Five Irish underage head coaches reappointed, as Kelleher steps away after 20 years

Basketball Ireland’s Elite Performance Committee (EPC) has reappointed five of its six Irish underage coaches. Paul Kelleher has elected to step away from international coaching, following 20 years with the Irish underage set-up, most recently with the U16 men’s team.

Tommy Walsh and Karl Kilbride remain with the U20 men's and women's teams, at U18 level Tommy O’Mahony stays as women’s head coach and Niall Berry is the men’s head coach. Paul O’Brien takes charge of the U16 women again.

Paul O'Brien gives teamtalk to the Ireland U16 women's squad during the 2024 U16 Four Nations, hosted at the National Basketball Arena.

Paul O’Brien, who recently returned to Cumann Cispheile Mhaigh Cuilinn as head coach of their Men’s Division 1 team, following a three season stint with University of Galway Mystics, will go into his second season as head coach of the Irish U16 women, having also been an assistant coach for a season. 

“I'm honoured to have been reappointed to coach the U16 women's national team. I want to thank the EPC for having the trust in me to lead this group into the FIBA Youth EuroBasket tournament in 2025. I'm really excited to start again with a new group of players and to see what will unfold”, O’Brien said.

SETU Waterford Wildcats head coach Tommy O’Mahony, is the longest serving current Irish underage head coach, having been with the U18 women since 2015.

Speaking of his reappointment, O’Mahony stated:  “It is always a privilege to get the opportunity to coach your country and this year is no different. There are lots of talented players at this age group and we are eager to get started.”

Tommy O'Mahony has been head coach of Ireland's U18 women since 2015.

Niall Berry, who will be leading Tipperary Talons in Men’s Division One next season, will be in his second season at the helm of the U18 men.

“To represent your country is a great honour and not something to take for granted, so I am beyond grateful to be given the opportunity to coach the Irish U18 men's team for a second year. My staff and I learned a lot of lessons in the first programme, that will help us better prepare for next year, so I'm excited to get started in the coming weeks to build on the great work done by the U16 men's staff and by the U17 Academy programme”, Berry said.

Niall Berry with Ebenezer Ehigie during FIBA U18 EuroBasket. 

Karl Kilbride will enter into a fourth year as Ireland U20 women’s head coach. He helped steer the team to a fifth-place finish at this summer’s FIBA U20 Women’s EuroBasket, with five wins from seven matches.

“For me, there's just no greater honour than to coach and represent your country. The goosebumps and excitement never fade. After coming off the summer we just did, with brilliant achievements from all of our underage teams, all summer long, there might not be a more exciting time to be involved in Irish basketball. We had a really successful summer with the U20 women’s team, finishing 5th. And yet, we still felt like we left something behind. We've got numerous players from this year's group young enough again next year and with the incredible talent coming through from Tommy's (O’Mahony) U18 team, we know we'll give ourselves a great chance to hopefully go and do something special next summer”, Kilbride stated.

Karl Kilbride will coach Ireland's Under 20 women's team for a fourth year.

It's a third season in charge for Tommy Walsh with the U20 men, they finished 14^th in this summer’s FIBA U20 EuroBasket. “The wheels are already spinning for 2025. I am honoured to lead another Irish U20 men's team to next year's FIBA Youth EuroBasket. We grabbed a few wins in 2024, but I feel we left a few there for the taking. Now it is back to the drawing board and adjust for the new squad. The selection process will be challenging for the staff and very competitive for the players. With the talent coming through at this age level, I feel confident Ireland will be well represented at the 2025 championships.”

Ireland U20 head coach Tommy Walsh alongside Christian McDonnell during 2024 FIBA U20 EuroBasket.

Paul Kelleher, who led the Ireland U16 men to a 17^th-placed finish at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket, with three wins from seven games, is stepping away.

Speaking about his 20-year tenure in the Irish underage set-up, Kelleher said:  “I've loved every minute. So much so it hasn't even felt like 20 years. So many memories, so many what if's, but most importantly so many lasting relationships with so many people. Our International players have given me so much more than I could ever have given them, joy, connections and memories that go beyond the basketball court and for that, I am so grateful. What has brought most joy is seeing our young athletes progress to their dreams, taking the lessons they've learned and experiences at international level to their next step - this is what I will miss the most. An international team requires a lot of people to make a programme efficiently run, from start to finish, and I can't thank enough the managers, physio's, S&C Coaches, assistant coaches, Basketball Ireland, clubs, schools and people that have supported us with facilities, but most of all the parents who have helped, guided and encouraged our young athletes during my time involved. They are the true architects of all this. I'm hoping this is a ‘See you later’ and not goodbye, and I can't wait to be a supporter of all our national teams next summer and help anyone that may need it, Green Means Go and thanks for having me.”

Paul Kelleher with Ireland U16 squad during the 2024 Four Nations, hosted at the National Basketball Arena.

Deirdre Brennan, chair of the Elite Performance Committee, praised the contribution Kelleher has made.  “Paul has been an Irish international head coach for the past 20 years. The impact he has made on player development at high-performance level is widely recognised as excellent, so he will be a huge loss to our underage national team programmes. We are hopeful that this is just a secondment and that after some well-earned rest and recovery he will be back on the sidelines as energised and passionate as ever."