About the rugby player and actor Peter Claffey: ‘I learned a lot about discipline and hard work’
Age: 26.
Are from: Portumna, Co Galway, but now headquartered in Dublin.
What a start: This former Connacht Rugby player is now an actor. He just finished in Tom Murphy’s sold out Whistle in the dark at the Abbey Theatre.
Thrilling: “I played Iggy, and that was my professional theatrical debut,” he said, adding, “It was a tense play and you could hear the audience gasp.” He’s still reeling from the memory of seeing people queuing for returns – it doesn’t get any better than that. He has also worked with theater artists such as actor Seán McGinley and director Jason Byrne. “It is a privilege. I learned from them all the time. “
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Former Connacht Rugby player Peter Claffey has been retraining as an actor and has just completed his theatrical debut at the Abbey. Photo: Ste Murray.
One big change: He played rugby from 2015 to 2018 but then became disillusioned. “I was at Connacht Academy and played a few warm-ups but I didn’t get a chance. There have been a lot of good people playing in my position.” Now he has philosophized about it and no longer holds a grudge. “I learned a lot about discipline and hard work,” he said.
Do it yourself: He drew comedy sketches on Instagram, then trained in film acting at Bow Street Academy in Dublin. He was in Bad sisters and BBC 3’s The body of the ship. Now he’s also hooked on stage.
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https://www.independent.ie/style/celebrity/introducing-rugby-player-turned-actor-peter-claffey-i-learned-a-hell-of-a-lot-about-discipline-and-hard-work-42127178.html About the rugby player and actor Peter Claffey: ‘I learned a lot about discipline and hard work’