At just 27-years-old, James McCarthy has already amassed five All-Irelands. He may add to this year's accolades on Friday at the PwC All-Star awards - along with being nominated for an All-Star, the Ballymun man has also been nominated for Player of the Year.
McCarthy comes from a strong football family - his father John won three All-Irelands with Dublin in the 70s.
Someone well-placed to recognise athletic talent, John says it was during a schools cross-country when he knew that his son had something special.
Jamsie as a young lad, you could see that he had special kind of abilities, he's very athletic.
If I could relate to one particular thing in school, they were running cross-country in a race out in Baldoyle and coming to the last lap the clown took the wrong route. By the time he got back, there was 100 guys ahead of him. He didn't panic, he worked his way back and at the line, he was beaten by two yards and finished 4th.
It was upon seeing that ability that John McCarthy thought "this guy can do something."
