Eamon Dunphy
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Eamon Martin Dunphy | ||
Date of birth | 3 August 1945 | ||
Place of birth | Dublin, Ireland | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
195x–1962 | Stella Maris | ||
1962–1965 | Manchester United | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1965–1966 | York City | 22 | (3) |
1965–1974 | Millwall | 274 | (24) |
1973–1975 | Charlton Athletic | 42 | (3) |
1975–1977 | Reading | 77 | (3) |
1977–1978 | Shamrock Rovers | 33 | (2) |
Total | 448 | (35) | |
International career | |||
1965–1971 | Republic of Ireland | 23 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Eamon Martin Dunphy (born 3 August 1945) is an Irish media personality, journalist, broadcaster, author, sports pundit and former professional footballer. He grew up playing football for several youth teams including Stella Maris. Since retiring from the sport, he has become recognisable to Irish television audiences as a football analyst during coverage of the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and international football on RTÉ.
As well as his slot with RTÉ, Dunphy has worked for its rival television station,
Early life
Dunphy grew up in Drumcondra, Dublin, in what he described as "a one-room tenement flat [with] no electricity, no hot water".[2][3] He attended Saint Patrick's National School, Drumcondra.[4] In 1958 he got a one year government scholarship to Sandymount High School but he had to work as a messenger at tweed clothing shop Kevin and Howlin.[5]
Club career
A promising footballer, he left Dublin while still a teenager to join Manchester United as an apprentice. Dunphy did not break into the first team at United, and subsequently left to play for York City, Millwall, Charlton Athletic, Reading and Shamrock Rovers. It was at Millwall that Dunphy made the most impact; he was considered an intelligent and skilful player in the side's midfield.
Dunphy was a member of "The Class of '71", the Millwall side that failed by just one point to gain promotion to the Football League First Division.
He accompanied Johnny Giles back to Ireland to join Shamrock Rovers in 1977. Giles wanted to make the club Ireland's first full-time professional club, and hoped to make Rovers into a force in European football by developing talented young players at home who would otherwise go to clubs in England. Dunphy was originally intended to be in charge of youth development. However, despite an FAI Cup winners medal in 1978 (his only medal in senior football) and two appearances in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, Dunphy became disillusioned with the Irish game and dropped out of football altogether to concentrate on a career in journalism.
International career
Dunphy played 23 times for the Republic of Ireland and was Millwall's most capped international footballer with 22 caps, until surpassed by David Forde and Shane Ferguson.[6]
He made his Ireland début on 10 November 1965 in the
Journalism
After retiring from the game, Dunphy first began writing on football for the
He has also worked for
Since the 1980s, Dunphy has written a number of books. His first and most widely praised book is Only a Game? The Diary of a Professional Footballer, which is an autobiographical account of his days playing for Millwall. Written in diary form, it recorded events from the dressing room of his 1973–74 season, which began well for him at Millwall but subsequently ended in disillusionment: after being substituted in a 27 October 1973 home loss to eventual league winners Middlesbrough, Dunphy did not play another game all season, the club finishing mid-table.[8]
In 1985, rock band U2 and manager Paul McGuinness commissioned him to write the story of their origins, formation, early years and the time leading up to their highly successful album The Joshua Tree. His book Unforgettable Fire - Past, Present, and Future - The Definitive Biography of U2 was published in 1988. It received some favourable reviews, but critics close to the band spoke of many inaccuracies. A verbal war erupted in the press during which Dunphy called lead singer Bono a "pompous git".[9]
Dunphy has also written a biography of long-serving Manchester United manager Matt Busby and in 2002 ghost wrote the autobiography of Republic of Ireland and Manchester United player Roy Keane.
Broadcasting career
Television
Since the mid-1980s, Dunphy has regularly appeared as an analyst during football coverage on
In 2001, he became the first male host of the quiz show
He is the first presenter of a made-for-mobile television show on the
In 2009, he made an emotive outburst on The Late Late Show during a discussion regarding then-Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's financial affairs.[14]
In July 2018, Dunphy announced that he was leaving RTÉ after 40 years with the broadcaster, and that he intended to focus on his podcast The Stand with Eamon Dunphy.[15]
Radio
Dunphy has also had a prominent radio career with several stations, including Today FM, Newstalk and RTÉ Radio 1.
He was the original host in 1997 of the popular current affairs show The Last Word on Today FM.
In July 2006, RTÉ announced that Dunphy would present a new weekly programme as part of the new RTÉ Radio 1 autumn schedule.[17]
He rejoined Newstalk but left again in 2011 "due to interference from management and a push to put a more positive spin on the news". On his last show he accused his boss Denis O'Brien of "hating journalism". He quit after Sam Smyth was sacked from Today FM (also owned by O'Brien), and said management at Newstalk were trying to remove "dissenting voices" like Constantin Gurdgiev from the airwaves.[1]
Personal life
Dunphy was a daily
In an interview with
He published his autobiography entitled The Rocky Road in October 2013.[21]
Today, Dunphy generally resides at his home near Ranelagh in Dublin. He also owns a holiday home in Deauville, France.[2]
In May 2017, he said that he is a Liverpool supporter.[22]
Controversies
In 1999 a High Court jury awarded £300,000 to politician
In 2002 Dunphy was banned from driving for a decade after being arrested for drunk driving and had eight previous convictions under the Road Traffic Act [24]
In 2020 one of the Sunday Independent's most senior executives admitted that the paper went too far in the vindictive nastiness of its attacks on John Hume mounted by Dunphy in an incendiary back page piece [25]
In popular culture
The deceased satirist and actor
Dunphy's hyperbole was parodied on RTÉ's Après Match show lampooning celebrities, footballers and broadcasters.
Oliver Callan also does impersonations of Dunphy, one of which Dunphy approved for a radio charity advertisement.[28]
References
- ^ a b "Eamon Dunphy leaving Newstalk with a bang". JOE.ie. 30 October 2011. Archived from the original on 5 March 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
- ^ a b c d "Planet Dunphy" Archived 26 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine. The Sunday Business Post, 25 August 2002.
- ^ Eamon Dunphy (2 October 2013). "Eamon Dunphy: My Rocky Road". Irish Independent. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
- ^ Freyne, Patrick (2 September 2017). "Eamon Dunphy: 'I'm not part of official Ireland'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ^ McCarthy, Mary (7 May 2020). "This Working Life: 'I was too shouty on The Dunphy Show but my podcast absorbs me now'". Irish Independent. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ^ "Hall of Fame – Eamon Dunphy". Millwall F.C. Archived from the original on 5 March 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
- ^ Leahy, Ed (10 November 2011). "Ireland's chequered play-off history". RTÉ Sport. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Archived from the original on 11 November 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
- ISBN 0-14-010290-6.
- ISBN 978-1-84772-108-2.
- ^ Black, Fergus (2 June 2010). "RTÉ hopes Ossie and squad will spur fans to back home team". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
- ^ O'Malley, Carl (2 June 2010). "RTÉ roll out big guns for their 56 live games". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
- ^ Clarke, Denise (10 October 2009). "Kenny tops the RTÉ richlist". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
- ^ "Sacked Dunphy in career crisis". Guardian. 7 December 2003. Archived from the original on 5 March 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
- ^ McCann, Fiona (23 May 2009). "A host of memorable moments". The Irish Times. Irish Times Trust. Retrieved 23 May 2009.
- ^ "Broadcaster Eamon Dunphy is leaving RTÉ". Irish Independent. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
- ^ "Cooper talks the talk" Archived 27 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine. The Sunday Business Post, 23 April 2006.
- ^ "Eamon Dunphy is to join RTÉ Radio 1". RTÉ News. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 7 July 2006. Archived from the original on 5 March 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2006.
- ^ Mirror, Mirror on the Wall... Sunday Independent, 8 December 2013.
- ^ "Sports pundit Dunphy ties the knot". RTÉ Arts. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 25 September 2009. Archived from the original on 5 March 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
- ^ Hedges, John (May 2013). "Nobody liked him... but he does care – You haven't heard the last word from Eamon Dunphy". An Phoblacht. Vol. 36, no. 5. pp. 16–17.
- ^ "Eamon Dunphy: My Rocky Road". Irish Independent. 2 October 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
- ^ "'I decided to come out!' - Eamon Dunphy reveals he is a Liverpool fan". Irish Independent. 2 May 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- ^ "Court backs £300,000 de Rossa libel award". 30 July 1999.
- ^ "Dunphy gets a 10-year ban and ?1,000 fine on drink-drive charge". 19 November 2002.
- ^ "Sunday Independent attacks on John Hume over Adams talks 'went too far' - senior executive". 10 August 2020.
- ^ O'Doherty, Ian (19 June 2014). "Whether a prophet or pundit, Dunphy has perfected the art of winning with own goals". Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
- An Irishman Abroad(Podcast) (142 ed.). Retrieved 10 June 2016.
- ^ Doohan, Niamh (20 July 2008). "BCI fails to see funny side with warning over radio ads". Sunday Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 20 July 2008.
Broadcaster Eamon Dunphy and Senator David Norris had given permission to the charity to have their voices mimicked by Callan for the adverts.
- "Eamon Dunphy". Post War English & Scottish Football League A – Z Player's Database. Retrieved 22 July 2007.
External links
- Eamo Dunphy Google Video – Eamon's Outburst
- Dunphy after Liverpool Barcelona game on YouTube– Video of Dunphy's outburst against Liverpool after knocking Barcelona out of Champions League, March 2007
- O'Mahony, Andy. 'Veteran broadcaster Andy O'Mahony analyses the flawed genius of Vincent Browne, the 'sentimentalist' Eamon Dunphy and TV chat shows' narrowing horizons', The Irish Times, 24 November 2016
- Eamon Dunphy at EU-Football.info