‘IT’S funny you say that,’ Fineen Wycherley quips. ‘I was down home recently and was chatting to Mom and Dad about how it’s closing in on ten years since I joined Munster.’

The context: the opening question to Fineen was if he could believe that in 2026 it will be his tenth year with Munster, having joined the Academy in 2017. The Bantry man also turned 28 in December, so that offered a brief moment for reflection.

‘It does pass by quickly, but a lot has happened in those ten years. I mean, it’s flown by. Crazy fast. In our game, it’s not the years that pass, it’s the seasons that go quickly. You just count off the seasons,’ Fineen says.

But the six-foot five-inch West Cork powerhouse isn’t the type to rest on his laurels, or even feel comfortable. There have been incredible highs: his senior Ireland cap against the USA in July 2021, winning the URC title with Munster in 2023, making his 100th appearance for the province in ’23. No West Cork player has made more appearances for Munster than Fineen. But he’s wired to want more.

‘I don’t think you are ever content,’ he says.

‘Look at guys who have played at the highest levels, they are never really fully content. If you are content at any stage you probably shouldn’t be in the dressing-room. You need to try and get the max out of yourself every day in training and in every game.

‘I haven’t been content so far, and I just want to get the most out of myself every day.

‘It’s not to say that I haven’t been happy with some of the things I have achieved in my career, but there is more that I want to get out of it – the plan is to maximise that over the next few years. I want to see how far I can take it.’

Brothers Josh and Fineen Wycherley celebrate Munster's 2023 URC final win in Cape Town.

The former Bantry Bay RFC man signed a two-year contract extension last February, tying him to the province until at least 2027 – and that’s good news for Fineen and rugby in his home region. It’s another sign that West Cork rugby is moving in the right direction, and that means a lot to local lads with Munster.

‘It’s insane how much rugby has changed in West Cork and the mindset towards it, and the love for the game. The general growth and interest is huge,’ Fineen reflects.

‘Go back ten years ago when I started with Munster: rugby was big in West Cork, but it wasn't massive.

‘In the last five years again, it has gone through the roof, with the amount of kids who want to learn and play. It shows the difference it makes when you have so many players coming from West Cork.’

Fineen, his younger brother Josh, and Dylan Hicks (Munster Academy) all came through Bantry Bay RFC. Gavin Coombes is a product of Skibbereen Rugby Club. John Hodnett and Conor Ryan fly the Clonakilty RFC flag. Jack Crowley learned his trade at Bandon Rugby Club. In the women’s game, Ireland international Enya Breen also played with Bantry.

‘You have to acknowledge the impact on younger kids when they see people from their region playing with Munster and with Ireland. It shows them the pathway,’ he says.

‘When I think back to when I was U14, U15, we were almost borrowing players off opposition teams to field a team. There might have been 14 of us, so we were always short a player or two.

‘Even in the school days you’d almost beg a few of the athletic guys to come across and play with us so we could fill the team! But now, look at Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí getting into the Munster Schools Senior Cup – that is something that we would never even have thought of when we were that age.’

On a recent visit home to Coomhola, Fineen’s parents told him his nieces and nephews have started playing rugby with Bantry Bay. Brilliant news. He doesn’t get back home as much as he’d like, as his base is Limerick and the season is demanding and long, but having that connection with West Cork means a lot.

‘Everyone from West Cork is very proud of where we come from. It is West Cork, not just Cork – you have to distinguish that very quickly! If someone says you’re from Cork, you have to point out it’s West Cork,’ Fineen quips.

‘I am very settled in Limerick, I love it here, the people, the area, but we get down to West Cork as much as we can. Whenever Josh and myself can, we’ll try and help out with an underage session in the club. We wish we could do more, but we try to give back when we can.

‘The amount of lads who have come from home, a small part of Munster, goes to show the incredible work by the local people – the volunteers, the coaches, the people who put huge effort and time in to help kids and give them the opportunity to play the game.’

West Cork’s finest, Fineen Wycherley, Gavin Coombes, John Hodnett, Josh Wycherley and Jack Crowley celebrate Munster’s 2023 URC final triumph.

Fineen’s rise from Bantry to Munster is his contribution to West Cork rugby because he is connecting his home region to the big time. And his continued impact with Munster is another nod to his background, work ethic and talent. To stay involved with Munster for ten years is an achievement in itself, but Fineen is driven to want more. Perhaps his geographical location has a role to play in this.

Stay with us here: a few years back, Mags Coombes (mother of former Munster player Liam) put forward the theory that rural West Cork produces so many high-performing athletes across various sports because these athletes have to really want to make an impact, given how far they are from the facilities they need. Look at the Wycherley brothers – when they were on the rise with Munster, it was a five-hour round-trip from home to training in Limerick. That’s not for everyone.

Thoughts, Fineen?

‘I think back to my mom, the road she used to do when myself and Josh were coming through. He might be training in Kinsale or Clonakilty at U15/U16 level, and I was travelling with the U18s up and down to Limerick. She was on the road for five hours with me; the next day it was Josh, so it’s an extra motivation to achieve for them, to give back as best you can,’ he says.

‘When I was involved with the U17s and U18s, I didn’t know where this would take you, but we were still traveling two or three nights a week: two and a half hours in the car, then train, and then two and a half hours home.

‘What adds to it are the sacrifices that your family members give to put you in that position. It’s an extra motivator. It’s not to say that fellas who live five minutes from the facility don’t work as hard, but there are more sacrifices for fellas who have to travel three hours to train.’

Those hours on the road were worth it. Look at Fineen now: a Munster stalwart, a West Cork icon, and a Bantry rugby hero. And the hope is there’s more to come.