Raymond Daniels (22 July 1979 – 26 January 2008) was a
Gaelic footballer from
County Wicklow. He was goalkeeper for Wicklow's senior football team
[ for several seasons during eight years.
]
Playing career
Daniels won a Leinster title with the Wicklow Vocational Schools team. He played under-21 football for Wicklow. He was named player of the year in Dunlavin
Dunlavin () is a village in County Wicklow, Ireland, situated about south-west of Dublin. It is centred on the junction of the R412 and R756 regional roads. It was founded around the end of the 17th century and became a prominent town in ...
in 1997 and in Blessington
Blessington, historically known as Ballycomeen (, from the Irish surname ''Ó Coimín''), is a town on the River Liffey in County Wicklow, Ireland, near the border with County Kildare. It is around 25 km south-west of Dublin, and is sit ...
in 2003. He made his senior football championship debut against Carlow in May 2006.National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
game against Sligo in April 2007 kept Daniels away from football, but he had planned to resume training.[Town's tears for GAA hero and a doting dad]
''The Independent''.[Popular footballer dies tragically]
''Letterkenny Post''.
Illness and death
In October 2007, Daniels was admitted to hospital with an infection that caused one of his kidneys to fail. On Tuesday 22 January 2008, Daniels had gotten the all-clear from doctors. He socialised with friends on the following Saturday. He had a suspected heart attack. He was brought to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was 28. A minute's silence was observed before Wicklow's GAA games on Sunday 27 January. Former GAA President Jack Boothman
John Henry "Jack" Boothman (12 October 1935 – 10 May 2016) was the 31st president of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) between 1994 and 1997. He was an active member of his local Blessington GAA club in County Wicklow.
He was chairman of ...
, the current President of Blessington GAA
Blessington Gaelic Athletic Association is a Gaelic football, hurling, camogie and ladies' Gaelic football club based in Blessington, County Wicklow, Ireland.
History
The club was founded in 1909, initially playing its games in the Burgage near ...
, described Daniels as a "gifted footballer and goalkeeper". Former Wicklow manager Hugh Kenny also praised Daniels.[Hogan, Louise, 2008-01-28]
GAA star dies on night out
''Irish Independent''.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Daniels, Raymond
1979 births
2008 deaths
Blessington Gaelic footballers
Gaelic football goalkeepers
Wicklow inter-county Gaelic footballers