Mayo's Ryan O'Donoghue's journey from boxing to All-Ireland winning superstar

You'd be hard-pressed to find a Mayo supporter who doesn't regard Ryan O'Donoghue as one of the finest talents in the squad.

The forward typically operates through the centre when called upon, driving his side towards victory.

And this year, the he was the driving force behind Mayo's famous All-Ireland win, and will be one of the favourites to be named footballer of the year.

But what does his life look like away from the pitch?

Born on 31st July 1998, Ryan is currently 28.

The All-Star recipient was brought up in Belmullet, County Mayo. He displayed extraordinary dedication from a young age, a quality that has stayed with him to this day - forged through his years competing in boxing.

Under the guidance of his father, he trained in the sport before reaching his teens, routinely getting up before 6am for training sessions ahead of school as a matter of course.

He competed in two All-Ireland boxing finals and represented his country at a tender age, experiences he looks back on with tremendous fondness.

Gaelic football featured heavily in his upbringing from the age of five. He went on to join Sligo Rovers in 2014 and led Our Lady's SS, Belmullet, his secondary school, to All-Ireland Cup glory.

He chose to concentrate on GAA at the highest level and earned his place on the 2020 senior panel. From that moment, he has been a key figure in the team's ongoing development.

Ryan moved to attend the University of Limerick, where he completed a Bachelor of Business Studies degree, specialising in Accounting and Finance.

Following a spell in employment, he returned to university and completed a Master's degree, allowing him to embark on a teaching career.

The Mayo star recently proposed to his long-term partner, Courtney O'Donnell. The couple generally keep their relationship private, but the pair have been together for more than a decade.

O'Donoghue was immense for Mayo in the All-Ireland series, and starred in the final win over Kerry.

"It's been unbelievable," he said a week after lifting the trophy.

"From when we left Croke Park to go to the banquet, then getting on the train to Castlebar, on to Ballyhaunis, Ballaghaderreen, Belmullet and the open-top bus parade... it's just been so special.

"People ask me what was the best part of the week. Obviously, for me, it was probably coming home to Belmullet with the cup.

"But every place we went, seeing everyone go home to their own people, their own families, their own clubs... seeing what it meant to every single person we met. That's something I'll never, ever forget."