Clare hurler, Shane O’Donnell, pictured ahead of the launch of Darkness Into Light 2024, proudly supported by Electric Ireland. O’Donnell has teamed up with Electric Ireland and Pieta for Darkness Into Light which takes place on Saturday, 11th May, 2024. People can sign up to take part in this year’s event at darknessintolight.ie.
By John Harrington
Considering how well Shane O’Donnell has played in recent weeks, Clare hurling supporters will surely be saddened to hear he isn’t sure if he’ll hurl beyond this year’s championship.
He turns 30 in June and admits he is getting to the stage in his life where he will need to prioritise his career.
He spent several months in Harvard University in Boston in 2018/2019, and admits working in the USA is something he’d love to do.
“Ideally in America but the big thing in America is being able to get a visa,” said O’Donnell when asked where he’d like work to take him.
“The company I work for have somewhat of a base in America so it would possibly be an opportunity in the next year or two to move with them.
“I kind of mentioned last year that I'm taking it a year at a time and that's definitely how I'm thinking about it at the moment. I wouldn't rule out playing next year but I wouldn't be absolutely certain I would either.
“I think it's more about work...I want to work abroad and move abroad and take that opportunity while I still have it and strike while the iron is hot in some sense from my work perspective and where I'm at with that.
“That's kind of my thinking. It's a challenging decision to make, obviously. It's not one I would make lightly. I'm basically just taking it a year at time at the moment.”
Shane O'Donnell of Clare after the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 2 match between Cork and Clare at SuperValu Páirc Ui Chaoimh in Cork. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile.
O’Donnell has been in outstanding form for Clare since making his first appearance as a substitute in the League Final against Kilkenny.
Since then he’s started two championship matches against Limerick and Cork and arguably been Clare’s best player in both of them.
How has he been able to immediately reach such a high performance level with no prior game time?
“I think personally it's because I haven't been hurling all year,” says O’Donnell. “It's just mental freshness. I can't guarantee that my hurling will be there in the same way as if I had been training since November.
“But I think personally I will have as much energy and that psychological edge if I work away the way I have been doing for the past couple of years where I keep myself fit in the off-season but not necessarily have the sheer volume of training and then come back in with the panel at an appropriate time and take it from there.
“I can guarantee I'm able to have as much energy as possible, more mental energy than physical, really. And just bring everything I can. And then after that it just takes care of itself a small bit.
“I've talked to a number of people and suggested to a number of the more senior Clare panel members and team-members that I think there is something there that you really don't get the best out of players by bringing them back in in November and having them get six months training under their belts before they come in to championship.
“I think if you're talking about peaking players, there are better ways to do it. It also depends on the seniority of the player. I would say if I did this when I was 20 or 21 or 22, I don't know if it would work as well.
“I think the volume of training I have under my belt from a hurling perspective does mean that I can take some time away from it and come back and be confident the hurling will be there.
“I wouldn't necessarily be as certain if this was ten years ago that that would be the case. But it is something I think we should explore and look in to because the length of the season, actually conversely to how you would think about, actually lends itself to worse performances.”
Shane O'Donnell of Clare is tackled by Eoin Downey of Cork during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 2 match between Cork and Clare at SuperValu Páirc Ui Chaoimh in Cork. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Clare manager Brian Lohan’s willingness to let O’Donnell rest up for most of the League campaign has surely something to do with the fact that it worked the first time he did it and it continues to do so.
“Yeah, and I think that’s kind of the unwritten contract there,” says O’Donnell.
“Where as long as I am performing and doing what needs to be done for the team, I think he’s willing to work with me there. And I think both of us are happy with that, or at least I am and I hope he is.
“Brian has been extremely mature and frankly brilliant about it, allowing me to make that decision for myself as to what gets myself in the best position for championship.”
Clare aren’t in action again in the Munster SHC until their Round 3 clash with Waterford on May 19. O’Donnell is making the most of the break by teaming up with Electric Ireland and Pieta to promote Darkness into Light which takes place on Saturday, May 11.
“I was delighted to be asked by Electric Ireland and Pieta to get involved,” said O’Donnell.
“I think everybody has been touched whether it's themselves or someone that they know closely by mental health and mental health issues. It's a brilliant initiative. Darkness into Light is something that everyone is aware of.
“Reading some of the statistics in the information that's sent out to you before these events, one of them that came up was that suicide is the leading cause of death in Irish men under 25. I don't think there's too much really that needs to be said about that. It's a scary statistic and it's the reason we have things like Pieta House and Darkness into Light. Yeah, just delighted to be involved.”
Darkness Into Light which takes place on Saturday, 11th May, 2024. People can sign up to take part in this year’s event at darknessintolight.ie. This annual event raises vital funds for Pieta’s lifesaving support services for those in suicidal distress and those who have been bereaved through suicide.
With over 100,000 participants expected to gather at 230 official walks in 14 countries and spanning four continents, Darkness into Light will once again bring communities together for the most important sunrise of the year.