Wife of Cork jockey Davy Russell on dancing success: 'I can't believe it'

RETIRED jockey Davy Russell was always a good mover, both in the saddle and on the dance floor.

The Youghal man is making his mark on RTÉ’s hit show, Dancing With The Stars, where he started off as a 50-1 outsider, and is now among the favourites to win.

As he prepares to step out for the next episode on Sunday evening, I spoke to his wife, Edelle O’Meara, about Davy’s dancing prowess.

“At any kind of a function, we are the first on the dance floor and the last off,” she says. “Davy never needs a push, but he always danced to his style of music.

When we were getting married I urged him to get dance lessons. He didn’t, but that didn’t matter. We never left the floor all day!

“Mike Denver was playing, and the dance floor was crowded all day. I remember I was dancing with Michael O’Leary on the carpet because there was no room on the dance floor, and saying to myself, ‘This is a great day!’”

Edelle is a fast mover herself.

“I wanted to sprint down the aisle!” she says. “I couldn’t wait to marry Davy!”

What was the couple’s first dance on their wedding day in the summer of 2016?

“The Whole Of The Moon. It was fabulous,” says Edelle, of Portumna, Co. Galway, who is a maths and chemistry teacher in Youghal.

Davy is used to the spotlight on the racing track. He was Irish jump racing Champion Jockey three times, and won two Grand Nationals, the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand Steeple - Chase de Paris.

“He always gives 100%,” says Edelle, giving an insight into her 44-year-old husband’s drive to succeed on the TV show. 

He is a keen competitor. He never envisaged dancing live on television in front of thousands of viewers.

Edelle says her husband is “out of his comfort zone” on the TV show. 

“Davy blushes easily!” she laughs. “He is quite humble. And he’s quite private.

“I don’t think he ever knew what effort and hard work was required appearing on Dancing With The Stars. 

"The dancing is very technical. There is a lot to learn. But he knows it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. His dedication seven days a week is amazing.”

Davy’s professional partner is Kylee Vincent and Edelle says: “Before he heads to rehearsals dancing six hours with Kylee, he’s up the yard feeding the horses at 6am and riding out the ponies in Whiting Bay.”

Davy is determined, channeling the same adrenaline that drove his success in racing into every dance performance

“Davy always had the rhythm,” says Edelle. 

I told him after retiring that Dancing With The Stars would be a bit of fun, something to look forward to, and something that people could follow.

Did she ever worry about Davy when he was a jockey? He had one near-paralysing fall, at the Munster National in Limerick in October, 2020, riding Doctor Duffy.

“Davy is racing since he was a kid,” she says. “He was always comfortable mentally and he always knew what he was doing. If he falls, I have to know two things; that he’s conscious and that his legs are moving.

“I’ll never forget when he was so badly injured in Limerick. I was watching the race on TV with the kids. I saw the fall and knew it was bad. I panicked and I rang the track doctor, Davy’s manager, his trainer and his agent. Because it was Covid there was nobody near him. 

It was the worst 20 minutes of my life.

The jockey Rachael Blackmore rang Edelle to her Davy was OK. 

“I’ll be forever grateful to her,” she says,

Davy was in good hands. 

“He was treated in the Mater Private by a lovely man called Joe, who was his consultant.”

Davy was soon back on track. His body, like his mind, is resilient.

“Davy is an athlete,” says Edelle. “He’s always up and out. First thing he’s out the door up the yard.”

He is a fit man too.

“Dancing at this level requires another type of fitness,” says Edelle. “If he was racing now, he probably wouldn’t make the weight. His weight was always a problem to maintain. But now with Dancing With The Stars, I don’t think he’s ever been as fit.”

Edelle and their children, Lily, Finn, Liam, and Tess - and his daughter, Jaimee, from a previous relationship - are his cheerleaders, championing him at every hurdle of the TV show.

“We have our own Dancing With The Stars party every Sunday afternoon,” says Edelle. 

Every Monday evening when Davey is home we do a re-run, fast-forward and watch it again all together.

“You have to be over 16 to go to the show,” says Edelle. “But one afternoon Rosanna Davison’s kids and Jason Smyth’s children, along with ours, were invited along to go the rehearsals. They were able to see all the professional dancers, the props, the lights.”

It was a win-win for Davy.

“Liam went wild in the audience, and he whipped up two of the judges’ paddles over at their chairs and shouted ‘10, 10’ for Davy! The kids will have great memories,” says Edelle.

“When Davy danced to the Star Wars theme, he used Liam’s lighting sticks as props. Liam was in his element.”

Davy is a macho man, but what was with the pink trousers he sported one week?

Edelle laughs.

It’s like Davy is a different person taking on a different persona! I think; this is my husband, getting a spray tan and wearing make-up?! He’s loving this!

Talking about love, does Edelle ever worry about what has become known as the ‘Strictly Curse’ in the world of TV dancing, where the pro and celebrity hook up together?

“We laughed about that in the beginning,” says Edelle. “Kylee came here to our home at Christmas. The kids made up a hamper for her of Youghal-produced goods and they made Christmas decorations for her.

“Kylee is fabulous, a really smashing girl and herself and Davy just clicked. He has a winner in Kylee.

“The day they were filming on Youghal beach at sunrise when Davy and Kylee were introduced, all the crew came back here for rashers and sausages!

“The week he dedicated the dance to me, I was on a school tour abroad with my pupils,” adds Edelle. “On the bus I asked them to give Davy a might cheer, and they did! Then, when I saw them watching the show, I was amazed. I thought they’d be far too cool for that!”

Davy on a roll, is a cool dude.

“I see him dancing on TV and I say wow!” says Edelle. “Sometimes I can’t believe it!”

She’d better believe that Davy, champion jockey, stylish mover, is having a ball and living his best life.

There is more than an outside chance that the Glitterball could be added to his trophy collection.

“He loved racing,” says Edelle. “He can talk about it all day long. Now the kids ask him all the questions about Dancing With The Stars.

The kids are driving him. Davy is having fun and he’s enjoying life. He deserves it. We are all so proud of him.