Join Tyrone footballer Cathal McCarron as he discusses his candid autobiography, Out of Control with local journalist Adrian Logan. McCarron’s story is unlike any other written by a GAA player before: shockingly honest and profoundly moving. The book has been shortlisted for Sports Book of the Year in the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards 2016.

In the last 3 years, McCarron has been nominated for a prestigious All-Star twice. However, he hid a dark secret for years, a gambling addiction that almost destroyed him. While on the run, his life had spiralled so viciously out of control that he ended up having sex with a man for a gay porn website. After getting paid, he walked across the road and gambled half his earnings away in a betting shop.

When footage subsequently leaked, McCarron could no longer hide his terrible secret, nor keep running from his past. He slowly began the long road back to rehabilitation. After a year out of the inter-county game with Tyrone in 2014, McCarron made a remarkable recovery in 2015, ending the season with an All-Star nomination.

His story, written with Irish News contributor Christy O’Connor, is a remarkable tale of the hidden demons that often visit and terrorise inter-county players. It also underlines the pressures and expectations so often taken for granted in amateur sport. McCarron recalls his journey with searing honesty, from the depths of depression to the road back to recovery and rehabilitation. He is now studying to be a counsellor, aiming to help people rid themselves of the demons that once almost destroyed his life.

Join McCarron on Wednesday 9th November at the Crescent Arts Centre. Tickets are available at www.Crescentarts.org or by calling our Box Office on 028 9024 2338 and are priced at £8 | £6.