Renowned Munster Rugby leader is named Limerick Person of the Month

THE FORMER team manager of Munster Rugby, Niall O’Donovan, has been honoured with a Limerick Person of the Month Award for his near three-decade service to Munster and Irish Rugby.

Receiving the award in a presentation in the Clayton Hotel, Niall told the Limerick Leader: “Listen, every award is lovely and it’s always nice to get an award, but what makes this probably a bit more special is the fact it's from the place I was born in and the place I grew up in. It’s extra special coming from Limerick.”

After a 16 years playing for Shannon and Munster Rugby, the St Mary’s parish native began his career as a coach and manager 28 years ago.

Looking back on his lengthy career with Munster, he acknowledged that is had been a roller-coaster of a journey: “There’s been so many ups, but there’s been downs as well. We’ve had some great days and we’ve had some horrible days.”

The day that Anthony Foley passed away while the squad were away at a European Cup match was one of the much harder days, he added.

But, his career was not without its highlights.

“A lot of the highs, for me, probably go back to the very start, back to when we started in the late ‘90s, when we weren’t given any chance and we went all the way  to a final of the European Cup.

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“It started the ball rolling to where we are now. The standout moments are when people actually started following us.” 

The crowds only grew over the years to follow: “We went to Toulouse for a semi-final of a European Cup and I didn't know where the crowd came from. It was just massive. And the same for the final, you know, 80,000 people watching the final.”

Though he reflects fondly on the beginnings of his career, he added that there were lots of special moments in recent times too: “Two years ago, even,  winning the, the URC (United Rugby Championship) with Munster, and winning it the way we won it, in the sense that we had five games left and we couldn't afford to lose a game. 

“We were in a very tight spot and all the way from home. And to actually do that away from home, five games on the trot was an amazing feat for the players.”

When it comes to the oft-asked question of his plans for retirement, Niall says: “You’ll have to ask my wife!”

He explained that his wife, Cathy, has a list of jobs to be done on their new home in Adare, which will keep him going “for a long while”.

In a statement released by Munster Rugby on his retirement, he thanked Cathy, as well as his daughters Laura and Maeve, for their “unconditional support”.

“Here’s to making weekend plans,” he added.

All of this year’s winners of Limerick Person of the Month will be invited to attend the Limerick Person of the Year  ceremony early next year.

The award is sponsored by the Limerick Leader, Southern Media and the Clayton Hotel.