Local golfer earns European U18 Championships call-up
St Patrick’s College student just finished Transition Year.
There was great news for one young Cavan sports star this week when 16-year-old Aodhagán Brady was selected to represent Ireland at the European U18 Championships in Germany in two weeks’ time.
Killeshandra man Aodhagán, a former Drumlane Gaelic football player, received the call-up for the prestigious event, which takes place at Golf Club St Leon-Rot in Heidelberg from July 5-10 next. The Cavan golfer will be part of a six-man Irish team who take on the best in Europe and fly out on July 2.
Aodhagán is a member of Co Sligo Golf Club and the Slieve Russell Golf Club. He started playing golf at the age of nine with his cousins in Sligo and has retained his handicap at that club, whom he has represented with distinction in club competitions.
Son of Nuala and Hugh, the St Patrick’s College student, who has just finished Transition Year, was previously selected to represent Ireland at U16 level in the 2020/21 season but missed out when their competitions were cancelled due to pandemic restrictions at the time.
“Unfortunately, he didn’t get to play any events because all the events were cancelled due to Covid,” explained father Hugh.
“It’s all the sweeter now to get his Irish cap. He was disappointed to have missed out back then.”
Aodhagán’s form has been stellar in recent months as he has taken the leap into adult men’s competition.
He has won the Connacht Close Championship in the past and secured a top-20 finish in the Connacht U16 Open last year.
This year, he finished in the top 20 in the Irish Amateur, a highly prestigious event which attracts the cream of amateur golf from Ireland, the UK and further afield and was won by Colin Campbell from Warrenpoint.
Aodhagán was also in the top 20 in the Connacht Strokeplay in Portumna and performed very well in the famous West of Ireland Championship at Easter and last September.
“Right from the beginning he loved the game and he seemed to be able to learn the basics very quickly,” said Hugh.
“He had a full handicap when he was about 10 years of age. He started off at around 20, that was the highest he ever was and he’s down to plus-four now.”
Having been coached early on by his uncle Terry Brady, Aodhagán is now under the tutelage of renowned coach Shane O’Grady from the Black Bush club in Dunshaughlin, who counts Leona Maguire among his protogés.
When he was about 12 or 13 he started being coached by Shane O’Grady at the Black Bush club in Dunshaughlin.
The call-up to the Irish squad for the European Championships was based on his excellent form of late.
“There was an Order of Merit set up for the selection process. Because of his results, he was in the top five.
“We would have been disappointed had he not been selected but at the same time, you don’t take anything for granted until the team captain rings you up to say you’re selected and of course when he got that call, he was thrilled.”