Paul O’Connell: It’s OK to be vulnerable and make mistakes

'Very little keeps me awake at night. I’m lucky that way, I’ve never struggled to sleep. I would say the Friday night before the England game was the only real time I can remember in the last while that I struggled to sleep'

Barnardos Big Active and ALDI Ambassador Paul O’Connell. 

Rugby legend Paul O’Connell is on the move. The busy 43-year-old is still taking in Ireland’s recent Six Nations victory and the country’s excitement at the win.

“We’re delighted,” he says. “There’s a load of things we can still do better, but it was brilliant. It’s one of the things the boys wanted — their main goal is to inspire the nation — so when you see the country getting as excited as they were, it’s amazing.”

He went to the Aviva stadium game with his wife and three children.

“The kids came into the dressing room afterwards and they were drinking Lucozade and they were having a whale of a time, chatting to the players and getting things signed and then we went back to the team hotel and we basically just hung out with the families, players, and coaches.”

After a fun-filled weekend, it was back home to Limerick, and his children, aged 12, eight and five, returned to school. But for O’Connell, it was time for a break.

“Camp is in Dublin, so I’ve been away from home for a long time now — for the bones of two months. It’s great to be back home, sleeping in my own bed for a few days.”

• Paul O’Connell launched the Barnardos Big Active. Supported by ALDI, the initiative will help students of all ages and abilities to focus on their health and wellbeing, while helping others. Primary and secondary schools are invited to register at www.barnardos.ie/bigactive

How do you keep fit?

I would be a very active person anyway. I train a little, run a little, and go to the gym a little. I play with the kids a lot, and I coach underage teams, so I just stay active.

Do you have a morning routine?

My wife is quite into her nutrition, so I’ve stopped drinking coffee first thing in the morning. I have a good breakfast: I generally have porridge and some eggs or something like that. I’ll have a shower and I’ll be up and at it.

What are your healthiest eating habits?

I have a good breakfast, a good lunch, and a good dinner. While I do snack and eat treats a little bit, I think, as long as you’ve a good breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you can avoid a lot of trouble, because you’re not hungry. I know, when I’m hungry, I make bad choices.

What are your guiltiest pleasures?

I like jellies and I like chocolate. I tend to have a bit of dark chocolate in the evening.

What keeps you awake at night?

Very little keeps me awake at night. I’m lucky that way, I’ve never struggled to sleep. I would say the Friday night before the England game [on March 18] was the only real time I can remember in the last while that I struggled to sleep and, even at that, I didn’t sleep too badly.

The Barnardos Big Active supported by ALDI was officially launched by Paul O’Connell last week. Pictured at the launch were: Maria Rowley, aged 9; Jake Farmer, aged 11; Sophia Whoriskey, aged 14; Conor O’Donnell, aged 18; ambassador Paul O’Connell

How do you relax?

I relax by reading, playing golf, and going to the gym. I relax by just hanging around with people that relax me.

I tend to meditate a little bit. Probably not as much as I should.

Who are your sporting heroes?

My sporting heroes growing up were anyone Irish on the world stage. I grew up in a sports-mad house. Sonia O’Sullivan always sticks out for me. My dad is from Cork, so we used to love watching her.

What is your favourite smell?

The smell when you get into an elevator. We went on holidays when I was young, it was the first-ever foreign holiday that we went on, when I was about eight or nine, and, for some reason, there was a smell in the elevator that sometimes I [still] get when I go into an elevator in a hotel, or whatever, and it just reminds me of that holiday and the excitement.

What is the best health advice you’ve ever been given?

I really like people understanding that it’s OK to be vulnerable. It’s OK to make mistakes, forgiving themselves for mistakes. I don’t know if we talk about that enough, articulate it enough, or explain it enough to kids.

What traits do you least like in others?

I don’t like being late and I don’t like when others are late, but I’m not too bothered. I think we’re all very different. We all have our faults. I know I have plenty of them.

What cheers you up if you’re having a bad day?

I love sitting at home, having dinner with Emily and the kids and having my work done and knowing that, maybe, if it’s a long evening, we might be able to get out and play five or six holes of golf.

Where is your favourite place in the world?

We go to Lahinch quite a lot...it’s only an hour from Limerick and, generally, when we’re there, we’re on holiday and switched off, so I really enjoy it.