GALLERY – Baby John steals the show in Doolin

Baby John Linnane stole the show yesterday when members of the Munster rugby team visited the Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard.

Players Barry O’Mahony, Shane Buckley, Denis Hurley, Conor Murray, Johne Murphy, Ivan Dinneen and Damien Varley were in Doolin for their first top on a two-day team building tour of the province.

Last year’s inaugural Munster Race saw the Munster squad hit the 6 counties on a team building exercise that quickly became an extremely successful and popular community engagement initiative.

Yesterday Munster Race Team 1 visited Doolin, The Cliffs of Moher, Lahinch, Miltown Malbay and Kilkee where they hosted a touch rugby match on the beach.

In Doolin however, 10-week-old John Linnane, whose mammy Deirdre is a member of the local Irish Coast Guard unit, was a big hit with the players.

It had been planned that the Munster lads would wash the rescue boat as a challenge however baby John proved to be the bigger attraction and welcome distraction.

All photos © Pat Flynn 2014

Doolin Coast Guard team leader Mattie Shannon gives the lads a tour of the boat

Skipper Damien Varley leads takes the helm (with no hands)

Mattie Shannon and Munster players Johne Murphy, Damien Varley, Denis Hurley and Conor Murray

Munster star Denis Hurley is left holding the baby but loved every minute of it.

Proud mammy and Doolin Coast Guard member Deirdre Linnane with the Munster team and rescue service colleagues

Barry O’Mahony, Shane Buckley, Denis Hurley, Conor Murray, Mattie Shannon (Doolin Coast Guard), Martony Vaughan (Kilkee Coast Guard), Johne Murray, Ivan Dineen and Damien Varley.