Galway star Damian Comer on balancing day job and life with girlfriend with GAA
Damien Comer has opened up about the challenges of juggling his teaching career with his commitments to club and county football.
The Galway football star admits that while his job as a teacher generally offers a good work-life balance, some Mondays can be particularly gruelling.
Currently leading a hectic life, Damien resides in Galway, while his girlfriend and ex-footballer Megan Glynn is based in Dublin.
Damien shared insights into his life as a secondary school teacher with RSVP Live, saying: "It has its ups and downs. It's tricky when you're balancing your workload around it."
"When you're gone away for a weekend playing a league game in Tyrone, you go early on Saturday morning and you're not home until 11 or 12 on Sunday night. In those cases, it can be hard going to school on Monday.
"But overall, it gives a nice balance. My dad was a plumber and back in the day I used to do a bit of plumbing too."
"But the manual labour, and then trying to have the energy to perform on the pitch, doesn't really bode well. So my job definitely helps in that regard."
Damien also mentioned the support he receives from his students who are keen sports enthusiasts: "They do [care], in fairness. The school I teach in would be good for sports between football, hurling and camogie.
"The students have a good interest and I try to be a role model for them as well, supporting and guiding them in any way I can between teaching and sport.
"You might get the odd smart comment but, overall, they are pretty understanding."
Despite the challenges of balancing their busy schedules, Damien and his girlfriend Megan manage to make it work.
Megan, a doctor and former inter-county player herself, understands the demands of the Championship season.
"Megan is doing a rotation at the moment, she was in Limerick last year and Dublin this year so she moves around from time to time," Damien shared.
"While she's doing this placement she is up and down, so we haven't settled in a place and we don't live together just yet.
"But Megan is definitely a good sounding board. Obviously there are times when you can't get away, or do what you want to do, because of training or other commitments.
"Sometimes I have the weekend off but she is working the full weekend. It can be difficult to balance sometimes.
"But having her understanding, and the fact that she has played and knows what is involved, definitely helps."
Damien's family are his biggest cheerleaders and incredibly proud of his sporting achievements.
"They are heavily invested," he told us.
"My brother lives in Cork and he has two kids, so it's not as easy for him to get around, but he's still involved.
"They would be nervous wrecks when I'm playing and disappointed when things don't go well for me.
"They know if you have a good day they'll talk about sport and if you have a good day they'll know not to mention it. It's important to have a good circle around you."
Damien has previously dabbled in punditry but is unsure if he will go down that road when the time comes to retire.
"I did it once on The Sunday Game before and it was one of the most nerve-wracking things I've done in my life," he revealed.
"You think you'd be used to talking about it, but no! [laughs].
"Probably not at the moment but down the line, who knows? I'm just focusing on playing and getting the most out of my career while I can.
"I'm 31 now, so I don't know how long I have left."
Speaking of The Sunday Game, it often sparks lots of conversation on social media – and it's not always positive.
Damien has learned how to deal with trolls over the years.
"You're going to see a certain amount of noise. You're not going to block everything out. If you go looking for it, you'll find it, but it wouldn't really play a big part for me.
"You take the good with the bad... sometimes you're the best in the world and sometimes you're the worst; that's just the beauty of sport.
"Sometimes I get a kick out of messages trolls have sent me, to be honest.
"I've received a few through the years but I've just put them into the family WhatsApp group and we all get a good laugh out of it. I pity them more than anything."
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