John O'Shea (humanitarian) facts for kids

John O'Shea was born in 1944. He is famous for starting and leading GOAL. This is an Irish organization that helps people in need around the world. Before starting GOAL, John O'Shea worked as a sports journalist. Because of his background, GOAL still has strong connections with the sports community, especially in Ireland.

In 2010, John O'Shea was chosen as one of the top 40 people in an RTÉ poll. This poll aimed to find Ireland's Greatest person.

John O'Shea's Early Life and Career

John O'Shea was born in County Wexford, Ireland, in 1944. He lived in different places like Westport and Cork. When he was 11, his family moved to Dublin. His father worked as a banker.

John went to school at CBC Monkstown. He enjoyed playing rugby there. He also played golf and tennis in Monkstown. Even today, John O'Shea loves rugby, tennis, and golf. He plays tennis every Saturday. He also shares his thoughts on Irish sports with radio stations and newspapers.

After school, John studied economics, English, and philosophy at University College Dublin. He later became a sports journalist. He worked for the Evening Press newspaper for many years.

GOAL: Helping People Around the World

In 1977, John O'Shea started a charity. He used a donation of 10,000 punts (an old Irish currency) to begin a feeding project in Calcutta, India. After this, he officially founded GOAL.

GOAL has always had a strong link to sports. Many famous athletes have volunteered with GOAL. These "Goalies" include tennis stars like John McEnroe and Pat Cash. Irish rugby player Gordon D'Arcy also volunteered.

GOAL has given out a lot of money to help people. It has distributed about €790 million over the years. More than 1,400 volunteers have worked with the organization. GOAL has helped people in over 50 countries worldwide. John O'Shea says that watching the volunteers work was the best part of his time with the charity.

John O'Shea believes that governments of rich countries should do more to help. He thinks they should be more involved in giving aid. In 2007, he spoke on The Late Late Show about GOAL's work. He said that to truly help the poor, you must care deeply about them. He felt that governments often talk about helping but don't show enough care.

In 2012, John O'Shea's doctor advised him to slow down. Later that year, in November 2012, Barry Andrews became the new chief executive of GOAL.

Awards and Recognition

In 2008, John O'Shea received a special award. He was given an honorary doctorate of laws from the University of Notre Dame. This award recognized all the important work he had done.

Other Activities and Interests

John O'Shea often gives talks at universities. He speaks at NUI Galway and teaches a class on interpersonal skills at UCD. He shares his life story with students. He also encourages young people to become social entrepreneurs. These are people who start businesses or organizations to solve social problems, not just to make money.

John O'Shea's Salary at GOAL

In 2010, the Sunday Independent newspaper reported on John O'Shea's salary. As the acting CEO of GOAL, he received about €98,320 per year at that time.