Dessie Dolan: It’s good to get out, it keeps you relevant

There are no negatives to exercising. You might not want to go for a run or whatever, but you won’t regret it afterwards.

That's according to Dessie Dolan, former intercounty footballer with Westmeath, and now RTE GAA analyst.

“You feel good about exercising - it’s good to get out, join a club, play a sport,” he says. “It helps you meet people, keeps you relevant - it ticks all the boxes.”

Your health really is your wealth, he says and he believes people are beginning to realise that they need to maintain a certain level of fitness.

Dolan says there are so many clubs and sports that there is something for everyone.

He says the Irish Times/Pfizer healthy town initiative, provides everyone, not just in Athlone and Westmeath an opportuntity to "open up your mind and see what's out there".

Dolan should know. Although he retired as an intercounty player last year, sport was always and continues to be an integral part of his life. “I was always interested in health and fitness - from a very early age, he says.

“It gave me an advantage when playing football,” he says.

Dolan is widely acknowledged as having played a crucial role in bringing his county to a Leinster Final and he retired from intercounty football just last year.

Known for his attacking style and leadership qualities on the field, his Wikipedia entry says that he is “widely regarded as Westmeath’s leading talisman throughout their ascension from GAA minors to quality opposition. He is nonetheless modest about his achievements.

He puts down his performance to the fact that he trained hard, even in the close season. “Many lads would take two or three months off when the season ended, but I always kept doing something,” he says.

Dolan does not drink or smoke and is careful about what he eats, but says you don’t have to have a really strict regime: “I still eat a dessert.. but I am just be a bit more careful the next time I eat.”

It is important to balance your lifestyle, he says.

So what advice does he have for people who say that they soon get bored of exercising, despite their best intentions?

“Mix it up a bit.. don’t go to the gym or whatever, all the time. Go for a run, a walk or swim or play a game of football. “

Dolan still plays for his club Garrycastle, which his father Dessie Senior, played intercounty and Railway Cup football manages.

Does he miss playing football at intercounty level? “I do. I miss the routine of training at that level and I miss the big matches at Croke Park.”

However, he is realistic and dismisses any suggestion of a comeback at 36 years .

He laughs: “I’ll leave that to the young lads. “When you get over 30, you realise the level of fitness required. There are very few people over 30 playing at intercounty level.”

Married to Kelly, he has a young son and counts fly-fishing, boating and golf among his hobbies. In fact, he plays golf off an 8 handicap. "The problem with golf is the amount of time it takes!" he says.