Q & A with 2024 Hurler of the Year – Clare’s Shane O’Donnell

Shane O’Donnell, 2024 Hurler of the year, shares some thoughts on Hurling, the importance of family, friendship and teamwork with Munster GAA Irish Officer, Aedín Ní Bhriain.

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Ainm: Shane O’Donnell
Club: Éire Óg, Inis, Contae an Chláir

What is your first memory of GAA?
That would be playing with Naomh Fhlannáin until I was under 12, that was before Éire Óg had an underage academy and Ennis Urban Board was split into 4. So, I would have been training with a lot people I am still friends with. My first time playing with Clare was U15. I was cornerback at the time.

Who was your favourite player when you were young?
Henty Sheflfin – he was part of that Kilkenny team of the noughties. They were just amazing.

Who is your favourite player to play with?
David Reidy – I play both club and County with him.

What about the best player you’ve played against?
Conor Cleary (in training) – he’s the most difficult person for me to mark. I like playing with him (on the team) because I don’t have to play against him! He’s just a great person as well.

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What has been the absolute highlight of your career to date?
It’s definitely winning this year. It’s kind of a combination of expectation and time under your belt, and some of the disappointments you have had. It’s like the 20 years you’ve been playing are justified. When we won this year, you are talking 10 or 11 years since winning last time, whereas when we won in 2013, it was just how we were going, like we were winning games all the time. We had won a lot underage, and we won that (2013 All Ireland Title). It was amazing but we didn’t even understand what it meant. I’d say NOW I understand what it means. You have to soak it up 100%!

Who would have been the biggest influence on your hurling career?
Two People – my dad and my brother Mark – I would say they were equally responsible for where I got to. My Dad – in terms of my day–to-day hurling, all the time. He makes all my hurleys.

Mark, my brother, was 7 years older than me. He made all the teams ahead of me, the Clare teams, the Flannan’s teams. He won the Harty and All – Ireland with Flannans. So, he kind of blazed a trail for me and the name O’DONNELL was a name by the time I was playing, which actually helps a huge amount.

Any advice you’d have for young players?
The main piece of advice I would like to get across is that you shouldn’t ever feel the need to choose studies over sport or the other way around. They really do combine well together. In Secondary School, some people feel they have to stop hurling because their Junior Cert is in 3 months – that kind of thing is really crazy. You definitely can do both.

Have you got a sporting hero outside of the GAA?
Watching the Tour de France this year, I was absolutely blown away by the cyclists involved, like the likes of Wout Van Art.
They are all incredible – it’s the Team aspect that blows me away. I really thought it was an individual sport but suddenly you have 5 lads killing themselves, bringing one lad up a mountain! They are all at the very top of their game and it’s so team oriented – it’s incredible.

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And finally, as Irish Language Officer, I always like to ask – Would you have any words about the importance of Irish?
I feel proud having some level of Irish. I was taught by Gary Brennan (Clare Footballer) for Leaving Cert in St Flannans. I went to the Gaeltacht twice during the Summer. When I see people discussing whether Irish should be done or not, I always argue that it should because I feel proud that we still maintain the language. I see my Dad going into Irish classes in the club (Eíre Óg) and I like trying to have Irish conversations with him.

Looking ahead to next season…
Yes, I’m looking forward to it. Hurling is in a great place, with so many good teams.

Go raibh míle maith agat Shane – Imreoir na bliana 2024