Former Kerry hurler Martin Stackpoole feels like a 'walking miracle' after overcoming gambling addiction

Former Kerry hurling captain Martin Stackpoole has opened up about his recovery from gambling addiction, admitting he feels like a 'walking miracle' to be over two years without a bet.

The ex-Kingdom goalkeeper, who was part of Stephen Molumphy's squad in 2022, said he hit rock bottom at one stage and 'wanted out of life'.

Speaking on The Players Voice podcast, Stackpoole, 33, thanked the Gaelic Players Association and said he was 'in the treatment centre within four to five days' after contacting the players union in 2020.

The Lixnaw clubman's recovery went from there and he spent five months in a treatment centre, crying for 'two full days' at one stage.

Stackpoole said that he is now 'actually living life as it's supposed to be lived, like a normal person' and revealed that he is hoping to take on a line of work that would allow him to help others who are in similar situations.

"I think I knew for a long time that it was an issue and a problem but I don't think I was ready really to throw in the towel," said Stackpoole of his own gambling battle.

"I was maybe throwing in three corners of the towel but I was still holding onto that one corner. I just had to get to a place that I was done. I was sick of being sick, like. I was broken from it mentally, emotionally, physically at times and I wanted out of life really.

"I couldn't see myself not gambling. It just had a stranglehold on me. It was in control. I was not in control and my life was unmanageable.

"I just got the courage one day to ask for help. I just sent a WhatsApp message to a member of staff with the GPA and avenues started to open, things started to happen and look, today, I've a fantastic life and I could never have envisaged that."

Stackpoole estimated that he gambled for around 20 years, betting in small amounts initially as a teenager. "I would have started very young," he said, before outlining how the problem amounted to every day being a 'rerun' of the previous day.

"The same thing was happening. I just couldn't get out of it and a day turns into a week, a week turns into a month, months turn into years and it never gets better. It just keeps getting worse.

"You know, I was always chasing something. I thought it was money, like, and financial figures and I guess it was in a sense but I guess when I look deeper it was...I suppose I felt useless myself and that I was no good and self-worth and self-esteem was very low.

"I thought if I had all this money and I'd have loads of friends and often there on nights I'd go into the local bar with wads of money and buy loads of people drink just so they'd like me.

"That's what I was chasing. It's artificial validation because it only lasts a short period of time and you're looking for it again. You're just trying to fill this hole inside of you that can't be done that way."

Stackpoole said he let his guard down for once while in treatment and embraced the therapy.

"I was in there for the Cheltenham Festival, that would (normally) have been my heaven," he said. "I found that week very, very difficult. I cried for two full days. Mad stuff, like. A grown man."

Stackpoole feels pride now and is looking to the future with confidence.

"There are avenues and steps, there is a way out, no matter how far you have gone," he assured.

"You're still alive, you can still turn it around. I'd describe myself as a walking miracle. I couldn't say away from a bet for an hour.

"Now I'm over two and a half years without a bet."

* The full interview with Martin Stackpoole is available on the latest edition of the The Players Voice podcast.