Denis Joseph Carey (born 11 November 1970) is an Irish former hurler who played as a left wing-forward at senior level for the Kilkenny county team.

From his debut, Carey was ever-present as a forward and made a combined total of 138 National League and Championship appearances in a career that ended with his last game in 2005.

Carey's private life, involving his wife and two children, had long been the subject of intense media scrutiny and rumour.

News of the breakdown of his seven-year marriage hit the headlines shortly before the All-Ireland final in 2003 although Carey and his wife had been separated for more than a year.

A year later Carey spoke for the first time about the marriage break-down and of finding new love with British-born millionaire Sarah Newman.

His former partner Sarah Newman, who was a director of DJ Carey Enterprises, called in the auditors in 2012, and a series of discrepancies were found.

[8][22] Bank transfers, made to Carey in 2020 by his sister Caitriona (who had previously worked at the same business),[11][23] were also reputedly the subject of "Garda scrutiny" in early 2023.

On 22 March 1987, Carey was listed amongst the substitutes when St. Kieran's College faced Birr Community School in the Leinster final.

[28] On 27 March 1988, Carey lined out at right corner-forward when St Kieran's College faced Enniscorthy CBS in the Leinster final.

Carey received a pain-killing injection just before the match but scored 3-03 and collected a second successive winners' medal following the 3–05 to 1–09 defeat of St Flannan's College.

Selected to play at full-forward, he suffered concussion after a heavy knock late in the first half but remained on the field until he was substituted in the 54th minute.

[36] On 26 October 2003, Carey was at full-forward when Young Irelands lined out against O'Loughlin Gaels in the Kilkenny Senior Championship final.

[38] Carey made his fifth Kilkenny Senior Championship final appearance on 31 October 2004 when Young Irelands lined out against James Stephens.

On 15 July 1990, Carey won a Leinster Championship medal after top scoring with 1-04 from left corner-forward in Kilkenny's 2–09 to 1–10 defeat of Laois in the final.

In spite of exiting the championship at the provincial semi-final stage Carey ended the season with a fourth consecutive All-Star award.

On 4 February 1998, rumours of Carey's imminent retirement shocked the hurling world when they began circulating in the national media.

He later confirmed his retirement from club and inter-county hurling in an interview on RTÉ Radio citing a loss of "appetite" for the game as his primary reason.

[58] Carey was ruled out of the 2002 National League after being involved in a car accident which caused him to suffer serious neck and shoulder injuries.

[59] Carey's career looked to be over when he was also ruled out of the Leinster Championship, however, he returned to the starting fifteen for the first time in twelve months for Kilkenny's 1–20 to 1–16 defeat of Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final.

[60][61] On 5 May 2003, Carey won a third National League medal after scoring 1-03, including three points from frees, in Kilkenny's 5--14 to 5–13 defeat of Tipperary in the final.

[63] On 6 July 2003, he won his ninth Leinster Championship medal - his eighth on the field of play - after scoring three points in the 2–23 to 2–12 defeat of Wexford in the final.

[64] On 7 September 2003, Carey captained Kilkenny to an All-Ireland final appearance against Cork, however, on the morning of the game details of his recent marital breakdown made the front page of a national newspaper.

[65] Carey was held scoreless from right corner-forward but the 1–14 to 1–11 victory allowed him to collect a fifth All-Ireland medal while he also had the honour of lifting the Liam MacCarthy Cup as captain.

For the third time in his career and for the second year in succession he was held scoreless in a final against Cork as Kilkenny suffered a 0–17 to 0–09 defeat.

[67] On 2 May 2005, Carey won a fourth National League medal after scoring 1-02 from full-forward in Kilkenny's 3–20 to 0–15 defeat of Clare in the final.

[68] On 7 July 2005, he won a 10th Leinster Championship medal, albeit as an unused substitute, following Kilkenny's 0–22 to 1–16 defeat of Wexford in the final.

On 18 March 1996, Carey was selected at left wing-forward when Leinster qualified to play Munster in the Railway Cup final.

Lining out at full-forward and flanked by his Kilkenny teammates Charlie Carter and Henry Shefflin, he scored four points in the 3–15 to 2–15 defeat by Munster.

[75][76] In his opening game in charge on 20 June 2018, Kilkenny were knocked out of the Leinster Championship by Galway after a 3–13 to 1–17 defeat at the semi-final stage.

[78] After victories over Laois and Galway, he guided Kilkenny to the Leinster Championship title on 17 July 2019 after a 1–17 to 0–18 defeat of Wexford in the final.