Westmeath GAA star John Heslin has plenty to celebrate off the pitch after welcoming his first child with his wife Caoimhe.
The couple recently welcomed a beautiful baby boy and shared their happy news with a sweet picture on social media.
It's been quite the whirlwind year for the footballer, who had initially decided to hang up his boots in January 2025 before being tempted back onto the pitch.
After a series of injuries left the Westmeath squad short of players this season, manager Mark McHugh came knocking, hoping to convince the full-forward to make a return.
However, with a baby on the way, it wasn't a decision he was going to make alone, and he made sure to run the idea past his pregnant wife Caoimhe before agreeing to pull on the jersey once again.
Now, with little Ollie finally here, the footballer admits that fatherhood has already given him a whole new perspective on life, including those disappointing days on the pitch.
Speaking to EVOKE, he said: 'It was an amazing feeling to welcome Ollie into the world. We lost the county final on Sunday, but going home to Ollie gave me a different perspective on defeat than I would have previously had.'
And while he's delighted to be a dad, he was full of praise for Caoimhe as she settles into motherhood.
He told us: 'I'm so proud of Caoimhe, as people know, she is an amazing person and is already a great mother.'
While the county final defeat may have been a bitter pill to swallow, no doubt heading home to his wife and their newest little teammate made things a whole lot sweeter.
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