OUR AMBASSADORS Meet the biggest supports of the Tackle Your Feelings campaign.



In 2012 CJ joined Munster from the Super 15 side The Bulls and immediately made an impact scoring two tries on his first start against Glasgow Warriors. After qualifying through residency CJ made his debut for Ireland in 2016 against Wales and marked the occasion with a man of the match performance. CJ finished the season as the IRUPA Players' Player of the Year and the Supporters' Player of the Year, and in doing so, became the first ever player to receive the double-honour in the same year. In 2017, Stander was also selected for the British and Irish Lions. He has made over 100 appearances for Munster and has helped Ireland to a Six Nations Championship, Grand Slam and Triple Crown.


Jack Carty is a rugby union player from Ireland. Having started out with his hometown club, Buccaneers, he currently plays for the team of his native province of Connacht in the Pro14, having come through the team's academy. He is Connacht's record points scorer in the Pro14. In his early career with Connacht, Jack played with the Connacht Eagles, playing in the British and Irish Cup. Despite still being in the Connacht academy, Carty made his first appearance for the senior Connacht team on 21 September 2012. In the 2013–14 season, Carty regularly served as the team's captain. Jack has represented Ireland at all levels internationally. Jack is our latest TYF ambassador and is hoping to encourage people to look at how fortunate they are.

Eimear was born in Kilmihil, Co. Clare and works as a teacher. Eimear made her debut for Munster in December 2016. Kilmihil’s Considine has also lined out for the Irish Sevens that missed out on qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympics. A former dual player for the Clare camogie and ladies football teams, Eimear has only been playing rugby for over a year now. She’s made her mark on the sport and is also lining out with UL Bohemians who have eleven representatives included in the matchday twenty-three. Eimear is one of our most involved school ambassadors for TYF and is working to encourage people to look after themselves and take control of their mental health.

A student of Bangor Grammar School, McCloskey made his breakthrough to the Ulster senior setup in the 2013/14 season. A powerful ball carrier, McCloskey is mainly deployed at inside centre and has always been considered as a huge talent in Irish Rugby. Known for his physical stature and powerful running, he had spells at scrum half and out-half during his schools career before gaining the size in his late teens that marked him out as a big ball-carrying centre. After a great start to the season in the 15/16 campaign, McCloskey was chosen in Ireland's 6 Nations squad in 2016. He won his solitary Irish cap in the 2016 Six Nations Championship playing in midfield against England. In May 2016, Stuart signed a contract extension with Ulster until 2019. Stuart was selected in the Ireland squad for the opening two rounds of the 6 Nations. Stuart is now helping TYF to launch the school app and help promote awareness around mental wellbeing.


PREVIOUS AMBASSADORSMarcus Horan
Marcus Horan is a retired Irish rugby union player who played prop for Munster and Ireland. Horan made his Munster debut in the season, and was part of the winning team that saw Munster crowned Europeans Champions in 2006. He managed to recover from a calf injury that he picked up in training six weeks prior to the final, and played a role in the Heineken Cup final, where Munster defeated Biarritz.
PREVIOUS AMBASSADORSCathal Sheridan
Cathal Sheridan is an Irish rugby union player. He plays club rugby for UL Bohemians in the All-Ireland League. Sheridan is a product of the Munster academy, having previously represented Connacht at Under-19 level. He was on a development contract for the 2012–13 season. He made his senior Munster debut as a replacement against Edinburgh on 8 February 2013.
PREVIOUS AMBASSADORSJack McGrath
Jack McGrath (born 11 October 1989) is an Irish rugby union player for Ulster and for the Ireland national rugby union team. His preferred position is loosehead prop. He was one of the main TYF ambassadors for the initial phase of the campaign and opened up about some of the tough times he has had in his life.
PREVIOUS AMBASSADORSSHANE JENNINGS
Shane is a Board Member of IRUPA. He recognises the unique capacity that rugby has as a vehicle for social change in the area of mental well-being. With his story he would like to help people to become better equipped to deal with transition at any stage of their lives.
PREVIOUS AMBASSADORSPAT LAM
As a Professional Rugby Coach and a Qualified Teacher, Pat’s coaching philosophy centres on the holistic development of the individual. Pat hopes that the Tackle Your Feelings campaign will help people to open up about their feelings and to understand the benefits that improved self-awareness can bring both to performance and to people’s overall enjoyment of life.