Shape I'm In: GAA legend John O'Leary on why we need to go up the hill for Jack & Jill Children's Foundation

John O'Leary and his son Tom.  Picture: Shane O'Neill / SON Photographic

NINE-year-old Tom needs 24-hour care. This made lockdown particularly “tough” for his parents Catherine and former Dublin GAA All Star John O’Leary.

With school closed, it took a lot of effort “trying to keep him involved, trying to keep him educated and engaged all the time,” says John.

Tom is a happy, active child and enjoys being outdoors. “There are two places he wants to be at the house — the front door and the back door. He wants to be out all the time.”

The youngest of five, Tom was born heart condition and chromosome disorder. In his early years needed high-level medical care. It could have been overwhelming for his parents, but the Jack & Jill Children's Foundation, which offers nursing care for seriously ill children, stepped in.

“There was no sense of where we were going to go, and they just appeared like an angel out of nowhere,” says John.

The team “was amazing in the first couple of years — they really got us out of the black hole.”

Now a regional manager with Permanent TSB, John is also on the board of Jack & Jill Children's Foundation. He is asking people to join the charity’s socially-distanced Up the Hill for Jack & Jill fundraising challenge this month.

To take part, pick a local hill and make a date to walk, run, or cycle it. Each participant is asked to donate €16, to support one hour of home nursing care for the 362 Jack & Jill children across the country.

n For more information, visit www.jackandjill.ie

What shape are you in?

Not too bad. I coach U12 football with Fingal Ravens GFC and U12 hurling with Wild Geese GAA clubs. This has been difficult to manage with the ever-changing Covid guidelines, but we are managing to keep the kids motivated and engaged. Running around and doing the drills keeps me busy. I do a little bit of walking, and play the odd game of golf and cricket during the summer months.

What are your healthiest eating habits?

Breakfast is always healthy. I have porridge, a bit of fruit, and maybe a yogurt across the top of it. I’ve put on some weight — the chest has dropped a bit.

What are your guiltiest pleasures?

The odd glass of red — and a pint every now and again.

What would keep you awake at night?

Not a lot — thunder, maybe. I’m a good sleeper, thank God.

How do you relax?

Football, I suppose. It’s something that’s not really relaxing, but it’s downtime playing with the [U12s] during training and pucking around with them — it’s a good bit of fun.

Who are your sporting heroes?

Growing up, it would have been the Dublin team in the 1970s — Paddy Cullen and Brian Mullins. Kevin Heffernan would have been another huge sporting hero — I was lucky enough to play under him for a couple of years. We won the All-Ireland in ’83 when I was 22.

John O'Leary,  Picture by Shane O'Neill, SON Photographic

What’s your favourite smell?

It would have to be hay. My father is from Macroom, so we would have spent a lot of time there during the summer. I always say I’m a farmer’s grandson.

What would you like to change about your appearance?

Nothing — not at this age.

When is the last time you cried?

Watching Sam Bennett when he won the last stage of the Tour de France. It was fist-pumping stuff because you didn’t know he was going to win. Before that, it was looking at the highlights of John Hume’s life after he died.

What traits do you least like in others?

Intolerance.

What traits do you least like about yourself?

I’m fairly laid back, calm. Some of that probably comes from playing in goal and having the patience and the tolerance there to wait. If you make a mistake, it can be crucial.

Do you pray?

Not really.

What quote inspires you most?

‘The way you chose to see the world creates the world you see’. There’s another one I use as well: ‘Don’t keep watching the clock. Do what it does — keep going’.

Where is your favourite place in the world?

Anywhere in north Co Dublin. You could be five miles from O’Connell St and in a field with a cow. People don’t realise how much country there is in Dublin.

What would cheer up your day?

A Covid vaccination — it’s tough for everybody at the moment.