Jack O’Shea: The heart of a handball champion

WITH his face firmly pressed against the glass wall of the Glenbeigh Handball Court, six year old Jack O’Shea looked on in awe as local player Tom Lynch and Noel Raymond from Tralee, both Gladiators in his childish mind, battled it out for top honours in a game of agility, passion and speed. Racing through his mind was the dream that one day he could also stand in this court and take on the best players in Kerry as a packed balcony showered him with accolades and praise.

His attendance at all games in the Glenbeigh Complex attracted the attention of two teenage players, Dominick Lynch and John Joe Quirke, who quickly realised the passion and interest O’Shea was showing for handball. They brought him along to their championship games all over Munster and held regular coaching session with the young protégée.

With natural talent, fitness and a desire to learn all aspects of handball, O’Shea quickly mastered the sport and at just nine years of age qualified for his first Munster championship in the Under 12 category.

“While I enjoyed the sport as a child my progress was relatively slow and uneventful. I won no major competitions but felt, even at that young age, that I would taste success in future years. I was hooked on the sport and with the encouragement of Tom Lynch, father of Dominick and Anthony, and others in the club I applied myself to training and competition. I enjoyed the camaraderie and the ethos of the club and I knew this is where I wanted to be,” Jack said.

However when success eventually came to O’Shea, it came in spades. In a short number of years he won 15 Munster titles, the first in 2013 when he won the 40x20 Junior B Doubles title. This victory was the catalysis for further glory and success that catapulted him to All-Ireland glory and a place among the elite handballers in Ireland.

In a glittering career from 2013 to 2020, O’Shea won six All Ireland titles. The first was in 2013 when he teamed up with Colm O Luing (Gaeltacht) in the 40x20 Junior B Doubles final. He went on to win the 2015 Junior B 60x30 Singles title, the 60x30 Junior A Singles title in 2017, All-Ireland One Wall in 2017, the 40x20 Junior A Doubles with Rory O’Connor (Glenbeigh) in 2018 and the 2019 Junior Singles Hardball title. He also added three Irish National title to that list and finished runner up in five All Ireland finals.

The greatest honour for any sportsman is to represent their Country and that honour was bestowed on O’Shea in 2015 and 2018.

“Playing for Ireland is the highlight of my sporting career to date. In 2015 the World Handball championships were hosted by Canada. I was delighted to come home with a silver medal and an invaluable learning curve in International competition. In 2018 the World championships were held in America. I won the 40x20 title and then picked up a silver medal in the One Wall final despite some tough competition. This was a massive honour for me and for Glenbeigh. The 2021 World championships are in Dublin and hopefully I will be taking part in the Over 35 events with my club mate, friend and mentor John Joe Quirke.”

Currently Jack is busy preparing for these championships. His gruelling regime includes training in Glenbeigh Handball Court five nights a week with gym work in Milltown on two nights and running on Rossbeigh Beach at weekends.

One medal that has eluded the talented and modest Glenbeigh star is an All Ireland Club championship medal.

“This is a very special competition as it’s club based with teams of four. Glenbeigh won four Munster titles and we reached two All Ireland finals in 2015 and again in 2018. We also reached two All Ireland semi finals. Hopefully in 2021 we can finally win this prestigious title.”

A talented all-round sportsman, O’Shea was a member of the Glenbeigh/Glencar team that won the All Ireland Junior football title in 2017.

“Handball for me is a passion. It’s a sport that should be played in all schools and community centres. It gives players the opportunity to sample one of Ireland’s oldest sports and provides a fun element that is so vital in all sports. Playing handball dramatically improves fitness and the fine and gross motor skills of the participants. Concentration levels soar, an improvement of hand and eye coordination and these translate to other aspects of life. There is also the added dimension of social interaction between players from different regions.”

Handball in Kerry is in safe hands…the hands of Jack O’Shea.