Kilkenny legend Carey confirms his retirement
DJ Carey, arguably the finest hurler of the modern era, has called time on his inter-county career for the second time in eight years.
The iconic Kilkenny forward, who won five All-Ireland SHC titles and a record nine AllStar awards, revealed his intentions to quit in his weekly column in The Kilkenny Voice newspaper.
Carey broke the news to Kilkenny manager Brian Cody on Tuesday.
Rumours abounded in hurling circles as to whether the Gowran man, who sat out Kilkenny's successful National League campaign, would return for the summer's championship.
Only last weekend Carey was in imperial form for his club Young Irelands as he scored 1-10 in a 3-17 to 0-11 win over Graigue-Ballycallan.
But it seems Carey's time at the top level of the game is over.
It is not the first time the 35-year-old has quit. Carey initially retired in April 1998, citing the pressure of being in the spotlight. But sackfuls of letters of encouragement, 25,000 in total, prompted him to go back on his decision just six weeks later.
Carey made his championship debut against Tipperary back in 1991, and won his first All-Ireland medal the following year. But his first inter-county involvement actually came as a goalkeeper against Offaly in 1989.
A former world handball champion, he also helped Kilkenny lift the Liam McCarthy Cup in 1993, 2000, 2002 and 2003 - he was team captain that year - and was voted Hurler of the Year in both 1993 and 2000.
His AllStar gongs were spread over 12 years (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002).
A car accident in November 2001 saw Carey sustain a troublesome neck injury. A battle with appendicitis followed but he returned to help Kilkenny to All-Ireland glory the following September.
Christened Denis Joseph, but known the length and breadth of the country as simply DJ, Carey was elected as president of the Gaelic Players Association in January 2003, a position he still holds.
A tireless worker for charities, he took part in a walk in Cuba last October and November for the Irish Heart Foundation.
