Thinking of booking a celebrity from the world of Rugby? Take a closer look at Rugby legend and MN2S talent Ronan O’Gara.
If it’s a celebrity with across the board appeal that you’re after for your next event, then Ronan O’Gara could be just the man for you. Not only will his impressive sporting prowess have sports fans hooked, but his dashing good looks and charm are sure to have the ladies in the room swooning too!
An accomplished Rugby Union player both domestically and internationally, O’Gara will have any audience eating out of his hand in no time, with the fascinating insights and anecdotes he can offer and the easy Irish charm with which he has been blessed.
Many audiences find the sportsmen and women particularly interesting public speakers, because of the singular drive and determination which is required to consistently perform as well as Ronan O’Gara has done. This makes rugby players and other sportsmen and women ideally positioned as motivational speakers; not only are they interesting but they’re also authoratative – audiences are more likely to sit up and pay attention to what they’re saying.
For the same reason, well known sports personalities are perfectly placed to endorse products or services, particularly those which are relevant to their day job. If you’re planning a product launch or press night, the introduction of a celebrity into the mix could help your event go with a bang, increase your coverage in the media and encourage consumers to buy into your brand in one fell swoop.
Keep reading to find out more about Ronan O’Gara and his astonishing career to date – plus why you should book him!
A young Ronan O’Gara
The Irish Rugby Union was not, in fact, born in Ireland, but was born in San Diego where his father was working at the time. The family moved back to the emerald isle when Ronan was just six months old, and he was raised in a suburb of Cork.
In his school days he excelled on the rugby field, and it was at the Presentation Brothers College that he first met Declan Kidney, a man who would go on to be a coach and mentor to the youngster playing both for Munster and Ireland.
Turning professional
After completing his education and graduating from University College Cork with a BA in Business Economics, Ronan O’Gara concentrated his efforts fully on his team; Munster.
Having first started for them two years previously, O’Gara began to make a name for himself as one of the team’s best Fly Halfs. In 2003 he played for the team in a match which came to be known by Munster fans as the Miracle Match.
A last minute conversion by the youngster helped the team to a 27 point victory against Gloucester and the quarter finals of the Heineken Cup – it cemented O’Gara’s name in the club’s history.
Later that year O’Gara turned down the opportunity to play for the Miami Dolphins, one of the biggest teams in the NFL, and instead chose to stay loyal to Munster – in fact, in almost two decades as a professional rugby player, O’Gara never left his first team.
During this time O’Gara was also earning caps for the Ireland rugby team and remained a solid point-scorer for the international side for much of his career. In 2008 he became captain of the Ireland rugby union team, and a year later overtook Johnny Wilkinson as the player who had scored the most points in the Six Nations tournament ever.
Retiring from the game
In May 2013, O’Gara confirmed that he would be retiring from playing rugby with the following statement:
“I have ambitions in the years ahead to coach at a high level and, with this in mind, I can confirm now that I will be joining Racing Métro’s coaching staff in July. I am trusting my instinct and it is telling me now is the appropriate time to stop. Had I already decided to retire before the loss in Montpellier last month? I kind of knew. My lads are gone. My boys in the team are gone.”
Since then he has continued to coach Racing 92, and in 2016 his contract was extended until at least 2019.
Talent agency London
If you’re looking for a celebrity speaker who’s ferociously loyal, fiercely intellectual and a lot of fun, then look no further – Ronan O’Gara is available to book for speaking engagements, endorsements and other appearances through us here at MN2S.
Rugby not really your thing? We’ve got plenty of other sports stars and celebrities of all stripes on the books, so get in touch to hire celebrity speakers who are perfect for your event.