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The 42
25-04-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Father's influence, multi-sport youth, and the importance of a non Dublin-centric Leinster
WHEN HE WAS progressing through the ranks of schools, provincial and international rugby over the past few years, rising Leinster prospect James Culhane didn't have to look very far for the perfect source of inspiration. A native of Limerick, Culhane's father Paul was a talented rugby player in his own right. In addition to featuring in the Munster Schools Senior Cup with St Munchin's College in the Treaty County, the elder Culhane captained the Ireland U21s as well as the Irish Universities side. His son James followed in his footsteps to an extent when he was skipper of the Blackrock College side that won the Leinster Schools Junior Cup in 2018 and he was a virtual ever-present when the Ireland U20s won a Six Nations Grand Slam four years later. Throughout this time, Culhane Sr was always on hand to provide guidance to the bustling back-row if it was ever required. 'He's been a huge influence, my Dad. He'd be one of my biggest heroes and he loves seeing me do well. Whether it's in rugby or my engineering degree [in UCD], but he has obviously been a huge mentor for me,' Culhane remarked ahead of Leinster's United Rugby Championship clash away to Scarlets tomorrow evening. Yet despite receiving his education in a south Dublin school that won their 72nd Leinster Senior Cup title only last month, Culhane's home village is actually Enniskerry in Co. Wicklow. Advertisement He is one of a number of players from the Garden County in the Leinster squad with Josh van der Flier (Wicklow Town), Jack Conan (Bray) and Cormac Foley (Newtownmountkennedy) also included amongst this particular cohort. The eastern province's head coach Leo Cullen – like Culhane, a former Blackrock College student – is another Wicklow native. There is also a healthy Kildare contingent within the Leinster senior squad that is spearheaded by the likes of Sam Prendergast, Jimmy O'Brien and Jamie Osborne, and Culhane acknowledged it is vital the game in the province is spread right across the 12 counties. While Blackrock College had a massive part in his development, Culhane also credits the De La Salle Palmerston club in Kilternan – located a little under four miles from Enniskerry – for first introducing him to rugby as a youngster. 'I think it's so important that it's just not Dublin where the rugby is centred. That we try to expand as much as we can, because there is so much talent everywhere around Leinster. It's just important to try and give everyone an opportunity to express that. Bring as many people through as you can. 'I did come through Blackrock, which was part of the school system. I would have played for De La Salle as well, that would have been the early part of my development in club rugby. I played a lot of both. You talk about Sam [Prendergast] and [Diarmuid] Mangan as well, they went to Newbridge. I think it's good to play both club and school, and get experience from both.' Culhane in action against Ulster last weekend. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO Culhane is someone who is also a strong advocate for playing multiple sports, having previously represented the South Dublin Football League in the Kennedy Cup. He also played his fair share of GAA back home in Enniskerry, but rugby was always going to be the main sporting pursuit in the long-run for Culhane. Hamstring and shoulder issues restricted him to just five outings last term, but with eight appearances already under his belt in the current campaign (including an 80-minute run out against Ulster at the Aviva Stadium last Saturday), the 22-year-old is doing his best to make an impact in his first official season as a Leinster senior player. 'I would have played with the SDFL when I was 12 and 13, I would have played left-back. I think it is easier to get in the team when you are left-footed, there are not as many left-footers! I played for Wayside [Celtic]. I also played for a few different teams. I started in Enniskerry and then Cabinteely for a little bit as well,' Culhane added. 'I think once I joined Blackrock, I was always going to keep playing the rugby, but growing up I loved playing all sports. Loved playing the GAA, football and rugby as well. 'It is taking that opportunity [with Leinster] when you get it, especially when you're involved with the team of internationals. On the weekend, I was delighted to be playing with just so much talent around me. The way they play elevates your game as well. When you get an opportunity to get your way into that team, you take it.'
Irish Examiner
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
James Culhane: 'I think it's so important that it's just not Dublin where the rugby is centred. That we try to expand as much as we can'
When he was progressing through the ranks of schools, provincial and international rugby over the past few years, rising Leinster prospect James Culhane didn't have to look very far for the perfect source of inspiration. A native of Limerick, Culhane's father Paul was a talented rugby player in his own right. In addition to featuring in the Munster Schools Senior Cup with St Munchin's College in the Treaty County, the elder Culhane captained the Ireland U21s as well as the Irish Universities side. His son James followed in his footsteps to an extent when he was skipper of the Blackrock College side that won the Leinster Schools Junior Cup in 2018 and he was a virtual ever-present when the Ireland U20s won a Six Nations Grand Slam four years later. Throughout this time, Culhane Sr was always on hand to provide guidance to the bustling back-row if it was ever required. 'He's been a huge influence, my Dad. He'd be one of my biggest heroes and he loves seeing me do well. Whether it's in rugby or my engineering degree [in UCD], but he has obviously been a huge mentor for me,' Culhane remarked ahead of Leinster's United Rugby Championship clash away to Scarlets tomorrow evening. Yet despite receiving his education in a south Dublin school that won their 72nd Leinster Senior Cup title only last month, Culhane's home village is actually Enniskerry in Co. Wicklow. He is one of a number of players from the Garden County in the Leinster squad with Josh van der Flier (Wicklow Town), Jack Conan (Bray) and Cormac Foley (Newtownmountkennedy) also being included amongst this particular cohort. The eastern province's head coach Leo Cullen – like Culhane, a former Blackrock College student - is another Wicklow native. There is also a healthy Kildare contingent within the Leinster senior squad that is spearheaded by the likes of Sam Prendergast, Jimmy O'Brien and Jamie Osborne, and Culhane acknowledged it is vital the game in the province is spread right across the 12 counties. While Blackrock College had a massive part in his development, Culhane also credits the De La Salle Palmerston club in Kilternan – located a little under four miles from Enniskerry - for first introducing him to rugby as a youngster. 'I think it's so important that it's just not Dublin where the rugby is centred. That we try to expand as much as we can, because there is so much talent everywhere around Leinster. It's just important to try and give everyone an opportunity to express that. Bring as many people through as you can,' Culhane added. 'I did come through Blackrock and everything, which was part of the school system. I would have played for De La Salle as well, that would have been the early part of my development in club rugby. 'I played a lot of both. You talk about Sam [Prendergast] and [Diarmuid] Mangan as well, they went to Newbridge. I think it's good to play both club and school, and get experience from both.'
Irish Times
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Leinster's James Culhane hoping for a change of fortune to consistently deliver on his talent
James Culhane may at one point have watched a black cat walk across his path from right to left – left to right is lucky apparently – spotted a single magpie, spilt salt, broken a mirror, and perhaps inadvertently witnessed many more harbingers of bad luck. It might explain his ridiculously unfortunate injury profile that dates to his teenage years. There are invariably two conversation topics when chatting to the talented 22-year-old Leinster backrow, his prowess on the pitch and his resilience in the face of periodic setbacks that might have broken players of lesser character. He's got a lovely sense of gallows humour that's evident in his assertion that 'this will last a long time', when asked to discuss his injuries. Culhane explained: 'The worst one was in fourth year [in Blackrock College]. I started getting really bad lower back pain, got a scan and [it revealed] a stress fracture in my L5. They weren't really sure if it was genetic from when I was born or if it had developed over time. 'I was in a back brace for six months to let it heal. Then they re-scanned me, and the same defect was there, so it was pretty much genetic from when I was born. That had me out for about 11 or 12 months, pretty much all of fourth year. READ MORE 'I came back in fifth year and I was healthy but, unfortunately, we got knocked out in the first round of the Senior Cup by Gonzaga, so I didn't play a huge amount of rugby. Sixth year was okay. 'In first year in the [Leinster] academy I injured my ankle and had ankle surgery. Then the year after I obviously had that bad injury in Galway' (a reference to a torn hamstring and fractured shoulder suffered in the same match). 'I've probably had about three surgeries in two years.' The fact that Leinster gave him a professional contract on a, relatively speaking, slim body of rugby – 16 appearances since making his debut against Cardiff in 2023 – speaks volumes for the esteem in which the 22-year-old is held by the coaches. It's not as if they're taking a punt. When Ireland won an under-20 Grand Slam in 2022, Culhane was voted the Six Nations player of the tournament on the back of several brilliant performances. Even then, he couldn't shrug off a medical jinx as he spent a month in hospital with a severe kidney infection. He was nominated for RTÉ's Young Player of the Year. Emerging Ireland vs the Cheetahs, October 2024: Skipper James Culhane makes ground. Photograph: Steve Haag Sports/Darren Stewart What's immediately obvious in watching him is his athletic prowess honed by a cross pollination of sports growing up from mini rugby in DLSP, through school, Gaelic football with Kilmacud Crokes and playing left back for Enniskerry, Wayside Celtic and Cabinteely soccer clubs. He was selected for the Emerging Ireland tour to South Africa last year and captained the team in their final game against the Cheetahs. His return to the country recently with Leinster didn't quite meet the same success, as he was concussed five minutes in that first game against the Bulls. Breaking into Leinster's backrow requires not only a set of disparate qualities but also the capacity to play right across the unit. 'Yeah definitely you can't really be one dimensional, you can't just be able to play number eight, you have to play seven and six, especially when you're trying to break into a team,' said Culhane. 'It's important. If you're breaking into a team, you're probably starting on the bench, and you have to cover many positions, so it is so important to be versatile. I've been working on how I'm viewed as a player by the coaches, so they don't see me as one type of player you know.' Part of that process includes picking the brains of his team-mates. Culhane continued: 'I think Caelan [Doris] especially and Josh [van der Flier] they're just very easy to talk to, they've so much knowledge and they're willing to give it to you as well. 'I have been asking them a lot of questions about how they approach the game, especially around the contact area and ball carry and just that element which is especially important for my position. 'It is taking that opportunity when you get it, especially when you're involved with the team of internationals. On the weekend I was delighted to be playing with just so much talent around me, and the way they play elevates your game as well. When you get an opportunity to get your way into that team, you take it.' Culhane certainly honoured that goal in the victory over Ulster, 25 tackles, one turnover and leading the team in successful carries. It's more than the metrics though; his effectiveness is just as easy to spot with the naked eye. Top of his wish list: consistent game time.
Irish Daily Mirror
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Momentum the word on the lips of Leinster star James Culhane
Leinster, cool, collected and simply thrashing teams of late will look to dine out again at the home of the saucepans, against Scarlets at Parc y Scarlets, first two of their last three results were sensational European fly-pasts, the frontline internationals humiliating Harlequins and third win, against Ulster in the UCL, was part down to 'rotation' using players from outside the '23'.None of Tommy O'Brien, Luke McGrath, Gus McCarthy, Diarmuid Mangan and an entire back-row unit comprising Alex Soroka, Scott Penny and James Culhane have played international rugby, yet they 22, is expected to start again against Scarlets - who haven't beaten anything other than Welsh opposition since late January - as Caelan Doris is suffering from a slight niggle and may be rested as a selection can't be easy as, with Northampton coming in the Champions Cup semi-final next week, Leo Cullen and Jacques Nienaber have had strategic decisions to make, that is who to rest, who to play, who is freshest, who needs resting now, who needs managing for later is never as simple as putting the best fifteen out on the pitch to the end of the season as each individual is limited to a set amount of minutes per season - those backing up need to be ready to for players such as O'Brien, McGrath, McCarthy, Mangan, Soroka, Penny, Culhane and more it is about being prepared.'Winning that game against the Sharks in South Africa gave the club momentum going into the Champions Cup," says Culhane of the positive impact of 'second' team's win in Durban in late March.'When you can go against a team of South African internationals and World Cup winners and come away with the victory like that, it was absolutely massive for the whole squad."I think that even goes for the group that didn't travel and it showed how there is not such a big gap between the groups.'It is taking that opportunity when you get it, especially when you're involved with the team of internationals.'Last weekend I was delighted to be playing against Ulster with just so much talent around me, and the way they play elevates your game as well. When you get an opportunity to get your way into that team, you take it.'So far so good in theory, but as soon as getting there it becomes about staying there!'There are so many good back-rowers, training is so competitive, trying to get starting spots is so competitive, it would be silly not to try and learn from them, ask them as many questions as possible.'I think Caelan (Doris) especially and Josh (van der Flier) they're just very easy to talk to and they've so much knowledge and they're willing to give it to you as well.'I have been asking them a lot of questions about how they approach the game, especially around the contact area and ball carry and just that element which is especially important for my position.'As general rule, Leinster run with between 40-45 senior professionals and can call on the Academy players if from recent evidence, keeping that many players happy, everyone connected, avoiding creating caste systems has to be Leo Cullen's super power.'When you're picked for Leinster you are picked to play for Leinster, I don't think it is viewed like that at all," continues Culhane.'Obviously some lads aren't going to get picked for the European games. Personally I haven't played in Europe either but there's a standard that you want to get to and I suppose it's just about playing to that standard when you get the chance.'So I don't think it's viewed that there's two separate squads, just one big group." Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Immigration made homeless numbers worse than they actually were in 2024
A surge in immigration that peaked just as last year's homeless count was taken accounted for the bulk of its historic rise reported in December, grossly inflating the picture of homelessness in America. Because the local agencies taking the count across the country do not ask for immigration status, homeless numbers ballooned in a handful of states that took in tens of thousands of immigrants, and those states, in turn, pushed the national number to an unprecedented high of nearly 772,000. In releasing the Annual Homelessness Assessment Report in the last few days of 2024, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development cited immigration, along with the shortage of affordable housing and natural disasters, as a cause of the 18.2% increase nationally. But it did not provide an estimate of how much of the increase was from immigration. In fact, more than three-fourths of the increase occurred in five states, among them California, that were prominent recipients of immigrants. "Because they can't disaggregate them and there is no attempt to try to figure out what the migrant population is, it's creating a number that's uninterpretable," said Dennis P. Culhane, professor of social policy at the University of Pennsylvania and a leading national expert on homelessness. A Times analysis based on methods Culhane devised to control for immigration shows that domestic homelessness likely increased by not much more than 7% nationally and that California's modest increase could well have been lower than the 3.1% HUD reported. The failure to account for immigration also likely understated the 2.2% decrease the city of Los Angeles reported. The inordinate influence of immigration suggests that year's increase, and to a lesser extent the 12% increase reported in 2023, are aberrations that will lead to a dramatic correction when this year's count is taken this month. Though immigrants stressed homeless systems, forcing cities such as New York and Chicago to spend millions of dollars to create new shelters, they were more likely than domestic homeless people to quickly find housing on their own. In November, ABC7 in New York reported that 1,400 immigrants were leaving shelters for every 600 arriving, and both cities have begun cutting back their capacity. A truer picture of homelessness will emerge now that traffic across the Southern border has been down since last summer and tens of thousands of immigrants counted as homeless last January have left the homeless system on their own, Culhane said. (Due to catastrophic wildfires, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority has announced a postponement of the January count until Feb. 18-20. The disaster will undoubtedly affect the count in unpredictable ways.) The failure to separately account for immigration in the annual report diminishes its ability to illuminate long-range trends in homelessness. "It totally messes up our trendline," Culhane said. The annual assessment, called the point-in-time count, is used to apportion federal dollars and provides a long-term measure of the state of homelessness in America. But it's an imperfect and chronically out-of-date process that takes almost a year to gather data collected across the country by local administrative agencies called Continuums of Care that each develops its own methodology. After making the counts in January, the agencies publish results through the year. This year HUD released the compiled numbers on Dec. 27. Among the count's faults, its results are subject to statistical error and it doesn't account well for people who live in and out of other people's homes. "As bad as the point-in-time count is, all the faults in it, what has been remarkable is how consistent it has been. It usually varies only by one or two percent going up or down." Culhane is writing a paper in which he will strive to untangle the misinterpretations of the count arising from the flawed count. In the aftermath of the release, he said, advocates on all sides have used the numbers to spread alarm with some placing the blame totally on the housing crisis and others finding evidence that the system is failing. The rhetoric overwhelms more subtle trends that Culhane is looking for. In his timeline, homelessness was trending down nationally from 2010 onward, even while it was increasing on the West Coast. By 2018, "the West Coast increases overtook the declines that were happening elsewhere" and drove the national numbers up again. While overall homelessness was still nominally up in California, chronic homelessness, long the driving force of the state's increases, decreased slightly in California last year, but ticked up across the nation. To estimate the influence of immigration, Culhane devised a crude methodology using the outsize increases in states known to have received large numbers of immigrants and the unusually large increases in Latino and family homelessness. Latinos accounted for more than 60% of the increases in the five states and were as high as 70% in New York. Just under half the national increase occurred in New York City, which was deluged with immigrants in 2024, largely shipped there by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Combined with New York state, counts in Illinois, Massachusetts, Colorado and California recorded increases totaling just under 90,000, or 76% of the increase nationally. Adding on more than 5,000 people rendered homeless by the wildfire in Maui, would account for 80% of the entire increase. Not all those people would have been immigrants, but other factors would balance that out, Culhane said. Not all immigrants were Latinos, and much of the immigration was spread among other states. In its announcement, HUD said 13 communities reported being affected by immigration. HUD declined The Times' request for the names of those communities. Like Chicago, the city with the second highest influx of immigrants, New York created a separate shelter system for immigrants, providing it a way to infer the domestic trend. In January 2024, when the count was taken, the city had 69,000 migrants in shelters, according to Mayor Eric Adams. That was more than the 54,819 HUD reported as the growth in the city's homeless population HUD reported for the state. Since then the number has declined markedly, and with nearly three times more immigrants now exiting the system than entering, the city is planning to start closing shelters. Alone among American cities, Denver reported two numbers, one for HUD and a smaller number for its own audience, excluding those living in the separate system it created for immigrants. The 9,977 homeless people the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative posted on its website was 30% less than the number it was required to report to HUD and represented an increase of only 77 people. Kyla Moe, deputy director of MDHI, said the lesser number was calculated to maintain "data integrity and comparability." "The temporary migrant shelters were funded through a distinct funding stream, separate from the traditional sources used to support the homeless services system," Moe said. "Including these temporary shelters in the local PIT reporting could introduce inconsistencies and potential distortions in the data, making it difficult to accurately assess and track long-term homelessness trends within the existing system." A similar adjustment could not be made in California or Los Angeles, however, because newly arriving immigrants — many bused from Texas — were simply absorbed into the existing system, in some cases causing shelters to overflow. The immigrant bulge affected California less than the East Coast cities, but still clouds comparisons of state and local trends to the rest of the nation and may have muted gains the state has made. Following release of the report, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office issued a statement highlighting the state's relatively low rate of increase, at 3.1%, compared to the national figure of 18.2%. Subtracting immigrants from the count would make California look more like the rest of the country but still with less than half the rate of increase. But the state's own number would be lower. Latinos made up 36% of the state's total increase of 5,685 reported to HUD. Likewise, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass could have boasted more robustly that the city bucked the national trend if its modest estimated decrease of 1,008 homeless people had been adjusted for the hundreds of migrants who arrived downtown over the past two years. After increasing incrementally for several years, Latinos spiked in the 2023 count. Then last year their numbers more or less leveled off, even as total homelessness was in decline. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
