Former Dublin footballer Darragh Nelson dies following cancer battle

The 36-year-old Ballyboden St Enda's clubman passed away on Wednesday

REST IN PEACE: Darragh Nelson has passed away.

The death has occurred of former Dublin footballer and Ballyboden St Enda’s 2016 All-Ireland senior club football winning captain Darragh Nelson.

The 36-year-old passed away on Wednesday. He was diagnosed with sarcoma cancer (extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma) four years ago and in November 2024 a scan found tumour growth in his lung, hip and pancreas.

Nelson underwent both chemotherapy and radiotherapy as well as an operation.

In an interview with the Irish Independent last November, he revealed he was faced with the prospect of losing his arm during surgery to remove a tumour. “I just said, ‘I've had my day. I don't care if you have to take the arm. I just want this cancer out of me.’”

Nelson lifted the Andy Merrigan Cup after an Andy McEntee-managed Boden side beat Castlebar Mitchels eight years ago. He was a member of the Dublin All-Ireland SFC winning panels in 2011 and ‘13 before finishing up at the end of the ‘14 season. Along the way, he also won a couple of Leinster medals and a Division 1 title in 2013.

He won three Dublin and two Leinster SFCs with Boden and was part of the DIT team that won the freshers title in 2010.

Nelson is survived by his wife Lauren and daughters Molly and Sophie, his parents Susan and John and sisters Emma and Kate.

Meanwhile, former Roscommon footballer Frankie Dolan has pulled out of the race to become the next Longford senior manager.

Dolan, who assisted Oisín McConville this past season as Wicklow claimed the Tailteann Cup and has managed Abbeylara, confirmed he was no longer in the running to succeed Mike Solan, who has since taken up the Offaly position.

“After careful consideration, I spoke with the Chairman of Longford County Board (Derek Fahy) earlier this week and have decided that I won’t be going forward for the role,” Dolan said on Instagram.

Elsewhere, a new policy document on colour blindness will be presented to Central Council next month.

A number of bodies as well as the GAA’s commercial department are finalising a paper that will take into consideration patrons and viewers who have the condition.

The GAA’s current colour blindness policy only applies to the players in the teams involved. The team have the option to wear their alternative jersey providing they don’t clash.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner in July, the GAA’s national games administration manager Bernard Smith said: “The GAA are currently working on a new policy around jersey clashes in advance of the 2027 season, which will consider teams wearing red and green, or variants of them, a clash due to colour blindness, similar to other sports, and where possible will aim to avoid them.” 

Meetings of the likes of Cork v Kerry and Cork v Limerick may see one of the teams change to their second jersey to accommodate colour blindness spectators.