'That was a surreal experience, seeing heroes like Aoife Wafer and getting to train with her'

Ireland U20s out-half Kate Flannery.

IT COMES IN handy for Kate Flannery that she’s the youngest of three Tipp siblings playing high-level rugby.

The older of her two brothers, Jake, made 12 appearances for Ulster last season. Alan, meanwhile, two years younger than Jake at 23, plays AIL Division 1A ball with Shannon.

“They’ve been class,” beams Kate, 20.

But especially helpful is the fact that she and Jake share a position, out-half, from where Kate will look to shine for Ireland U20s when they kick off their summer Six Nations against England in Parma this day next week.

“He’s been so helpful,” Flannery says of Ulster 10 Jake, who will battle with new recruit Aidan Morgan for the northern province’s starting berth next season.

“Even just doing the odd kicking session with me and even just seeing how resilient and motivated he’s been. That’s transferred to me and he’s taught me a lot on and off the pitch.

“It’s so handy when it comes to review. I’ll send him a few clips and say, ‘What do you think of this? What can I improve here?’ and vice versa, so it’s really nice to have that support.”

While Jake himself played for the Ireland U20s in 2019 and Alan played age-grade rugby for the Flannerys’ native province, Munster, Kate already holds one distinction over her brothers in the siblings’ chosen sport: she’s an AIL champion.

Kate steered the ship expertly last month as UL Bohs claimed their first title since 2018. That her crowning moment to date played out at the Aviva Stadium only accentuated the joy, and it resurfaces instantly as soon as the topic is broached.

“It was amazing, genuinely,” Flannery says. “When I think about that day, it just brings a smile to my face.

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“Getting to play at the Aviva for the first time ever, having the crowd there.

“Since then, it gives you confidence when you come into camp to be more comfortable in yourself. You’re not afraid to express yourself.”

Flannery was eight years old when she began playing rugby with boys in Kilfeacle RFC, a 10-minute drive from the family home Bansha. The nearest girls’ team was Fethard, half an hour away, and it would have required a separate car-drop from her brothers on Saturday mornings, so Flannery made do for a few years until she began to take rugby more seriously.

She also became a serious GAA player: she played U16 camogie and minor football with Tipp, talents which created their own crossroads in her mid-teens when she was also playing underage rugby with Munster.

“I had so many great experiences playing rugby and I just loved it and it made me happy,” Flannery says. “I thought that might be the right decision.”

She hasn’t looked back much, going on to represent Ireland U18s, and now U20s, in the oval-ball game. But Flannery’s experiences in playing for representative teams in both camogie and football inform much of her approach to representing Ireland in her preferred sport.

“There are a lot of people who you wouldn’t know – or you’d know from playing against them but you’ve never talked to them before,” Flannery says of joining Niamh Briggs’ 20s squad ahead of their Six Nations.

“Once you go into camp, there’s a lot of time where you’re on — training and things like that. But there’s a lot of off-time as well between meetings.

“Even at lunch, you kind of just find yourself sitting with people you haven’t talked to before, you’ll ask them where they’re from and how they got into playing rugby as well, and why they want to succeed in it.

“And as well, when we’re staying for overnight camps, they pick your roommates and you’d normally be with someone who you haven’t met before.”

Is there anyone who she knew only from playing against who turned out to be more sound than she expected?

“Ah, there’s a few!” Flannery laughs.

I’d say Clara Barrett (Ballina RFC/Connacht). She’s definitely one of my best friends now and I hate playing against her, but now that I’ve gotten to know her, I kind of know what she’s going to do when I’m playing against her, so that’s quite funny.

Flannery has equally gotten a chance to become familiar with what her awaits her if she graduates from U20s level.

Earlier this year, she was one of a few underage players who were called up by Scott Bemand to join his Ireland senior team’s training camp ahead of their own Six Nations.

Flannery says:

That was such a surreal experience, seeing the likes of these heroes like Aoife Wafer and getting to train with her day to day.

“I think it was a good experience just to see what the standard was like, how professional it is, how much you have to just dial in. It’s a different standard to what you’d be used to.

“When you’re seeing it from the outside, you never know what it’s like but when you’re inside there, you see the hard work, everyone’s undeniable motivation.

“It’s crazy. How everyone acts; it teaches you that if you’re 15 minutes early, you’re nearly late.”

Flannery and her teammates will look to make the right impression when their Six Nations begins in Parma next Thursday.

England v Ireland, Thursday, 4 July, kick-off 5:30pm (Six Nations YouTube channel)

Ireland v Italy, Tuesday, 9 July, kick-off 9am (Six Nations YouTube channel)

Ireland v Scotland, Sunday, 14 July, kick-off 9am (Six Nations YouTube channel)