Springboks reaping benefit of Cork man’s charity

THERE’S been higher profile Irish exports to South Africa, but not many have made as deep an impression as Cork man Barry O’Mahony has in his 16 years in this country.

The ex-UCC and Oxford University back-rower played for Munster and also won an Irish A (then known as ‘B’) cap before putting down roots in Cape Town after a tour with the English University.

These days, alongside his wealth management consultancy business, he is still giving something back to rugby, perhaps more than he got out of it.

Little wonder then he was willing the Southern Kings to a creditable showing against the touring Lions in Port Elizabeth yesterday. O’Mahony is heavily involved with a University of Cape Town (UCT) RFC initiative aimed at showing South Africa that rugby must move on from its Afrikaans dominance.

“The game here is historically a white man’s game, but most of my white South African friends do not realise that there is a massive, genuine stronghold of rugby within the coloured community in the Eastern Cape; fuelled by people with a genuine passion for the game.

“There are thousands of black people who have migrated from there to Cape Town, and they carry that knowledge and passion with them. We’re tapping into that by working on a schools programme where we have 64 schools playing rugby this year. That’s over 1500 extra kids playing rugby, kids who would normally have gone home after school to sit on the wall and watch the world go by; probably to get involved with gangsters.”

O’Mahony is now more noted in Cape Town society for his involvement in the JDI (Just Do It, www.JDI.org.za)) foundation than for his other business interests. He is determined disadvantaged kids should be given a life opportunity through rugby and has “tapped” people back home to provide financial help, noting that his alma mater, Presentation Brothers College, Cork, had provided money to buy kit for a lot of kids.

“My parents have given me money, my aunts have given me money, JDI in Ireland (helped considerably through backing from the Wallace brothers, Paul and David) have provided huge funding to help this cause. It’s encouraging to see how much pride they have when you give them simple things like a jersey – they play for it like they have never played for anything before.”

O’Mahony and his friends are working closely with the Government and appropriate departments to increase involvement in sport, and particularly in rugby. “Our aim is to enlarge this programme to involve at least 5,000 kids that might not otherwise be involved in sport. We’re building an infrastructure to ensure that it will be a sustainable programme rather than one that goes out of control. It is the most exciting thing I have ever become involved in.

“Last year in Ireland, for instance, we raised 750,000 Rand (€70,000) at a dinner in one night; you wouldn’t believe what we were able to do with that money out here. It was amazing, and it helps make my life here complete to see what can be done for the disadvantaged. It might sound odd, but part of the reason why I got involved was down to Ireland’s reputation for being a caring nation. Back in 1997, I looked around, spoke to some priests and nuns who were doing great work here in Africa, but all of them seemed to be pushing on in terms of age.

“I looked and wondered who would be following on; now the whole thing has turned, you have the Niall Mellon foundation and there are so many people doing such great things. I don’t take any great credit for doing what I’m doing; I’m really just trying to persuade my white South African friends, and my black South African friends, to do something.”

The rugby community is a small community when it needs be; when O’Mahony sent a message to Alan Solomons (former Ulster coach who managed yesterday’s opponents) that he was interested in staying on in South Africa following that tour by Oxford, he was helped with introductions to allow him play club rugby.

Even though Solomons was club coach to the University of Cape Town, O’Mahony would have been surplus to requirements due to the presence of Dion O Cuinneagain, who went on to represent Ireland and captain them in the 1999 World Cup.

“Basically, all I was looking for was help with accommodation and Alan sorted it out with another club. I came over here thinking I’d spend a bit of time in the country and play a bit of rugby. I really didn’t realise I’d have set down roots here. My parents, obviously, were very keen for me to get back but I genuinely love living here and my folks saw how happy I was here.”

A lot of South Africans are glad he stayed too.