“If you try to stay positive, that’s all that can happen”-Limerick legend O’Shaughnessy brave in the face of adversity

One of Limerick’s most talented forwards of all time, Andrew O’Shaughnessy’s inter-county career was cut short at the age of 24 when he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

His career will be one of the features in this years Laochra Gael series with “Shaughs’ Story airing on Wednesday 20^th March.

Pundit Arena’s Marisa Kennedy spoke to O’Shaughnessy at the launch of the Laochra Gael series to talk about his career, how he is dealing with his diagnosis and Limerick hurling.

The Kilmallock man outlined how he enjoyed the process of making the documentary, saying how emotional the whole process was.

“A lot of work goes into it that you wouldn’t see. It was good and really enjoyable. I thought it would a really long interview but time flies when you’re talking about yourself for three hours.

“(On being an emotional experience) Unfortunately, yes. I’m not an emotional person but apparently I am.”

“It’s very stuffy inside,” he laughs. “I don’t know. You wouldn’t really talk about it in front of a camera obviously. I suppose up close and personal, dark lights and an intimate setting that you wouldn’t normally be talking about it in.

“I was hoping they wouldn’t show it but they did.”

With the nature of the illness, many have jumped to the worse possible conclusion with regards O’Shaughnessy’s current health status.

However, he has remained positive in the face of adversity and describes his life as “normal”.

“Grand, yeah. I don’t think about it too much, my life is normal. That’s all you can do. If you worry about these things it’ll affect you. I try to put it in the back of my mind and don’t think about it too much.”

“I didn’t even check it up, I know there’s different strains of it. I’m on the least troublesome strain and I’ll stay on that as much as possible.

“If you actually think about it, I don’t want to sound petty or naive, but if you think about things too much they will affect you. But if you try to stay positive, that’s all that can happen.”

(On the other side of the illness) “There is of course, but again, it’s all relative. The medication is constantly improving so when people hear about MS (Multiple Sclerosis), they think about the nearest person who has MS and think ‘oh Jesus, he’s in a wheelchair or she’s in a wheelchair.’

“That’s not always the case. I was talking to Paul, who recorded the show for me and was talking to a good friend of mine from home last week and they said they met a fella talking about me and asking about my health.

“Obviously the answer was good, and then they asked ‘how’s he getting on with the wheelchair?’

“People just make up their own assumptions because they don’t know. Look, I know there’s people in worse case scenarios and I’m sorry for them and unfortunately, that’s just life. You just have to deal with whatever your dealt with.”

During his time on the field for Limerick, O’Shaughnessy would always stand out as a leader for his county.

And despite his short stature, O’Shaughnessy led from the front and he is trying to do the same for others who have been dealt a similar diagnosis.

“My nurse at the time when I first got diagnosed, she said that I appeared to be dealing with it quite well. She asked if she could pass on my number to anyone (who needs his help).

“Invariably, I’d say about 10 or 15 people have rang me for advice. I just try to give them a positive outlook. I’ve met a few people who have been diagnosed with it and they seem happy enough with what I said.

“I’m not being an advocate and saying I’m great case scenario. Fortunately, I seem to be dealing with it ok but not everyone’s the same and I appreciate that. If I can give them some bit of comfort or solace, that’s all well and good.”

O’Shaughnessy earned an All-Star in 2007 with a string of electric performances for Limerick as they reached a first All-Ireland final in 11 years (as did the 2018 crop).

However, he could not add a Celtic Cross to his trophy cabinet as Limerick ran into a Kilkenny side who would win a second consecutive Liam MacCarthy en route to 4-in-a-row.

Speaking ahead of this years All-Ireland championship, O’Shaughnessy says Limerick are well placed for another assault on the title, but cannot rest on their laurels.

“They’re All-Ireland champions. They deserve to be where they are. They’ve made the most impressive start in the league.

“It’s a long year yet, you’d be stupid to think they’d be miles ahead because last year’s championship, anyone could have won from the last six (teams).

“Small little things, Nickie Quaid’s save against Cork… Cork could have been in the All-Ireland final. Would they have won? They could have. They had a chance.

“Similarly enough, Clare hit the post against Galway. Every team is so even, that’s why the championship was so good last year.

There’s no standout teams, it’s just whoever gets the break on the day.”

Recently Shane Dowling spoke about the pressures of playing in Croke Park, something O’Shaughnessy acknowledges with an anecdote from Limerick’s appearance their in ’07.

(On Dowling’s comments) “100%. I remember in the warm-up (before the 2007 All-Ireland final) and in a certain part of the drill, one of the lads turned around to me and I was saying, ‘come on, do what you’re supposed to do.’

“And he said to me, ‘here I don’t know what’s going on,’ and he was going out and playing.

“Obviously you get caught up in the emotion of the day. They did as well to a certain extent but at the same time, they were focused and they had a better bit of structure to it in their organisation prior to it.”

The confidence displayed by such a Limerick side last year was noticeable to all and the Kilmallock man was quick to point out the importance of remaining focused at all junctures.

“There’s a thin line between confidence and arrogance and I definitely think they’re on the right side of confidence this year. The confidence comes from their training methods and what they’ve practised.

“Even having (sports psychologist) Caroline Currid in with them doing the psychological aspect.

“That all goes towards your attitude and outlook and belief that you’re going to win. If you don’t go out believing that you’re going to win, you’re not going to win.

“That’s the one thing they had, they had a goal and a focus. They remained committed throughout the year and it paid dividends.”

When asked about the biggest threat to Limerick this year, O’Shaughnessy was clear in his answer.

“Limerick. Any team you go out, well this is obviously only my own viewpoint, if you don’t perform to your own ability, to the best of your ability, you think you’ve arrived at a destination where you think you’re fantastic but if you don’t develop, improve, you’re always going to be the biggest factor.

“You’re told from U14 up that the only team that’s going to beat ye is yourselves and invariably, it is. While it’s a cliche, it’s probably true.”

Andrew O’Shaughnessy was speaking to Pundit Arena’s Marisa Kennedy at the launch of this years Laochra Gael which begins airing on Wednesday 20^th February on TG4.