Rory Grugan marked ten years with the Armagh county team this year. The forward owes a lot to the sport, including the support he received after suddenly losing his father in 2016. When he’s not on the pitch, he’s working as a secondary school teacher and spending time with his wife.
Read more: Armagh GAA’s Blaine Hughes’ engagement to long-time girlfriend, having first child and day job Read more: Derry GAA’s Conor Glass on going into business and working with girlfriend Niamh Rory is 33 years old and is originally from Ballymacnab in County Armagh . The footballer tragically lost his father, John, in February 2016 after he fell from a balcony while on holiday in France. He shared how much his teammates helped him through the grief.
“Football has given a bit of structure for me,” he told the Irish Examiner. “I'd be the type of person who is glad to have that kind of focus in my life. It's a nice distraction.
“County football in itself is such a big part of your week and your life anyway, and I find having that routine and structure of going to training and maybe going away at the weekend and having different things to focus on, is a welcome distraction for me. “The people around me have been very good supporting me since then, so I certainly have been glad for that camaraderie from my team-mates and the management who have helped me so much over the last few months. “I'm certainly a lot better off having the football as not, given what's happened.
” Ro.