Loving his role as a dad, former Irish rugby star Ian Madigan says his wife is the true trooper when it comes to raising their son.

The couple welcomed their first child together, a baby boy, on December 23, 2024, and named him Sonny. They would later reveal the story behind their son’s name, telling followers it was the name of the place they visited in Copenhagen on the day they found out they were expecting.

Sonny, who will be two this year, keeps his parents busy, with Ian revealing that there are a few things he has had to change since taking on the new role.

Ian spoke to EVOKE ahead of the Aer Lingus College Classic taking place in Aviva Stadium on August 29.

With this being his third year taking part in the commentary, with this year’s event seeing the TCU Horned Frogs and the UNC Tar Heels meet, Ian knows that being able to partake is helped by his wife, Anna.

‘I think first and foremost, I’ve been very lucky with Anna, [she] has been an amazing mum to Sonny and how diligent she is… when you see that on a day-to-day basis, the patience of teaching how to eat, how to speak, how to walk, Anna laid those foundations and I’ve been lucky to be able to kind of come and go and contribute where I can.’

While becoming a mum and dad can involve a lot of sleepless nights and a level of tiredness that may never have been felt before, Ian says it is the opposite for them.

‘A lot of people will talk about how tiring it can be, the lack of sleep or the tantrums, or needing to have your eyes on them or to have them in your arms, but not many people will talk about how much energy they give you.’

He said: ‘In the past, I would have been arriving back home from work, and I would have thought I was tired, and I probably was. But when you open the door, and he comes running up to you, you’re going to get a second wind, as they say, and you’re going to find energy to play with them for a couple of hours before he goes down to bed.

‘That’s going to drive you the next morning to get up and get after the next day. And that’s certainly something I’ve really enjoyed.’

Keeping on top of things and working to provide can take its toll physically as we all age; however, Ian is adamant that no matter what happens, there is one road he won’t be going down.

‘I think the person who’d be giving me Botox wouldn’t know where to start if you look at this,’ he said with a laugh. ‘Between the number of scars and the number of wrinkles I have, I’m just grateful that I’ve got a full head of hair too. But no, look, it’s not for me.’

He added: ‘I’m all for men looking after themselves, whether it’s health checks, from an aesthetic point of view, you know, it’s becoming more popular to get their, their hair done or get Botox done. And if it’s going to make you feel better about yourself, go for it.’ For Ian, going natural is more his gameplay!

For tickets to the Aer Lingus College Classic at Aviva Stadium, click here