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Irish Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Barry Sheehan: Parents of Lions heroes were dripping with pride after biblical deluge
This is the fourth and final column in a series by Barry Sheehan, father of Lions and Ireland hooker Dan , about his time on tour in Australia. Sydney was the last stop on this tour and despite being covered in cloud and rain for most of the week, it is impossible to mask the glory of the city. It is, quite simply, majestic. The Opera House and Harbour Bridge dominate the backdrop. The ferries connect the outposts across the harbour and bring the sea and the city together as one, making it one of the finest in the world. The suburbs are laced with beaches and surf. Coogee, Clovelly, Bronte and Bondi host many of our young from home. Their optimism for the future and delight at where they find themselves are worn on their sleeves. The series win had been marked appropriately in Melbourne. The early part of the week saw the sea of red resting. Easily identifiable by stature and uniform, they lingered in the cafés and restaurants at every point around the city, catching their breath before one last roar and the long trek for home. READ MORE Detractors decry that there is more culture to be found in a yoghurt than Australia . Promoters profess that culture is best described as the way things are done around here – and the way things are done in Australia is brilliant. Investment in infrastructure pours more than concrete and asphalt. It pours life and participation into the community. Much like the field of dreams, if you build it, they will come. Australia is modern and vibrant and has culture to match. Its history is being laid now. Dan Sheehan of the British and Irish Lions is tackled by Australia's Nic White in last Saturday's third Test. Photograph: Robbie Stephenson/PA Wire Sometimes in defeat the real prize only emerges after the battle. There should be no doubt that the final Test in Sydney was a real battle. Atrocious conditions produced a ferocious contest. Both teams competed hard, very hard. There is, of course, a balance to be respected between giving everything, possibly more than has been given before, and staying within the confines of the laws. There is no dispute that the laws need to take priority and when a line is crossed and a sanction imposed, it must be accepted and learnings taken from it. How will the 2025 Lions be remembered? Listen | 40:08 There is an admiration for those who can raise themselves and the contest to fever pitch. It is born in some, it is learned in others. Young boys who were crippled with shyness can become young men who are prepared to put everything into the group and lead from the front. It is a joy to behold. They cannot find these reserves of passion, ferocity, and energy alone. To reach these levels is a testament to their commitment, to the group, to the tradition of the Lions and to the desire to honour the support who roared them on in their thousands. It is difficult to contain electricity in a bottle and when two charges meet, sparks fly. Both teams pushed themselves to the extreme and the better team won on the night. In the aftermath of the final Test, the 2025 group of parents who have been shadowing their sons on this tour were dripping from head to toe after the biblical deluge. They were soaked. Soaked in pride and amazement at what has developed in front of their eyes since the group first assembled in Dublin . Conditions were extremely challenging for the last Test in Sydney. Photograph: David Davies/PA Wire The journey from Dublin in June to Sydney in August covered thousands of kilometres, with many highs and some lows for good measure. The real prize won on this night of chapters and verses is a bond and a brotherhood. It is the bond that produces the sparks. The bond has been forged on the training paddocks and playing fields of Australia. It will last a lifetime for most. Unique experiences tend to do that. It will be recalled and played out between them privately and in public for years to come. The private moments will require only the briefest of knowing glances to recall the respect and friendships that have changed these young men forever. [ 'We'll be having a reunion here in 12 years' time': Tadhg Beirne marks bittersweet end to 'incredible journey' Down Under Opens in new window ] [ Dan Sheehan won't lose sleep over ban as it rules him out of games he was unlikely to play in Opens in new window ] Their paths will cross again, in some cases as teammates, in more cases as rivals. No quarter will be asked or given – if anything the rivalry and desire to win will only increase. This is the hallmark of brotherhood. The change will be in the moments after the contest. They will share a beer, a chat and pick up instantly from where they left off in the contribution and celebrations of a series win. This is the hallmark of friendship. What more can a parent want for their child than for them to have friends and comrades? Witnessing the effort, commitment and bravery to put everything on the line for someone else in pursuit of a common goal is so much more rewarding than coveting singular moments in the spotlight. When one man on the team scores, they all score and we all celebrate. When one is down, we all share the concern and offer our support. This is the hallmark of teams. It brings warmth and repair to wet and dented spirits, and sends us home safe in the knowledge that our children have grown in front of our eyes. The greatest prize of all.
Irish Times
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Barry Sheehan: When it comes to hearing the team, there's a game of cat and mouse between players and parents
Barry Sheehan, father of Lions and Ireland hooker Dan , will be contributing to The Irish Times throughout the tour of Australia Australia has been a revelation. This is our first meeting, and it has been a really welcoming, head-turner of a country that makes you feel right at home in an instant. Stuff works and as a rule things are labelled or explained in literal and simple terms. For example, Jetty Road is the road that unsurprisingly leads to the Jetty; and the sunshine coast is sunny. The only exception to the labelling rule so far has been Melbourne. If the rule was applied consistently Melbourne would be called Sport City – then it would be doing exactly what it says on the tin. Fine sports clubs are dotted everywhere. Tennis's place of worship is in Melbourne Park and pays due recognition to Rod Laver and Margaret Court with purpose-built facilities. The rowing clubs on the south bank of the Yarra are right in the centre of the city and their crews can be seen on the river daily. The Marvel Stadium hosted the Lions in their midweek game on Tuesday evening. A fine indoor arena again in the middle of the city. READ MORE The city's sporting cathedral, however, is the truly magnificent MCG. The C could easily stand for Colosseum such is the scale of the place. Any amount of sporting drama has been played out here, including the 1956 Olympics. Aussie Rules dominates Melbourne and is the only subject for conversation with the locals. There are four teams that use the MCG as their home ground. It works, and means that there are games from Thursday to Sunday most weeks. In between Lions games there are days to fill, so our group of Lions parents, who support their sons from the shadows , attended the AFL match in the MCG on Thursday evening. This mid-table match attracted a crowd of 56,000 and served as a type of captain's run for the 'shadows', allowing us to get a feel for the place. [ Dan Sheehan on the Lions tour so far: 'I've enjoyed absolutely every second of it' Opens in new window ] We chatted among ourselves, seeking any little nuggets of insight or wisdom about how the main men were getting on. Of course, our only sources are own main men. And, to a man, they give nothing away. All the shadows know this game. We are permanently left in the dark, which is exactly where they want us. We know to never ask direct questions, so instead we have become adept at crafting techniques to get something more than the dreaded one-word answer or, even worse, a single thumbs-up emoji reply. This is a never-ending game of cat and mouse. In addition to parents, other family members continue to swell our ranks. Any number of uncles, aunts and cousins have appeared. The most valuable are those who live here in Australia because they know where this country's treasures are to be found. There are very impressive siblings here supporting their brothers. All of them have significant ambitions, dreams and achievements of their own, yet here they are on the other side of the world happy to support their brothers. There are plenty more back home or farther away pursuing their own dreams and shining brightly. They too are all-in on the support. Parental shadowing is a delicate matter for fear of it being misinterpreted as favouritism. The supportive sibling makes it a pleasure. Lions fans at the MCG last Saturday for the Australia-Lions clash, not a concert. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho By Friday the city is packed. The tide is in on a sea of red. Supporters mill around the city high on expectations for the main event on Saturday. It begins to resemble the start of a hunt – supporters in their red gather, and they all appear to be waiting in a metaphorical yard. The museums, art galleries, coffee shops and lunch spots are places to linger. At 5pm an inaudible but universal horn is blown, and suddenly the hunt is on for the pubs and bars. Hunters jump fences and gallop for position, encouraging each other along the way. The night is long, and the craic is great. Saturday dawns. Evening kickoffs make for a long day. A wander around Fitzroy and a quiet lunch fills the time. A route to the game via Lansdowne Street provides a welcome feel of familiarity. The MCG is the heart of the prematch show – it beats and bounces and generates a super atmosphere from well before kick-off. And so, it came to pass. The Lions hunted down the Wallabies and the test series was won. It wasn't easy but it was never going to be. Much like the very long journey to this one moment of elation in their lives, the game had its twists and turns. This is not an easy path they have chosen. Their ability to cope with progress and setbacks is a life skill that has been burned into them since they were young. It will stand them in good stead forever. The stars now shine brightly at the top of their personal and collective Everest. They are now series-winning Lions When the stars are on the up, they burn brightly. The reflection from the star is hot. Their team-mates, special ones, siblings, companions and acquaintances feel the warmth of their glow. The happiest of days, celebrated in the instant, with smiles, craic, hugs, relief and joy. The parental shadows are also glowing, but their warmth is of a different sort. It is purely internal. Their warmth radiates from the inside out. It has little to do with the stars' heat. Its source is years of love and encouragement and of pushing and dragging. Long gone are the formative days that are rarely remembered. The wet and windy, cold and dark evenings where young fellas let off steam and run free while their shadows collect, drop, wait, feed, launder, and mostly just get by. Over time carefree joy is overtaken by interest and belonging. Old friends. New friends. Great friends. Laughs and connections. A tribe has been found. We will spend the next week in Sydney celebrating our good fortune.
Irish Times
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Barry Sheehan: ‘The Lions' win and years of love, encouragement, pushing and dragging have led to a warmth that radiates from the inside out'
Barry Sheehan, father of Lions and Ireland hooker Dan , will be contributing to The Irish Times throughout the tour of Australia Australia has been a revelation. This is our first meeting, and it has been a really welcoming, head-turner of a country that makes you feel right at home in an instant. Stuff works and as a rule things are labelled or explained in literal and simple terms. For example, Jetty Road is the road that unsurprisingly leads to the Jetty; and the sunshine coast is sunny. The only exception to the labelling rule so far has been Melbourne. If the rule was applied consistently Melbourne would be called Sport City – then it would be doing exactly what it says on the tin. Fine sports clubs are dotted everywhere. Tennis's place of worship is in Melbourne Park and pays due recognition to Rod Laver and Margaret Court with purpose-built facilities. The rowing clubs on the south bank of the Yarra are right in the centre of the city and their crews can be seen on the river daily. The Marvel Stadium hosted the Lions in their midweek game on Tuesday evening. A fine indoor arena again in the middle of the city. READ MORE The city's sporting cathedral, however, is the truly magnificent MCG. The C could easily stand for Colosseum such is the scale of the place. Any amount of sporting drama has been played out here, including the 1956 Olympics. Aussie Rules dominates Melbourne and is the only subject for conversation with the locals. There are four teams that use the MCG as their home ground. It works, and means that there are games from Thursday to Sunday most weeks. In between Lions games there are days to fill, so our group of Lions parents, who support their sons from the shadows , attended the AFL match in the MCG on Thursday evening. This mid-table match attracted a crowd of 56,000 and served as a type of captain's run for the 'shadows', allowing us to get a feel for the place. [ Dan Sheehan on the Lions tour so far: 'I've enjoyed absolutely every second of it' Opens in new window ] We chatted among ourselves, seeking any little nuggets of insight or wisdom about how the main men were getting on. Of course, our only sources are own main men. And, to a man, they give nothing away. All the shadows know this game. We are permanently left in the dark, which is exactly where they want us. We know to never ask direct questions, so instead we have become adept at crafting techniques to get something more than the dreaded one-word answer or, even worse, a single thumbs-up emoji reply. This is a never-ending game of cat and mouse. In addition to parents, other family members continue to swell our ranks. Any number of uncles, aunts and cousins have appeared. The most valuable are those who live here in Australia because they know where this country's treasures are to be found. There are very impressive siblings here supporting their brothers. All of them have significant ambitions, dreams and achievements of their own, yet here they are on the other side of the world happy to support their brothers. There are plenty more back home or farther away pursuing their own dreams and shining brightly. They too are all-in on the support. Parental shadowing is a delicate matter for fear of it being misinterpreted as favouritism. The supportive sibling makes it a pleasure. Lions fans at the MCG last Saturday for the Australia-Lions clash, not a concert. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho By Friday the city is packed. The tide is in on a sea of red. Supporters mill around the city high on expectations for the main event on Saturday. It begins to resemble the start of a hunt – supporters in their red gather, and they all appear to be waiting in a metaphorical yard. The museums, art galleries, coffee shops and lunch spots are places to linger. At 5pm an inaudible but universal horn is blown, and suddenly the hunt is on for the pubs and bars. Hunters jump fences and gallop for position, encouraging each other along the way. The night is long, and the craic is great. Saturday dawns. Evening kickoffs make for a long day. A wander around Fitzroy and a quiet lunch fills the time. A route to the game via Lansdowne Street provides a welcome feel of familiarity. The MCG is the heart of the prematch show – it beats and bounces and generates a super atmosphere from well before kick-off. And so, it came to pass. The Lions hunted down the Wallabies and the test series was won. It wasn't easy but it was never going to be. Much like the very long journey to this one moment of elation in their lives, the game had its twists and turns. This is not an easy path they have chosen. Their ability to cope with progress and setbacks is a life skill that has been burned into them since they were young. It will stand them in good stead forever. The stars now shine brightly at the top of their personal and collective Everest. They are now series-winning Lions When the stars are on the up, they burn brightly. The reflection from the star is hot. Their team-mates, special ones, siblings, companions and acquaintances feel the warmth of their glow. The happiest of days, celebrated in the instant, with smiles, craic, hugs, relief and joy. The parental shadows are also glowing, but their warmth is of a different sort. It is purely internal. Their warmth radiates from the inside out. It has little to do with the stars' heat. Its source is years of love and encouragement and of pushing and dragging. Long gone are the formative days that are rarely remembered. The wet and windy, cold and dark evenings where young fellas let off steam and run free while their shadows collect, drop, wait, feed, launder, and mostly just get by. Over time carefree joy is overtaken by interest and belonging. Old friends. New friends. Great friends. Laughs and connections. A tribe has been found. We will spend the next week in Sydney celebrating our good fortune.
Times
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Times
Dan Sheehan: It has surprised me that Ellis Genge isn't a dickhead
I f Dan Sheehan becomes a Test starter for the British & Irish Lions this summer in Australia he will have the backyards of Bucharest to thank for making him the player he is. It was in Romania that Sheehan — now the Leinster and Ireland hooker, and favourite to start for the Lions — played his games as a kid. Baseball, swimming, golf, basketball, volleyball, badminton; whatever it was, Sheehan and his brother Bobby tried it. 'That definitely impacted my skill set and being comfortable doing anything,' Sheehan says. 'My parents were big on just giving anything a lash.' Including taking their sons out of their Dublin comfort zone. Sheehan's father, Barry, sold Heineken beer to the Romanians, and later the Polish, so moved the family to Bucharest before the boys were teenagers.
