World Darts Championship winner Michael ‘Bullyboy’ Smith proved he was a ‘good sport’ as well as good at sport, when he took time out to boost the coffers of local charities during a recent trip to Galway City.

The 31-year-old Englishman made history this January when he defeated Michael van Gerwen 7-4 in The World Darts Championship final.

His incredible nine-dart finish in the same leg that van Gerwen was just one dart away from the same feat was dubbed as the greatest in the sport’s history and earned him plaudits within and outside the darts world.

But Smith proved that he’s a ‘decent skin’ away from the Sky TV cameras, too, as he joined local business leaders for up to an hour on the night of COPE Galway’s Christmas sleep-out in December.

The darts legend was in Kennedy’s Bar in Eyre Square to take part in a darts exhibition with Ian ‘Diamond’ White, organised by local man Liam Maloney to raise money for Galway Parkinson’s Association.

Afterwards Smith decided off his own bat to head for Shop Street to see another charity event ongoing that night organised by COPE Galway.

Smith impressed those present by showing a real interest in homelessness . . . and he even shook a bucket to collect cash from passers-by.

“It generated a nice bit of excitement,” said Sharon Fitzpatrick, Head of Development, COPE Galway.

“We didn’t expect him to stay so long. He actually stayed around for three-quarters of an hour to an hour, really engaged with the business leaders sleeping out and people who were passing on the street.

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