This article is from page 105 of the 2010-02-09 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 105 JPG
IS there something in the Miltown Malbay air that helps produce cham- joey eta
Remember way back in the 1940s when Miltown and particularly the football field was a home away from home for George Norton — he who became one of Ireland’s greatest ever rugby full-backs and who kicked Ire- land to Triple Crown glory in 1949.
And, it’s also a home away from home for another Dub who is no stranger to rugby internationals at Croke Park in recent years — not on the field but off it as a bouncer who doubles as a world wrestling cham- pion.
He’s Sheamus O’Shaughnessy — aka Stephen Farrelly — who in December became the first Irish holder of the World Wrestling Entertainment title. His grandmother is Mary Skerritt, wife of the late Tommie Skerritt of the famous golfing clan from Lahi-
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And, apart from his grandmother, his mother, aunts, uncles and cous- ins are also living in Miltown Mal- bay, something that has ensured O’Shaughnessy makes regular trips down to Clare.
“T used to go down the Miul- town a lot when I was young,” says O’Shaughnessy. “I loved going down there and was down recently for a flying visit. It’s great that they’re very proud of my achievements in Miultown and Clare,” he adds.
The 31-year-old, who has also worked as a security guard to the stars, such as Bono, won his world title by beating defending champion John Cena in early December. And, in winning the title in New York, O’Shaughnessy blasted the ster- eoypical view of the Irish still held by many.
‘“T wanted to get rid of of the stere- otypes of drunken Paddies and luck charms, and Irish lads and donkey
carts. | wanted to bring back a more positive image, and bring back in the day when Celtic warriors were the most feared in Europe.”
Now, O’Shaughnessy is a feared and respected name in the world of wrestling, having given up a career 1n IT to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler . “I sacrificed an awtul lot to get here,’ he says
“I worked a couple of jobs to save money. I slept in airports. I’d fly over to England on a Friday after work to wrestle, sleep in the airport and then fly back home. That’s how passionate I am about what I want to do. The most important thing for me was wrestling — always.”
It’s important to the Skerritt fam- ily in Miltown Malbay too, who are fiercely proud of O’Shaughnessy’s achievements.