Kearney off the market as new girlfriend is revealed

Rob Kearney’s reported new girlfriend, Jess Redden

One of this area’s most eligible bachelors, Rob Kearney, is off the market and has been for a year, according to a report in today’s Herald.

The newspaper has revealed that the 28-year-old rugby star has been dating “blonde bombshell” Jess Redden for the last year.

A native of Dundrum, Jess is 21 and has reportedly been seen with the Ireland and Leinster full back in a number of Dublin pubs and restaurants.

Kearney, who last month launched his new Ballsbridge-based bar The Bridge 1859 with younger brother David and team-mates Jamie Heaslip and Sean O’Brien, is said to have kept the relationship under wraps for some time but is now more open about it.

The Willville man had previously dated English actress Susie Amy for three years before they split in 2012.

Rob’s younger brother Dave also recently split with his girlfriend of two years, model Hayley Ryan.

Work begins on Kearney brothers’ Dublin 4 pub

Work is underway at Bellamy’s at present to get it ready for its opening

The Kearney brothers – Rob and Dave – have moved a step closer to becoming publicans after it was revealed that work has begun on the D4 pub which the pair have purchased along with their Leinster and Ireland teammates Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip.

The quartet had a €1.35m offer for Bellamy’s pub in Ballsbridge accepted in February with Rob Kearney revealing on Twitter earlier this week that “work is under way in Ballsbridge, exciting times ahead!”

Reports earlier in the summer suggested that the players hoped to have the pub open in September following refurbishment.

The name of the bar will change, with Heaslip and Kearney encouraging people to guess the new name for the pub via Twitter with the hashtag #guessourpubname.

A prize of four tickets to a Leinster home match and four invites and a bottle of champagne to the opening have also been offered up for those who guess correctly.

The public house is located just a stone’s throw from the Aviva Stadium and also close to the RDS, right in the heartland of rugby in Dublin’s southside.

 

Kearney brothers become publicans

Last night’s announcement from The Grafton Lounge

The Kearney brothers, Rob and David, are well known for the exploits on the rugby field but they are also set to become known as publicans after taking over Bellamy’s pub in Ballsbridge.

The news was officially announced last night by The Grafton Lounge, who have purchased the Dublin 4 boozer with the Kearney’s and their Leinster team-mates Jamie Heaslip and Sean O’Brien.

A major refurbishment is planned towards the end of this month, with the hope being that the pub can be opened by September – just in time for the new rugby season.

Reports suggested in March that the Leinster and Ireland quartet had bid more than €1m for the pub along with Dublin publican Noel Anderson. It had gone on the market for €825,000 but the selling price is reported to be around €1.35m.

The pub is located just a stone’s throw from the Aviva Stadium and also close to the RDS, right in the heartland of rugby in Dublin’s southside.

Kearney nominated for Six Nations Player of the Championship

Rob Kearney with Today FM’s Ray D’Arcy on his visit to the station this morning

Ireland full back Rob Kearney is one of 16 players who have been shortlisted for the RBS Six Nations Player of the Championship.

Players were shortlisted based on a points system from each of the games this year. You can vote for your favourite here before voting closes at midnight on Wednesday March 19^th.

As wekk as the Willville man, others shortlisted include Brian O’Driscoll, Jamie Heaslip, Cian Healy and Johnny Sexton.

The winner will be announced on Friday.

Meanwhile, Kearney will be back in Cooley tomorrow when he will be visiting his Willville home and maybe a few local business premises.

In an interview with Today FM this morning, the former Cooley Kickhams man was also asked would he line out for Louth for the rest of their National League campaign.

His response was: “Maybe not this year but I miss Gaelic hugely.”

Kearney set to sign new Leinster deal within days

Dave Kearney and his older brother Rob celebrate Leinster’s Heineken Cup success at Twickenham in May 2012

Rugby star Dave Kearney is expected to commit his future to Leinster by signing a two-year contract later this week.

Following on from the IRFU securing deals for teammates Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip, Willville man Kearney – who started his first Six Nations game against Scotland on Sunday – is next in line to put pen to paper on a new deal with the province.

The 24-year-old winger confirmed he would be staying in a pre-match press conference yesterday ahead of Ireland’s crunch Six Nations clash with Wales on Saturday.

“It’s pretty much sorted now,” he said.

“I’m going to look to get in now in the next couple of days and sign up.

“I’m really happy. It is obviously where I want to play and where I want to be,” he said.

Kearney in line for first Irish cap after being named on subs bench for Samoa match

Dave Kearney, pictured training with the Irish squad at Carton House in September, will be hoping to win his first Irish cap on Saturday

Dave Kearney is in line for his first Ireland cap after being named amongst the replacements for the clash with Samoa on Saturday at the Aviva Stadium.

The Leinster winger will be hopeful of coming off the bench at some stage of the Guinness Series tie, which will be new coach Joe Schmidt’s first game in charge.

Dave’s older brother Rob was named in the starting 15, as expected, with the duo set to replicate their lining out for the national anthem alongside each other from early 2012.

The team for the clash with Samoa is as follows:

R Kearney; T Bowe, B O’Driscoll, G D’Arcy, F McFadden; P Jackson, C Murray; J McGrath (1st cap), R Best, M Ross; M McCarthy, D Toner; P O’Mahony, C Henry, J Heaslip.

Replacements: S Cronin; C Healy; D Fitzpatrick; P O’Connell; S O’Brien; E Reddan; I Madigan; D Kearney (1st cap).

Related articles

• Dave Kearney one of three uncapped players named in Irish squad for Guinness Series (talkofthetown.ie)
• Kearney brothers show their support for O’Driscoll (talkofthetown.ie)
• Kearney’s got style… Lifestyle! (talkofthetown.ie)

Thousands turn out to meet the Leinster team in Dundalk

A section of the crowd that turned up to see Leinster train

An estimated 3,000 people turned out at the Mill Road this morning to see the Leinster team in their open training session in Dundalk.

Fans, both young and old, lined the ground as the likes of Brian O’Driscoll, Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip and Ian Madigan were put through their paces.

Also in attendance were local heroes David and Rob Kearney, who of course hail from nearby Willville in Carlingford. They were the main focus for many and got a little closer to home later that day when the team went on to the Ballymascanlon Hotel for some refreshments.

David and Rob Kearney are interviewed by LMFM’s Pat O’Shaughnessy

Some of the Leinster players after training in the Ballymascanlon House Hotel

Leinster set to train in Dundalk this Thursday

David and Rob Kearney, who both started out with Dundalk, will make a return to the Mill Road with the province on Thursday

Just a reminder to all rugby fans that the Leinster squad will be in Dundalk this Thursday for an open training session in the build-up to their match with Ulster in Ravenhill the following day.

The session at the Mill Road will commence at 11am and will last approximately 45-60 minutes followed by autograph and photo opportunities with the squad.

As well as getting to meet the likes of Jamie Heaslip, Brian O’Driscoll and Ian Madigan, the session will mark a return to the club of brothers Rob and David Kearney who commenced their rugby career with Dundalk RFC.