One of the most intriguing figures within the GAA in the last 30 years Graham Geraghty sat down with John O'Brien recently to discuss his career.

He was the man opposition fans loved to hate. But now, at 42, he is now back in college studying to be a community worker. But then Graham Geraghty has always defied convention. He was originally known as a defender but by the time he departed intercounty football he was one of his generations' most feared attackers.

Geraghty is in his third and final year of his social and community development course.

"I'm doing social and community development in Blanchardstown. It's going well. I'm in my final year now. It is a wide ranging course, there is addiction studies, psychology, that sort of thing," said Geraghty.

"Hopefully when I get out of it I would like to work in Gardaí diversion projects and work with young people. That's what I'm aiming for at the minute anyway."

Having first been being called into the Meath senior football panel as a 17-year-old in October 1990 by Sean Boylan, 25 years later Geraghty can still be found causing havoc and terrorising opposing defences on the GAA pitch.

As a student in Blanchardstown IT, Geraghty has represented the college's football team in the Sigerson Cup over the past two seasons. After suffering relegation last term, 42-year-old Geraghty will be hoping to pick up a Trench Cup winners medal in February 2016.

"I never thought I would play college football or even Sigerson football. We played in it for two years and were relegated last year. College football is very competitive, you are up against the bigger colleges where they are able to offer players scholarships and things like that so it's hard to compete against them.

"I played in the last league match there just to get a run out against Marino, we had to win that to stay in the division. It's not the same thing as playing for your club or your county. It's hard, but it's enjoyable as well."

The Kentstown man always enjoyed his football whether it be with his club Seneschalstown and more recently Clann na nGael or whether it be wearing the green and gold of Meath and the green of Ireland at International Rules level.

He spoke about who had the biggest influence on his career from underage level, the whole way up to senior: "Going back to when I started playing football the likes of Tommy McDonnell, Mickey Dillon and Billy Dillon in my own club. My Dad as well I would have grown up going to matches with him. In my early career, they were a huge influence with my club Seneschalstown.

"Paul Kenny would have had a big influence on me at minor and U21 level, he kind of took me under his wing. Mattie Kerrigan as well. They would have protected you when you were young and looked after you and brought you up through the ranks. If it wasn't for those I possibly wouldn't have been playing for Meath really. Obviously the biggest one would have been Sean Boylan."

Geraghty enjoyed a hugely successful intercounty career under the guidance of Sean Boylan. In the golden era of Meath football, Geraghty won an All-Ireland minor title in 1990 and an All-Ireland U21 title in 1993. Success soon followed at senior level, where he won a NFL Division 1 medal in 1994, followed by lifting the Sam Maguire in both 1996 and as captain in 1999. He also picked up two All-Star awards in 1994 and 1999 respectively.

"Sean Boylan had the ability to keep lads interested and get more out of lads than other people would be able to. I still would see him now and again and you would sit listening to him all day really. He's very good."

Sean Boylan used to famously bring the Meath team up to the historic Hill of Tara, which was once the seat of the High King of Ireland. Geraghty looks back fondly on the training methods that Boylan used.

"He always made training interesting. I remember being up in Pairc Tailteann and you were running up and down the steps in the stand and then you were out running up the grass on the hill and he had you on the bars in the terrace.

"You could be on the bars there for half an hour, not touching the ground. That was your strength and conditioning and your weights training, although it was slightly different. If you were to put your foot on the ground, it would be the last time you would do it. A lot of our stuff like weights training was done without weights.

"At the time we were saying 'Jesus is he mad doing this?' He had us out training on the Hill of Tara running up there in your bare feet or crawling on your belly or out in Bettystown up in the dunes. It was different training but it was effective. It kept lads interested. You weren't running in the pitch the whole time."

Between Bettystown Beach, Dalgan Park, the Hill of Tara and Pairc Tailteann all the hard, tough training eventually paid off for Geraghty and co with the success that they achieved during the 90s. He recalls the day Boylan approached him regarding leading the Royals into battle and becoming the captain of the team.

"It was unbelievable. I remember Sean Boylan brought me into a room and he said do you mind if I ask you something? And I said Jesus, what did I do now? Because I was in trouble that many times with him. He was really calm and said will you be captain this year? I was just looking at him. I wasn't expecting it, I said yeah I would love it.

"That year it kind of gave you a sense that you had to be a leader and that you had to show example. I think it was probably the only year I was never booked, the whole year, so it kind of worked maybe to that extent. It's a privilege to play for Meath, but to be captain and win the All-Ireland was unbelievable."

Geraghty is one of a select few All-Ireland winning captains to be presented with the Sam Maguire cup in the centre of the Croke Park pitch as opposed to the Hogan stand. He has some great memories from the 1999 season.

"My daughter she's 17 now, she was sitting in the cup (as a baby), those are memories that you will always have. I will never forget that time when I lifted the Sam Maguire in the middle of the pitch which was probably a letdownl to a certain extent but on the other hand I got to bring the cup around the pitch.

"I was able to meet friends, lads I played with, lads from Seneschalstown who I grew up with and played with and lads that brought me to where I was. I was able to meet my Mam and Dad as well, they are things that you will never forget. If it was in the stands I possibly wouldn't have got to do that so I suppose it has its pros and its cons.

"It was a great honour to lead Meath out. I remember going back to Kentstown the next night and I think there were around 9,000 or 10,000 people there to greet you. It was great to see. It was great for myself growing up in Kentstown for my club as well to bring the cup back.

"They are things that you will never forget you will always have them, you will always remember them and hopefully we will have more to remember over the next few years. There needs to be a lot of work done though."

This time next year the classroom will all but be a distant memory for Geraghty. Having completed his college course he will be out in the workplace. Classroom assignments, MCQ'S (Multiple choice questions) and online presentations will be a thing of the past.

He will be looking to the future and who knows what the future holds, Geraghty could yet pop back up on the intercounty scene with the Royals.

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