Retired Ireland and Munster rugby hero Donncha O'Callaghan has found his true match with his wife Jenny Harte. He may come across as a big toughie as a coach on Ireland's Fittest Family, but Donncha, 44, is an absolutely adoring husband and doting father to their four children. Today's top videos Here's everything we know about their love story. Donncha and Jenny met in a 'typical Cork' way, he told RSVP. 'You grow up with groups of friends that know each other, she went to school in St. Angela's and I was in Christians and we had mutual friends,' he told the publication. 'We were never close but we were in the same circles,' he said and he explained that while they were seeing each other for a bit there was 'no real commitment' because he was focused on his rugby career. After they began dating though, the sporting stars seemingly aligned for the Cork rugby player. 'Jenny likes to slag me because I was subbing for Cork Con [rugby team] before we started going out and within six months of me and her going official I had an Ireland cap and a few months later I was going on a Lions tour,' he said. News of Donncha and Jenny's engagement broke in April 2009 two weeks after Brian O'Driscoll and Amy Huberman announced they were tying the knot. The Irish Independent reported at the time that their engagement news was warmly welcomed by Donncha's mother Marie whom he is very close with. Donncha's father Hughie sadly died when he was young. The couple said 'I do' to each other on December 23 that same year with rugby stars including Brian O'Driscoll (and then-fianceé Amy Huberman), Ronan O'Gara, Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace, the late Anthony Foley, Peter Stringer, Gordon D'Arcy, and more in attendance. Jenny wore an elegant, off-the-shoulder white gown and their ceremony took place at St Columba's Church in Douglas, County Cork. The church was decked out with statement blooms and Irish soprano Cara O'Sullivan served up a spine-tingling soundtrack. They celebrated their reception with over 300 guests at Maryborough House Hotel in Cork. They shared their first dance as husband and wife to The Calling's Wherever You Will Go and they recreated a sweet wedding moment when they returned to the venue for their 12th wedding anniversary in 2021. In August 2010, Donncha and Jenny's lives were forever changed with the birth of their daughter Sophie. The couple welcomed their second daughter Anna in September 2012 and their youngest daughter Robin came along in October 2013. Their son Jake completed their clan when he arrived in the world in September 2015. It was his father Hughie’s death at just 40 years of age that taught Donncha to value the important things in life and he sweetly revealed that his main goal is to be a 'deadly dad'. His mother had to bring up her five children alone after she was widowed at the young age of 36 and Donncha admitted thathe doesn’t know how she did it. He said, ‘Being a dad now myself… my mam never faltered. She never looked weak. And she kind of instilled this kind of belief in us that, one, the comfort that we knew we were going to be ok.’ Jenny has been by Donncha's side through every exciting twist and turn of his career. In 2018, after an illustrious 20-year career that saw him win two European Cups, three Celtic Leagues, as well as being part of the Six Nations Grand Slam-winning line-out and securing 94 caps for Ireland, Donncha hung up his rugby boots. He has since gone on to have a flourishing career as a pundit and he threw a curveball when he joined RTÉ 2's breakfast show with Doireann Garrihy and Carl Mullan. He also tackled the world of Irish showbiz further by joining Ireland's Fittest Family. Life presented another twist of fate when Donncha announced that he was leaving the breakfast show, weeks after Doireann Garrihy's departure. The shock news left fans wondeing what's next for him but we will still be seeing him on Ireland's Fittest Family and he also teased 'excitig rugby projects.' 'I'm sure we’d all agree, it’s never easy to step away from something you really enjoy doing. 'Friday the 5th July will be my last ‘2FM Breakfast’ Show. I’m so incredibly grateful and proud of the last five years in 2FM, I’ve absolutely loved it,' he announced. Whever else we see Donncha in the comign weeks no doubt his wife and kids will be his proudest cheerleaders every step of the way. They met through mutual friends
Their engagement followed on the heels of another rugby star's announcement
Their wedding was sports star-studded
They have four kids together
Standing shoulder to shoulder through it all
Career upheavel
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