Jason Quigley gave a thought-provoking insight into his relationship with alcohol, in a wide-ranging interview that covered life philosophy, doping in boxing and his career ambitions.
Perhaps tellingly, the part that will likely have raised a few eyebrows is Jason’s admission that he has never drunk a pint! The Donegal fighter let OTB into why, and his ruminations on the Irish relationship with booze, having lived also in Los Angeles and England.
“I’ve never tasted a pint in my life. I’ve tasted a bit of whiskey, or Bailey’s and every Christmas I’ll have a wee rum to remember my grandfather, who passed away six years ago,” said Jason.
“[There are] a lot of reasons – personal reasons. I’ve seen alcoholism in my family. It’s not a nice thing to have in a family or in an environment, but these things happen and these things mould us into people.
“People out there will wonder who, or what, or where – it is my father, and I want to congratulate him. He has been sober for coming up to fifteen years now. He’s really changed his life around.
“They are probably the things that have turned around and showed me ‘why drink?’
Jason reflected on the Irish cultural trait to meet long-unseen friends in the pub rather than for a coffee or around at each other’s houses.
“I have mates that go out and I hear people sitting down for a pint and go ‘Jeez – another two or three and I’ll be dead on,’ and I’m thinking ‘First of all – you’re spending money to buy it, you don’t like it, you’ll end up doing something you’ll regret in the morning..!’
“On the other hand, it’s a big culture thing in Ireland.”
“I’m very lucky in that I never drank, so it’ not a temptation to me. Everybody that I go out with, they come to me with a blackcurrant and water – it’s not like they are like ‘have a drink’.
For more from Jason, check out the full interview above.
Subscribe to Off The Ball's YouTube channel for more videos like this, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
