Have you heard an abundance of massive promises? endless knocks on your door? politicians suddenly showing up at the local GAA Club? - Of course you have, the 2024 Irish General Election is just around the corner.
Ahead of the election on November 29th we've been scouring constituencies up and down the country identifying candidates who've turned their sporting careers around for a foray into a more aggressive arena - Irish politics.
Peter 'Chap' Cleere (Fianna Fáil) - Carlow/Kilkenny
Cleere who is currently serving as a Councillor on Kilkenny County Council having won re-election earlier this summer, is now throwing his hat in the ring to be one of five politicians who'll represent Carlow and Kilkenny at national level.
The man nicknamed 'Chap' was first elected to his local council in 2014 and has served as Mayor during that time. Far from politics, Cleere is one of this list's most esteemed GAA names having claimed two Leinster and All-Ireland titles during his time playing with the Kilkenny Senior Hurlers in the mid-2000s.
Cleere then managed both Kilkenny and Carlow's camogie teams, taking charge of both sides for one season each. Cleere's intercounty involvement ended in July when he stood down from the role in Kilkenny.
6 July 2024; Kilkenny manager Peter Cleere before the Glen Dimplex Senior All-Ireland Championship quarter-final match between Kilkenny and Dublin at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Michelle O'Neill (Fianna Fáil) - Wexford
A Wexford native vying for one of the counties' four Dáil seats up for grabs, O'Neill isn't famous for playing sport but for her trailblazing career as a referee.
Having joined the FAI's Referee School of Excellence, O'Neill quickly excelled refereeing the League of Ireland Women's Premier Division before moving on to the League of Ireland and FAI Cup where she's been since 2013. Since then the Wexford woman has been involved in a number of massive occasions within the sport, acting as an assistant referee in both the Women's Champions League and international fixtures.
O'Neill has also taken charge of Men's Champions League clashes and was an assistant for the 2019 Uefa Super Cup Final, which was the first time a female trio refereed a men's continental match of that magnitude.
22 September 2023; Assistant referee Michelle O'Neill during the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division match between St Patrick's Athletic and Dundalk at Richmond Park in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Alan Dillon (Fine Gael) - Mayo
Former Mayo GAA star Alan Dillon was first elected to the Dáil in 2020. During that first term, Fine Gael's Dillon was appointed Minister of State at the Dept. of Housing, Local Government and Heritage before assuming responsibility as Fine Gael's sports spokesperson for the election campaign.
Before the Castlebar man entered the Dáil, he was a Mayo GAA stalwart, appearing in six All-Ireland finals, winning two All-Stars and captaining his county in a decorated fourteen-year intercounty career.
While Dillon fell short in all six All-Ireland finals, the Fine Gael deputy claimed eight Connacht Senior titles, winning All-Stars in both 2006 and 2012 for his efforts. He'll be vying for one of the five seats up for grabs in the newly-formed Mayo constituency.
30 July 2016; Alan Dillon of Mayo during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 4B match between Westmeath and Mayo at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Billy O'Shea (Fine Gael) - Kerry
O'Shea is undoubtedly this list's most decorated GAA star. The auctioneer by trade has thrown his hat in the ring to take one of five open seats in the county for whom he delivered so much success.
O'Shea enjoyed a glittering Gaelic football career that began at minor level in 1990. Between 1990 and 1997 O'Shea would win Munster titles at all levels - minor, U21 and Senior. As well as reaching All-Ireland finals at all levels. While the underage All-Irelands might have escaped him, O'Shea would eventually reach the pinnacle of the sport with his 1997 All-Ireland final win.
Billy enjoyed similar success with his club Laune Rangers, winning four Kerry SFC titles, two Munster Club SFC titles and an impressive Club All-Ireland in 1996, meaning O'Shea has won both inter-county and club All-Irelands.
11 August 1996; Billy O'Shea of Kerry during the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final match between Mayo and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin.Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
John McNulty (Fine Gael) - Donegal
Donegal Ladies Football manager John McNulty will be hoping to solve Fine Gael's crisis zone in Donegal when he attempts to win one of the five seats up for grabs in the North West.
Unlike many of the other names on this list, McNulty is currently involved in intercounty sport as manager of the Donegal Ladies Senior Football team, a role the Kilcar man took on the role in November 2023 and started in January of this year.
23 June 2024; Donegal manager John McNulty during the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Senior Championship Round 3 match between Waterford and Donegal at Walsh Park in Waterford. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Paddy Holohan (Independent) - Dublin South West
Holohan was previously a member of Sinn Féin but will be trying to earn election to the Dáil as an independent in the 2024 General Election. Before getting involved in politics in Tallaght, Holohan was a prolific MMA fighter and went by the name Paddy 'Hooligan' Holohan.
The Irish MMA star competed in the sport's largest franchise the UFC between 2007 and his retirement in 2017, competing in the Featherweight division throughout.
Today the retired fighter runs his own MMA studio called Holohan Martial Arts in Greenhills Tallaght.
Philip Sutcliffe (Independent Ireland) - Dublin South-Central
Sutcliffe who won election to Dublin City Council earlier this year will now contest the four-seater Dublin South-Central constituency.
The former boxer represented Ireland at both the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games as well as winning four national boxing titles in Ireland, two at bantamweight and one each at light-flyweight and flyweight.
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