Behind the Player: Keelin Brady

In our series, Behind the Player in association with Deloitte, Ulster’s Women players share a little bit about themselves, as well as recommendations for coping during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This week, Ulster Rugby spoke to Railway Union RFC and Ulster second row, Keelin Brady. 

Tell us a little about your rugby pathway to date.

I came from a family which loved sport; my dad and brother played rugby. I started out paying Gaelic football and camogie. I’d be watching my brother playing and watching on the sidelines at Virginia RFC, and people would ask me, “would you not join? We have a girls’ team.” I went to one training session after being pestered by my parents to go, and I remember we were training on the main pitch and I loved it. I played for three years at underage level at Virginia and we had great success winning leagues and a cup. It laid the foundation for me and nurtured my love of the game. That’s where my passion grew.

Off the back of that success, I was chosen to play for Ulster U18s. The first year I played was the year we won the Inter-Pros in 2016. I played another year for the U18s and I was chosen to be vice-captain, so that was another great year for me. I just started off my rugby career in a really strong team and the girls were fantastic; it paved the way for me. When I finished playing for the Ulster U18s, it was around the time I got my Leaving Certs and went off to college. I applied for a college in Kildare and got a sport scholarship, so I played with the club in Kildare, MU Barnhall for two years, before pushing myself further and getting in contact with John Cronin at Railway Union and joining up with them. This is my second season playing there and I’m now in the Ulster senior squad. I’ve come through the ranks and really enjoying it.

Who have been your main influences in your rugby career?

There have been so many! Starting out at Virginia, it was such a family atmosphere and when my brother played, my dad coached him then when I started playing, dad coached me! I made friends for life at Virginia and the coaches there, Dessie Higgins, Ivor Fannin, Pat Mullen and my dad, Hugh Brady – I better mention him – were such a huge influence on me and made me the player I am today. I’d have to hand them that!

The lads up at Ulster – Suff (Derek Suffern), Pops (Neill Alcorn) and Diesel (Paul Heasley) have always been pushing us to be the best we can be and have been great influences at such a high level when I was thrown in at the deep end at age 18!

Our Ulster U18 coaches, Charlie Farrell, Zoe Faloon, Jemma Jackson and Davy Chambers were very good to me when I started off in the squad. They were fantastic mentors.

At Railway Union, John Cronin, Andy (Adams), Blaise (Kenny), Jude (Cleary) and all the people at the club have been a fantastic support. I’m only in my second season at Railway, so it has been great to rely on them to push me in the right direction.

What barriers have you had to overcome to reach this point?

What have you been up to in the last few months?

For the first few months, I definitely relaxed for a while and wasn’t doing much! It was nice to get a bit of a break after all the travel, rugby and college. I didn’t have much time to myself before, so I was chilling out for a bit! Everyone went through the phases, and so did I. I was baking brownies and cookies for a while. I’ve got a 12-year-old golden retriever and he was getting walked every single day. I was doing little home projects too and kept busy. Now, getting back to rugby has been a great help to get back to some kind of normality. I was looking forward to training so much and now I’m dying to get back onto the pitch. I don’t think many people agree with me but the time flew – I can’t believe it’s September already! Hopefully the season is starting back soon.

How do you stay motivated?

What have you been doing to stay fit – any tips you can share?

I was out walking my dog, and Gaelic was back before rugby was, so I was back training but it felt completely new – I’d forgotten half the rules! I’m fortunate to have a home gym at home so I’ve been motivating myself to put my head down and get the workouts done. Coming back to pre-season, it’s been easier to get back into the swing of things and get strong again.

What about any healthy eating advice? What’s the best meal you’ve made at home?

I don’t know if I’d have good advice! My eating can be up-and-down, especially during lockdown. Now I’ve tried to be a lot better. I’m quite good at cooking food for myself so tracking what I eat is easier. I’ve started using apps – there’s loads of information out there – like MyFitnessPal – to track my nutrition and get ready for matches. I’d just say to do your research, really!

What do you do to relax?  

Exercise would be a big part of my life and I’d have to make sure I have a bit of ‘me’ time to relax and unwind. I love music and watching Netflix; having a bit of down-time. Going out for walks with the dog is a nice way to relax and get back into yourself.

Have you got any streaming or book recommendations?

I’ve watched and re-watched so many programmes and films! I’d watch the likes of “Glee”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, something that is long enough for me to not run out of!

What has been the best advice you’ve received?

My parents would be the main influences on my rugby pathway, and one of the things they would say to me is that there’s nothing I can’t do, as long as I put my mind to it, work hard for it and want it enough. They would say that to me regardless of what my situation was. That has really resonated with me.

What have been your proudest moments in rugby?

From the glory days in Virginia to playing senior level, I’ve had a few! One that stood out the most was was vice-captain of the Ulster U18s in my second year in the squad. Our first game was against Connacht which was played at home in Virginia. It was an honour to play at home and have my family and club family all around me.

Another special time was my first AIL match with Railway Union at age 18. My parents were with me then as well and it was a great privilege. Through Railway Union, I also got the opportunity to play rugby in Canada for a summer, which I loved.

Of course, getting my first senior cap for Ulster was a fantastic moment. It was great to have the honour of playing for my province and putting on my jersey for the first time. It was something I’ll never forget.

Do you have a pre-match song you always listen to?

There isn’t a particular song, but I have a pre-match playlist that I throw on, put the headphones in and get into the zone. I’m one of those people who likes to listen to music before matches to get myself into the right headspace.

What are your rugby aspirations?

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