Lansdowne and Leinster-capped hooker Bobby Sheehan is pictured during a recent Ireland Club XV squad training session in Dublin ©Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
There is a quiet pride that comes with carrying a family legacy, yet for Bobby Sheehan, it is tempered by the thrill of carving his own path.
On Friday week at Energia Park (kick-off 6.30pm – live on irishrugby+), Sheehan will don the green jersey of the Ireland Club XV against Scotland Clubs as the traditional Dalriada Cup clash returns to these shores. Tickets are available to buy here.
A day later, his older brother Dan will be representing Ireland against Italy in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations at the Aviva Stadium. A sibling double act that epitomises a household steeped in rugby.
The juxtaposition of these two fixtures – one representing the pride of the Energia All-Ireland League clubs on the international scene, and the other a huge first Six Nations home match of the year – illustrates the duality of the Sheehan experience, a life where family tradition and personal ambition are intertwined.
For Bobby, rugby is woven deep into family DNA. His grandfather, Denis Shaw, played prop for Clontarf and Leinster in the 1950s. His father Barry lined out at lock for both Old Belvedere and UCD.
While the family line of senior rugby runs long, the 25-year-old’s path has been distinctly his own, marked by deliberate choices, hard-earned caps, and a determination to forge a unique identity.
“We were with Bective Rangers minis and then Clongowes in school.” he tells IrishRugby.ie, explaining where his journey into rugby began.
“I only played for Bective for a few years. We moved abroad then for a few years where we didn’t play and then kind of got back into it in Clongowes.
“It’s probably a well-worn path at this stage, going through Clongowes. The whole school nearly revolves around rugby. Everybody plays from first to third year and then, obviously, some people will drop off. But rugby is the sport in the school.
“So, the training that you get and the facilities you have access to is kind of second to none there. And then obviously going into UCD, it’s nearly starting all over again. I was the only one from Clongowes who went.
“So, it’s a whole new group. But that kind of made it all the more enjoyable. The people you get to play with and meet along the way. I wouldn’t change any of it.”
In the Sheehan household, those formative years were never just about learning the game, they were about understanding its culture, its expectations, and the camaraderie it fosters. For Bobby, it was also about learning to navigate transitions, between clubs, schools, and levels, with grace and persistence.
While the Six Nations spotlight is shining on Dan as Ireland open their campaign away to France, this weekend Bobby has a big game of his own in Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Division 1A. He remains fully focused on his first season at Lansdowne, following a significant chapter at UCD.
Saturday’s encounter with Old Belvedere on the Aviva Stadium’s back pitch has a lot riding on it for both teams. For Sheehan and his Lansdowne team-mates, who are sixth in the table, they need to bounce back with a win to stay within reach of the top four.
“It’s only a move down the road really, but I’ve really enjoyed it,” he said of his switch from UCD to Lansdowne, the headquarters club with its own distinct culture and traditions.
“Obviously, there’s a lot of parts of most rugby clubs that are very similar. There’s also their differences as well. But I’ve enjoyed the change. The season has been a bit up and down, but I’m enjoying being part of the new club.
“I think we’ve kind of put ourselves in a position now that we can’t afford too many more slip-ups. I think every week you can never call the five games. There’s always going to be tight games everywhere.
“Most teams can beat most teams. You’re never too sure, but it kind of keeps everyone honest. I think in the last few years the gap has closed even more, to be honest.”
The hooker, who can also play in the back row, continued: “Going back, there have been years where it’s kind of nearly split into two leagues and there’s very much a top half and a bottom half. But as we’ve seen this season, it is much more competitive.
“Teams coming up from Division 1B are probably a lot stronger than they used to be. So, they’re ready to compete straight away. No game is given anymore.
“I think this week is massively important for us. You’re going into a two-week break then, so if we can turn that momentum for ourselves, get a good performance and a good win this week, and then kind of go away and reset a bit before attacking the last block…
“So yeah, haven’t really looked too far past this week on either the Ireland or Lansdowne front yet. We’re kind of in need of a win this weekend, so we can look past that after.”
The Ireland Club XV squad represents a different rhythm entirely – intense, brief, and exhilarating. It is a testing ground that is almost a distilled version of rugby itself.
A few days of diligent preparation at the IRFU High Performance Centre with the rest of the squad under head coach Adam Craig, heightened focus, and fleeting camaraderie, all compressed into a concentrated burst of competition. For Sheehan, the contrast is invigorating.
Part of the 28-player group that came together for a second camp last weekend, he said: “It was good. It’s tough that we played the day before (for our AIL clubs), so everybody’s a bit sore going in, but getting in there was very good.
I really enjoyed it and we had two good sessions. I think luckily for myself, I’ve been involved the last few years (with the Club international side). A lot of the squad is the same.
“Obviously there’s new faces in every year, but I’ve got to know a lot of the lads quite well over the last two years. So getting back in, you can leave your clubs behind pretty quickly and then everybody’s mates there once they get in. It’s been great.
“It’s something I really enjoyed doing the last few years. Then at the start of the season, it’s something that you’re aiming towards. You want to make sure that you’re going to be in the team, because it’s always a great weekend to build up to. It’s always good.”
Having next week’s match against Scotland in Dublin adds another layer of significance. After two Ireland Club XV trips to Portugal in the last two years, Sheehan will get to pull on the green jersey on home soil for the first time since his Covid-19-impacted Ireland Under-20 season.
With the game on the evening before the Ireland-Italy Six Nations fixture, he is hoping a big home crowd can get behind Craig’s men, with friends and family members watching on and the players surrounded by the familiar sights and sounds of the Donnybrook venue, but with the weight of international representation and expectation on their shoulders.
“I think it’s something that we can all look forward to a bit more, being at home. Obviously Lisbon when it’s away it can be expensive.
“So, it gives the opportunity for a lot of our friends and families, a lot of people from our clubs, to come and watch. I think that adds another level of excitement to it this year.”
Bobby’s rapid call-up to earn his first Leinster cap last October remains a milestone he recalls vividly. The whirlwind of preparation, called on a Sunday afternoon to train on Monday and play the following Saturday against Zebre in the BKT United Rugby Championship at the Aviva Stadium.
It was certainly a baptism of fire briefly stepping up to the professional game. One he enjoyed and also took in his stride, but one he wished he could have shared with Dan too.
“It was great, something I really enjoyed. It all happened very quickly. You get called on a Sunday afternoon to go in (on) Monday morning and then you’re playing on Saturday. You don’t have too much time to process it at the time.
“But it’s something everybody has always dreamed of doing, and obviously Dan wasn’t there that week. They were away in Chicago (for Ireland versus New Zealand). Would have been nice to do that while he was around.
“But no, it’s great. I know a lot of the lads that are in there as well, just from playing with them in UCD and underage stuff. So, getting into the (Leinster) group and being there for the week was really enjoyable.”
The Sheehan family’s rich rugby tradition will continue to thrive next week with Bobby and Dan playing for Ireland just a day apart. The brothers’ journeys in the game have run parallel at times, from Bective to Clongowes and both playing for Lansdowne and Leinster, yet Bobby, the former UCD captain, has forged his own way.
Friday the 13th can be unlucky for some, but it will see Lansdowne’s top try scorer this season (with six tries) wearing the Ireland Club XV shirt again with pride, tenacity, and the quiet confidence of a man who has walked a path paved by family legacy, but defined entirely by himself.
“My grandad played for Leinster and Clontarf. And then my dad, he claims he played for the Connacht Under-20s – I’m yet to see any evidence of it! But he played in UCD and Old Belvo as well,” acknowledged Bobby, who works as an Audit Associate with KPMG.
“We played a good few sports growing up, but I think rugby was always going to be the one in our house. It will be a very exciting weekend for the family (next week).
“I think having both games in Dublin makes everyone’s life a bit easier than for the last few years. There’s been all sorts of travel arrangements trying to get Dublin to Lisbon to Rome and London.
“So, having both games just down the road from each other makes everyone’s life a bit easier and hopefully means that more of the family and friends will be able to come. Dan was only a year ahead of me in school. Age-grade wise in Leinster and stuff, he was two years ahead.
“But in school, it was only a year, which I suppose for me meant I spent a lot of time on the bench! I don’t think we’ve ever actually shared a pitch together.
“Like any kid, you’re just kind of, every evening, just sent out into the garden or the road with whoever else lives around.
“And you’re playing not just rugby, you’re playing football, you’re playing tip rugby, whatever. But I wouldn’t say we were ever actively training in the garden, always kind of keeping at it.”
Keep up to date with all the latest news in our dedicated website hub at www.irishrugby.ie/energiaail, and follow #EnergiaAIL on social media channels.
This website uses cookies.
Read More