It wasn’t too bad for Quinlan since he had multiple media gigs lined up, but what about the less heralded players in Ireland?
Not everyone can get a lucrative national contract and enjoy an almost 20-year career – some have retirement forced upon them like former Connacht and Leinster scrum-half Paul O’Donohoe.
O’Donohoe was released by the western province at the end of last season after suffering nerve damage in his back following an injury against Zebre. There was little fanfare when he was let go – most of the coverage focused on the departure of Gavin Duffy and Dan Parks at the same time – but the day it was announced, a 27-year-old had to start again after devoting six years of his life to the professional game.
“It was strange because I had actually been thinking during that last season about life after rugby so I didn’t take it as badly as some people might have,” O’Donohoe said.
“I never really wanted to be one of those guys who play into their late 30′s. You see guys like that – even if they have been great players – they become disposable once they get towards the end of their careers.”
O’Donohoe’s career was split evenly between Leinster and Connacht, spending three years with each. He also had a decorated underage career, winning the Leinster Schools Senior Cup with Belvedere alongside Eoin O’Malley, Cian Healy and Ian Keatley as well as winning an U20 6 Nations Grand Slam.
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O'Donohue was part of a star-studded Ireland U20 team in 2007. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
O’Donohoe says he never saw himself as a ‘career rugby player’ and even though he didn’t want to play for another ten years there were still struggles when he finished up – namely, how do you fill a whole day when you’re once meticulously scheduled life all of a sudden becomes more unstructured than a Clermont counter-attack?
“You could almost be washing the dishes 24 times a day, you are just doing anything to fill the hours,” O’Donohoe says.
“It is a hard thing to leave professional sport. You start once you leave school and it is all you really know until you have it pulled out from under you.”
That was in the period directly after his retirement, but now his day-planner contains a lot more than just washing and drying. He is involved in business development with an entertainment company, Kyazoonga, and says he doesn’t miss being able to call himself a ‘professional rugby player’.
He can make his own schedule with work, something that is distinctly at odds to the regimented existence he left last spring.
“You are out on your own when you leave rugby,” O’Donohoe said.
“It is not that nobody cares about you, but you don’t have any coaches there to push you or the lads. When you are playing you are almost part of a small cult.”
O'Donohue made his senior debut with Leinster in 2009. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
O’Donohoe also offers some advice to any other veteran players whose careers are winding down.
“Stay active in all aspects of life and have interests outside rugby,” he says.
“Rugby is a great community but a small community. Don’t get pigeon-holed as just a rugby player because it isn’t the be all and end all.”
O’Donohoe still keeps up with his old provincial sides and likes to see his friends doing well, but he’s not a rugby junkie who needs to see every game to get a fix.
“I’m definitely not going to be tuning into some random Top 14 game,” he laughs.
While he doesn’t play sports for a living any more, the sportsman in O’Donohoe hasn’t retired for good. Now, he boxes with his instructor Steve in a gym on Camden Street three days a week (maybe he can step up a weight class or five and give Quade Cooper or Sonny Bill a go).
The adrenaline rush of boxing could act as a surrogate for the one part of rugby O’Donohoe says he misses whenever he sees his old pals at the Sportsgrounds revelling in an upset victory.
“There is nothing in life that equates to the feeling after a big win,” he says.
“That is the one thing I probably miss, that euphoric buzz after a monster win.”
Strange, would have thought there would be a pathway back to the AIL clubs into coaching or support staff? Why do Provincial players who are on long term injury not be involved in development, especially youth rugby ? Ulster has had a load of players injured and going out to community schools and youth teams would be meaningful and an introduction to the rugby community outside of the professional sides.
There’s a french retreat home for sports people who have become addicted to the darker sides of life after retiring. Constantly searching for that euphoria and addictive adrenaline rush that only comes with sport. Alcohol, gambling and worse replaces it. But it never does. Speaking about that helps. Good luck in your journey.
Always enjoyed watching him play, tore up the ail with clontarf and always played with a smile on his face. 8 years ago most people would have expected his career to outshine keatleys, injuries didn’t help.
Typical irish begrudgery on show in the comments with lots of petty remarks. Sad.
Yeah, once I’ve got my day shifts, night shifts, fire down, feed the kids, kids to school, hoovering, dishes, grass cut, wash in, wash out, dinner cooked, 2 school pick ups, homework, union stuff, kids to bed, fire out and emptied, lights out, I’m bored shitless too.
Awful ‘sad’ story about a bloke feeling sorry for himself – wait until he has real problems and he’ll buckle totally. As an employer, I wouldn’t touch him! Does the world owes him a living? Just another mediocre sportsman…
A bit bitter there boy. I am employer as well and someone who show this type dedication his career/dream is worth a try. I find that they can take this approach to everything they do.
I suppose you want someone who sat on his couch for the last 10 years
There really is a bitter cohort of individuals who frequent this space
I have always wondered what emotional impact the end of a career would have on a professional athlete, someone who has made a lot of sacrifices to get where they are, someone who has spent their entire life in extremely close proximity with others who shared the same dream for 50+ hours a week. They do exist in a bubble of which the majority of us have no experience. It can’t be easy adjusting to a different lifestyle.
Most of the begrudgers and bitter men( all men funnily enough….)here just think in terms of their own sad existence.
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Yeah it was tough for me at the start but I’m getting through it now. Thanks for the support lads
Strange, would have thought there would be a pathway back to the AIL clubs into coaching or support staff? Why do Provincial players who are on long term injury not be involved in development, especially youth rugby ? Ulster has had a load of players injured and going out to community schools and youth teams would be meaningful and an introduction to the rugby community outside of the professional sides.
There’s a french retreat home for sports people who have become addicted to the darker sides of life after retiring. Constantly searching for that euphoria and addictive adrenaline rush that only comes with sport. Alcohol, gambling and worse replaces it. But it never does. Speaking about that helps. Good luck in your journey.
Toulon?
I played football with you years ago paul, with Keith foley! Great to see your doing well and all the best for the future!
Always enjoyed watching him play, tore up the ail with clontarf and always played with a smile on his face. 8 years ago most people would have expected his career to outshine keatleys, injuries didn’t help.
Typical irish begrudgery on show in the comments with lots of petty remarks. Sad.
So true!
Fair play Paul. You wanted to be a rugby player since you were 9 years of age.
Well done buddy.
The only way is up!!!
Yeah, once I’ve got my day shifts, night shifts, fire down, feed the kids, kids to school, hoovering, dishes, grass cut, wash in, wash out, dinner cooked, 2 school pick ups, homework, union stuff, kids to bed, fire out and emptied, lights out, I’m bored shitless too.
You mean you dont coach youth rugby as well?
Sorry, forgot that.
It’s a hard life Robby
Getting proper sleep is so hard
Thanks Kieran. I too could have had a pro rugby career only for a cruel twist of fate…I wasn’t very good.
Yes but you could coach the mini rugby?
I wasn’t that bad.
Boo-hoo, professional rugby players are practically retired as it is, they only work about three hours a day.
A very good player who I enjoyed watching. I wish him all the best in his new career
Perhaps a nice guy – but seemingly living on another planet.
Life is a bitch, just get on with it. Surely, he can do more than wash dishes.
Did you even read the article? He is getting on with it.
Awful ‘sad’ story about a bloke feeling sorry for himself – wait until he has real problems and he’ll buckle totally. As an employer, I wouldn’t touch him! Does the world owes him a living? Just another mediocre sportsman…
Will,
A bit bitter there boy. I am employer as well and someone who show this type dedication his career/dream is worth a try. I find that they can take this approach to everything they do.
I suppose you want someone who sat on his couch for the last 10 years
It’s a first world problem. Sympathy will be dispensed appropri..
That should do it.
What would he be like if he was on the dole??? lol.
There really is a bitter cohort of individuals who frequent this space
I have always wondered what emotional impact the end of a career would have on a professional athlete, someone who has made a lot of sacrifices to get where they are, someone who has spent their entire life in extremely close proximity with others who shared the same dream for 50+ hours a week. They do exist in a bubble of which the majority of us have no experience. It can’t be easy adjusting to a different lifestyle.
Most of the begrudgers and bitter men( all men funnily enough….)here just think in terms of their own sad existence.
Idiot
Sorry you can have a lie-on and relax
Plenty of people dream of it
I have plenty of housework for him if he’d like to pay me a visit.
Poor rugger buggers. Sitting in tears after reading that. Heartbreaking.
Woe is you