No tracksuit but coach O’Shea continues lifelong learning

FOR most of his adult working life Pat O’Shea wore a tracksuit to work, a Games Promotion Officer based in Kerry, loving every minute of it as he went around to the various clubs and schools spreading the GAA gospel.

In his spare time Pat was an outstanding dual player, won an All-Ireland senior club football title with Dr Crokes in 1992, played hurling for the Kingdom, went on to manage Kerry to an All-Ireland senior football title in 2007. Nowadays Pat is still spreading the GAA gospel, but the tracksuit is no more; as Coaching & Games Manager (football), he is now an executive, tracksuit exchanged for pinstriped business suit.

The drive, however, remains the same, as do the hours. “To be honest it’s 24/7,” he explains, of his new and his old roles; “Because most of the people you’re dealing with are from the voluntary sector, there are a lot of evenings and weekends involved. You have to be on call at all times, dealing with queries, meetings and so on, a lot expected of you. It’s not a nine-to-five job, it’s more like a vocation and you find out very quickly whether it’s for you or not.