Munster Rugby v Scarlets Match Programme

“I CAN SEE
EXACTLY WHY
HE IS WHERE HE
IS NOW”
When Craig Casey entered the fray during the
63rd minute at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome
to make his senior Ireland debut, there were
plenty of people back in Limerick and Munster
bursting with pride.
In normal times, friends and family would
have travelled to the Eternal City to mark the
occasion but that didn’t diminish the moment
or the achievement as those involved in Casey’s
development reflect on the scrum-half’s rise to
international rugby.
Gerry Casey is in the unique position of not only
being Craig’s father but he also played a major
role in his development as he coached his son
during the early days out in Coonagh with
Shannon RFC and also in Ardscoil Rís where
his son represented the school at Junior and
Senior Cup level.
Gerry, who is a Rugby Development Officer
(RDO) with the province, explains it’s difficult
to remember a time when Craig wasn’t running
around the pitches out in Coonagh with a
ball in hand, the love of the sport was clearly
demonstrated by his son from an early age.
“Like any Dad, it’s great when any of your
children have an interest that you have. From
day dot, Craig was running around with a ball.
As usual, going out to Coonagh, because you’re
involved in rugby, you’re asked to give a hand.
I started with the Minis and Craig wanted to go
out when he was really young so he was running
around having a ball!”
Former Shannon scrum-half and club captain
Fiach O’Loughlin recalls seeing a young Craig
“always with a ball” during his playing days and
it comes as no surprise to the Munster Rugby
Coach & Player Development Officer that the
21-year-old has arrived at the international stage.
Shannon, as Fiach explains, also provided a
nurturing environment for Casey to develop
from a young age.
“It’s absolutely brilliant. I think Craig had over
100 Dads, not just Gerry when he was growing
up. He was like a kid to all of us from being
around all the time. Shannon is such a fantastic
club like that. The minute your four-year-old or
five-year-old boy or girl goes in there, you’re
part of a family straight away. That rugby family
is second to none.”
In the Casey household and the wider family,
there would have been no shortage of role
models for Craig to look up to. His father was a
talented rugby player in his own right while his
uncle, Mossy Lawler, represented Munster on
65 occasions. His mother, Sinead, represented
Ireland in gymnastics while his sister, Aimee,
also received national honours in gymnastics.
This environment and also the fact that Casey
analysed the sport from an early age are two
28 WWW.MUNSTERRUGBY.IE