. But, especially now that so many people are obsessed about money, we need to look for ways to solve our problems. Of course, perspective is the hardest thing to have when you are in a bad situation, but there is always someone worse off than you.

So far life has taught me to believe in myself and what I can achieve. I’ve never listened to what people are saying about me in the media — I never got involved in all that. Trust yourself. That’s all that matters.

I’m always up for doing new things that interest me. At the moment, I’m involved in a Microsoft youth unemployment initiative — it’s meant I’ve had to learn all about computers, of which I’d no experience, so that’s been quite a challenge — and I’m part of the management of the Dublin Football team. And of course I support a lot of causes like the Pedigree Adoption Drive and Dogs for Disabled.

As a proud dog owner, Bernard Dunne is Ambassador for the Pedigree Adoption Drive, now in its 6th year, helping to raise awareness of animal welfare and in particular highlighting the plight of the thousands of dogs every year who need new loving homes. Become a fan of the Pedigree Ireland Facebook page,www.facebook.com/PedigreeIreland. For every new fan, Pedigree will donate a bowl of dog food to a re-homing centre. Or show support by texting DOG to 50300 to donate €2 with 100% of the donation going to the ISPCA.