From County Kildare to College Park: Maryland Kicker Sean O’Haire’s Journey from Gaelic Football to the Big Ten

County Kildare sits nearly 3,700 miles from College Park. Ireland’s seventh most populous county is known for its elite racehorse breeding, but it’s also the birthplace of Sean O’Haire — Maryland’s superstar kicker. 

“I didn't grow up a huge football fan, but I grew up a big fan of sports,” O’Haire said. “I played multiple sports, so once I started kicking, I decided to love that too, because it's just a big part of sports. Football’s another sport that I got to try and play.”

He started playing hurling and Gaelic football, two of Ireland’s national sports. Hurling involves a stick (hurley) and a baseball-sized ball. On either side of a massive field sit a goal roughly the size of a soccer net with uprights on it. Gaelic football is played on the same surface, but involves kicking the soccer-sized ball for points.

“I was a bit more serious about Gaelic football than hurling,” O’Haire said. “Especially because Kildare is not as much of a hurling county.”

County Kildare has four All-Ireland titles to its rich history and has been working its way back to glory in recent seasons. Like O’Haire himself, his home county seems to be on the rise and capturing eager eyes. 

In Gaelic football, any ball that beats the goalkeeper and finds the net is worth three points and any ball that crosses through the uprights is worth a point. In the fast-paced sport, almost any time a player is in range to score a singular point, they take the chance by either punching or kicking the ball through the uprights, often on the run. 

O’Haire excelled in the kicking aspect of the sport. If he could put a ball through the uprights while sprinting, surely he could do it from a standstill. He caught the eye of an American football trainer in Ireland, who planted the seed of a new sport in O’Haire’s mind.

“I’ve always liked to try something new, and I’ve always been interested in sport,” O’Haire said. “After my first session, he told me that I have some potential. He said I should train with him for a while, and I could end up over here kicking in college. So, I took him up on that offer, went to training with him for a while, and then worked my way over here.”

O’Haire’s college football career officially got started at Richmond a season ago, where he was a perfect 12-12 on field goal attempts and 9-9 on extra points. He collected a CAA Special Teams Player of the Week accolade following a nine-point week where he drilled a career-long 50-yard field goal.

O’Haire didn’t play enough to record a full season, however. He redshirted and transferred to Maryland with all four years of eligibility remaining, continuing his climb up the college football ladder.

“That was the goal,” O’Haire said. “If I'm coming here, I want to go as high as I can. It’s still football at any level, but the major difference is the time spent. At Maryland, it’s more. More practices, more meetings, more everything.”

He’s responsible for 66 points so far this season, good for 31.7% of Maryland’s total scoring. He’s connected from a season-long 49 yards twice in 2025 — once in the Terps win over Florida Atlantic and again in their conference victory on the road at Wisconsin.

“Sean has been a great addition,” head coach Michael Locksley said. “One of our better ones. Sean was a great get for us. He's been really consistent. When he's had opportunities, he's showed up.”

O’Haire’s support staff stems from his coaching staff in College Park all the way back to County Kildare with his friends and family, who are finding enjoyment in the sport as he continues to thrive in it. 

“My parents watch,” O’Haire said. “Well, definitely my dad, anyway. He watches every game. Some of my friends do as well, but like they won’t always stay up if it's past midnight for them. They might not stay up, but they're definitely keeping an eye on me, looking at my stats and stuff. Everyone’s interested because not many people are doing it, playing American football.”

Unsurprisingly, the adjustment from Gaelic football to American football — like the move from Ireland to the United States — has had its surprises. The atmosphere and the grind around Big Ten football is new territory for O’Haire. 

“I’ll say, there just isn't really anything like college football at home,” O’Haire said. “It's very unique, especially the time commitment. Being in a football locker room here, the amount of time you just spend here in the building is insane, whereas at home, I would just turn up for my session in the evenings — maybe two or three times a week — and then play during the weekend and that’s it. Here, it’s pretty much every day, almost all year.”

O’Haire’s as big of a “sports guy” as they come. His love for athletic competition also frequently drives him to the golf course — another sports staple back home. He’s always surrounded by sports and continuing to build a passion for the unknown.

“As I've been here, I've learned so much more about football, and I've grown to love this sport too,” O’Haire said. “Sport has been the main thing in my life since I was like four or five when I first kicked a ball.”

Those early years created a passion that sent O’Haire across the world and into the arms of Maryland football, a program he’ll continue to thrive in for seasons to come.