SHANE
All about Shane's sporting interests both past and present. In Shane's case it's horses, then even more horses! His family own over 100. As a teenager he was very much into sports: rugby, Gaelic football, soccer and show- jumping.
SPORT
Sports: Football, golf, snooker, fishing and horse riding
"The local baths have been shut for a while now but it was open when I was a kid. Now there's a big indoor place in the sports centre, but I was never a big swimmer. I was usually horse riding instead. Or playing football."
Horse riding
The family stables are within walking distance of his
new homes front door with instant access to his thoroughbred riding stock.
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Rugby
"The only sport I felt passionate about – apart from horses –
was rugby. I played at fly half and was in the Connaught team. When I was
eighteen, I started taking it very seriously and had trials for the Irish team.
I did well and got to the third stage, but then the band started getting more
serious. I had to work out whether I wanted to make it in rugby, or try to make
platinum records and sing for big crowds. During the trials, me and the guys
were preparing for a show and I realised I might get injured and not be able to
sing. The thought of that scared the hell out of me and I suddenly lost interest
in rugby and forgot about it."
Golf
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GENERAL HOBBIES
Hobbies: horse riding, snooker and pitch and puttSinging
"I have loved singing ever since I can remember. The first song
I really got into was ‘Uptown Girl’ by Billy Joel, which my mum bought for me on
tape. It was the first I ever owned and I played it all the time. I also loved
‘All Night Long’ by Lionel Richie. I was only four when those songs came out,
but I knew all the words and was always singing along to them and watching the
videos on Top of the Pops"
Fishing
"I used to fish on the river with my Uncle Joe, who passed
away a couple of years ago. We had a good time back then, I would have been
eleven or twelve and we'd hang out down there. He was a great fisherman, and
even Nicky is as well, but I'm not that great to be honest with ya! It's nice
and relaxing, but I think I've caught two tiddlers my entire life!"
Martial Arts
"When I was about eight I loved watching Bruce Lee
videos and got a fella called Danny in the video shop and he let me have all the
films, even though I was too young. I’d watch them for hours and practice
kicking like Bruce Lee around the house on cushions and just about anything that
was at the right height – even my cousins and Mairead! By the time I started
going to proper classes I already had a good technique and, even though I was
tiny, I was better than the bigger guys."
