The Irish Times

Health Scan: Barney Rock, former Dublin footballer

2 July 2013; The Irish patient-led charity Fighting Blindness has been selected as one of the five official GAA charities for 2013 and a full programme of activity for the season as charity partner was launched today, Tuesday 2nd July 2013, at Croke Park with guest of honour P�raic Duffy, GAA director general in attendance. Players past and present, including Barney Rock, Dublin, Pat Fox, Tipperary, Eoghan O�Flaherty, Kildare, Aindreas Doyle, Wexford, and Sinead Finnegan, Dublin, also lent their support on the day and participated in a blindfold hurling and football challenge. The programme of activity will include Fighting Blindness Sundays at Croke Park, All-Ireland ticket draws, a Gaelic Writers� Association Quiz, and an FBD Kilmacud Crokes Football 7s Charity Game. For further information, visit www.fightingblindness.ie. At the launch are Dublin ladies footballer Sin�ad Finnegan and former Dublin footballer Barney Rock. Croke Park, Dublin. Picture credit: Brian Lawless / SPORTSFILE *** NO REPRODUCTION FEE *** Dublin ladies footballer Sinéad Finnegan and former Dublin footballer Barney Rock at Croke Park, Dublin, for the launch of the GAA’s charity programme for 2013. Photograph: Brian Lawless/Sportsfile

DVELDON
Wed Jun 25 2014 - 13:34

Do you think you have a healthy lifestyle?
I wouldn't have the healthiest of all lifestyles; a few football injuries from the past would have curtailed that. I broke an ankle and broke my shoulder so from an activity point of view, I wouldn't be able to jog or run. But other than that, I'd say I'd have a fairly healthy lifestyle.

I’m conscious of staying healthy and I get regular health checks. Once you get over 50, you have to do the MOT.


How often do you exercise?
I live a little bit out in the country so I cycle a couple of miles and back every night to visit an uncle of mine, and I do some walking. I play a little bit of golf. I've had a shoulder injury for the first six months of the year so I'm hoping to get a bit more into that now.


Do you get your five a day?
I eat an apple, an orange and a banana every day. Then with dinner I'd have vegetables. In a week, I'd say I'd get my five a day on five days and about three on the other days. I don't eat sugar or butter.

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Do you worry?
Everybody worries. When you wake up in the morning, you are a day older so it's important to just keep active and keep healthy.

I try to leave the worries on the back burner and deal with them as they come. When I’m watching Dublin playing, I take a nice, easy, calm approach to it. If the match gets tight, or when my son Dean is playing, you would be anxious, but I never worry.


What do you do to relax?
To relax I'd probably be out in the garden, cutting the grass or the hedge, just keeping the place in shape. When I'm doing things outside I relax.


What's your unhealthiest habit?
Maybe drinking tea and having a few biscuits at night time while watching TV. I'd have maybe seven or 10 cups of tea on a Saturday, but it's better than having 10 or 12 pints!


Barney Rock is an ambassador for Fighting Blindness, one of five chosen charities of the GAA in 2013.
Joanne Hunt

Barney RockJoanne Hunt
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