D. J. Carey

Denis Joseph Carey (born 11 November 1970 in Gowran, County Kilkenny), better known as D. J. Carey (Irish: Donncha Seosamh Ó Ciara), is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Young Irelands from 1988 until 2007 and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1990 until 2005. Carey is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers of his generation, while some commentators rate him as one of the greatest of all-time.

Carey's status as one of the greats is self-evident. In a senior inter-county career that lasted for fifteen years he won five All-Ireland titles, ten Leinster titles, four National Hurling League titles and two Railway Cup titles with Leinster. His tally of 34 goals and 195 points from 57 championship games mark him out as one of the top five scorers of all-time. Carey has made the second most appearances for the Kilkenny senior huring team (overtaken in 1st place in July 2012 by Henry Shefflin) and is the county’s third highest scorer behind Eddie Keher and Henry Shefflin.

Carey has also been the recipient of many awards and honours off the field. In 1993 his hurling prowess earned him the prestigious Texaco Hurler of the Year award. Seven years later in 2000 he received this honour for the second time as well as being presented with the Eircell Hurler of the Year award. There was some mild surprise when Carey was omitted from the GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium in 2000. He was, however, named in the left wing-forward position on the Kilkenny Hurling Team of the Century. In 2002 Carey equalled Pat Spillane's record by collecting a ninth All Star award (this record was subsequently surpassed in 2011 by Henry Shefflin when he won a record—for both Gaelic football and hurling—10th All Star Award).

Towards the end of his career Carey also served as president of the Gaelic Players Association.

On May 9, 2011 D. J. Carey and his partner, Sarah Newman, consented at the Commercial Court to a judgment for more than €9 million against them in favour of AIB Mortgage Bank arising from loans and guarantees of each other's liabilities. The judgment was made up of €1,517.891 under the €1.5 million loan and €7,901,084 under the guarantee of Mr Carey's liabilities.

On the 24 April, 2012, Carey was taken to St. Luke's General Hospital, Kilkenny after collapsing from a suspected heart attack while in a Garda Station. Soon after he was described as being in a stable condition.