Prop : Cian Healy, Andrew Porter, Dave Kilcoyne, Denis Buckley – LH

Tadgh Furlong, Tom O Toole, Roman Salanoa, Finlay Bealham,  – TH

Hooker– Dan Sheehan, Ronan Kelliher, Tom Stewart-HKR

Second Row– James Ryan, Tadgh Beirne, Joe Mc Carthy, Kieran Treadwell, Ryan Baird-SR

Back Row– Peter O Mahony, Josh Van Der Flier, Caelan Doris, Jack Conan, Gavin Coombes, John Hodnett (22)

Backs – Scrum Half– Conor Murray, Craig Casey, John Cooney, Caelan Blade

Out Half – Jonathan Sexton, Ross Byrne, Jack Crowley

Centre– Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Antoine Frisch, Stuart Mc Closkey

Full Back / Wing– Shane Daly, Robert Balacounne, Calvin Nash, James Lowe, Jimmy O Brien, Mike Lowry, Mack Hansen, Hugo Keenan – (20)

As people will see, I have gone with an equal split between forwards and backs for the beginning of training and preparations for the 2023 World Cup.

I realise injury may intervene with some of these selections and I am also short of the allowed 45 players to be trimmed back to 33 to go to France. I am leaving it free as I am sure Andy Farrell will have a few players in around the squad as preparations ramp up.  This is only my selection. I am sure I have missed plenty of players.

15 Hugo Keenan

14 Mack Hansen

13 Garry Ringrose

12 Gael Fickou

11 Damian Penaud

10 Jonathan Sexton

9 Antoine Dupont

8 Caelan Doris

7 Josh Van Der Flier

6 Peter O Mahony

5 James Ryan

4 Thibault Flaminet

3 Unini Antonio

2 Dan Sheehan

1 Andrew Porter

Here is my team of the Championship, A 4^th Grand Slam won after 1948, 2009, 2018 and 2023. Ireland are now officially the best side in the world heading to France next September.

Time to celebrate this success and enjoy the moment, these Championship wins are so seldom.

The World Cup can wait but rest assured this group will do everything possible to break another well known hodoo but that’s for another day. Soak it in and enjoy !! Ireland are the Grand Slam Champions for 2023. Say it quietly and often we may just bring another piece of Gold home from France next Autumn. Just whisper it of course….

Prop : Cian Healy, Andrew Porter, Denis Buckley – LH

Tadgh Furlong, Finlay Bealham, Jack Aungier – TH

Hooker : Ronan Kelleher, Dan Sheehan, Tom Stewart

Second Row : James Ryan, Tadgh Beirne, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird

Back Row : Peter O Mahony, Josh Van Der Flier, Gavin Coombes, John Hodnett, Caelan Doris. (18)

Backs :

Scrum Halves: Conor Murray, Craig Casey, Jamison Gibson Park

Out Half: Jonathan Sexton, Ross Byrne, Jack Crowley

Centre: Garry Ringrose, Stuart Mc Closkey, Antoine Frisch, Jamie Osbourne

Wing/Full Back: Jordan Larmour, Shane Daly, Hugo Keenan, Jimmy O Brien, Michael Lowry, John Porch (16)

Here is the squad I would select to take on Wales in Round 1 of this year’s 6 Nations.

This week will mark 6 years since Mother passed away on September 10^th. It’s amazing that we are now back at the point where it will mark the exact days on the 7^th and 10^th as it did in 2016. I realise this will happen as the years go on but it also shows how time is moving on. 

In the last 6 years I have moved on and although I have changed my approach to life I feel that when I smile it is real. To anyone who has lost a family member or friend you will know what that lost feeling  is in the years after. You go through many stages and it does take a number of years to find your feet again.

I am still crabby fucker from time to time but I’d like to think that some of Mother’s qualities have been passed on and in the last few years I have been told I sound similar and look like you. The one thing that I have become adept at is looking after myself, cooking is still a weak point but that is slowly changing…

The things I never bothered with or in certain people’s opinion I was spoiled by you and in most respects this is true but it certainly is not the case since you passed away. 

Your decision to be an organ donor has come back into view since well-known campaigner Jillian Mc Nulty received that magical call that a donor had been found a few weeks ago. She is thankfully on the road to recovery as I type.

Some characters from Tarbert have joined you in the past few months and I am sure all got a warm reception from you. It’s been a hell of a journey since you exited stage left on September 10^th.  As I say I am getting better at moving on and other stuff you’d hoped I have done before you passed away but better late than never I suppose. One or two other things to get sorted in the next while and It will be full steam ahead.

I hope I haven’t let you down and if I have I am sorry, I am trying very hard to improve myself and live the life you wanted me to. It would be nice on the odd occasion to actually have you here rather than having to look to the heavens and wait for divine inspiration to help answer certain questions.

This is the 6^th memorial piece and I sit in the same spot writing this as I did on that Wednesday evening when I was called to help… Thank you for looking out for me in the past 6 years and you’ll hopefully do so as the years go on. I will do my best not to let you down.

To all who have lost family or friends this past year my condolences, take each day as it comes and the pain will ease I assure you…. Mind yourselves….

Shannon O Connell

Hi Shannon, It’s great to have the chance to speak with you about your career to date…

Can you take me back to the start and explain how you got into boxing ?

I got in to boxing when I was 20. My grandparents took me down to a local gym where the owner used to race alongside my dad before he died and I soon got hooked. At that point in my life I was starting to make bad decisions so it was perfect timing and I’m definitely one of those cases

What sort of a diet do you follow when preparing for a fight ?

When I’m in camp I try and just fuel my body fir what I’m doing. I do most of my training early in the day so I have carbs for breakfast and my bigger meal for lunch and just try stick to protein and a light dinner. 

I know you have had a tough childhood, can you tell me about your upbringing ?

When I was 2 years old my dad died in a speedway accident. My mum turned to drugs (heroin) to cope with her grief so I grew up from a very young age around that scene. We had all types of people coming in and out of our house and we moved a lot. My mum didn’t really take drugs as a party scene, it was more to take away the pain so she wasn’t often sober and attempted suicide more than once when I was young. 

You’re a mother to three kids, what do they think of Mammy boxing for a living ?

I have 3 kids now, a 16 year old boy Cooper, 14 year old girl Taylor and a 3 year old boy Felix. My son (Cooper) has been my rock through a lot of my career and I remember when I was pregnant with Felix he begged me not to retire saying that he would do home schooling so that he could look after the baby while I train lol. My kids have been around if their entire life so I guess they don’t know any different but I would like to think that I’m teaching them that if you want something bad enough in life that hard work will get you there. 

Where did the nickname “shotgun” come from ?

My amateur coach gave me the name Shotgun. He was watching from home while I was fighting at the world championships in 2010 and you couldn’t see the fight just the scores changing and he just came up with it at the time and it stuck since then. 

What are your views on social media, is it a help or hindrance ?

Social media has definitely been a good thing for boxing and sport in general to get athletes of all levels recognised for what they’re doing. 

You have called out fellow Australian Ebanie “Blonde Bomber” Bridges, do you think this fight will happen and if so when and where ?

Yes, the fight with Ebanie Bridges for her IBF World title will be happening only next month. Exact details on location and date are still being negotiated but the fight is happening which is awesome news. 

Away from training, how do you like to relax and get away from things ?

Away from boxing I really love spending quality time with my kids and giving them the life experiences and fun times that I never had as a child. 

Lastly Shannon, with surname like O Connell, is there any Irish blood in the family ?

Hahaha the Irish question I get that a lot. My dad was born in England and I believe that his great grandfather was Irish. The name Shannon is Irish too but funnily enough my mum just always liked the name. 

Thank you so much for taking the time out to chat with me Shannon, I really appreciate it, all the very best next month….

Forwards – 24

Prop – Andrew Porter, Denis Buckley, Josh Wycherley, Cian Healy LH

Tadgh Furlong, Tom O Toole, John Ryan, Findlay Bealham – TH

Dave Heffernan, Dan Sheehan, Ronan Kelleher – Hooker

James Ryan, Ross Molony, Jean Kleyn, Ryan Baird, Joe Mc Carthy, Ian Henderson- SR

Peter O Mahony, Josh Van Der Flier, Jack O Donghue, Jack Conan, Gavin Coombes, Caelan Doris, Nick Timoney – BR

Backs – 21

Craig Casey, Neil Doak, Conor Murray, Jamison Gibson Park – SH

Jonathan Sexton, Jack Carty, Joey Carbery, Ben Healy – FH

Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Stuart Mc Closkey, James Hume- Centre

Keith Earls, James Lowe, Robert Balcounne, Jordan Larmour- Wing

Andrew Conway, Michael Lowry, Hugo Keenan, Jimmy O Brien- Full Back

Here is the squad I would select to tour New Zealand in July. They play New Zealand in 3 Tests and then play New Zealand Maori in 2 mid-week games.