Old Bawn Clinic Testimonials

I first met A.K. over 10 years ago when I was coach to Buccaneers R.F.C. and he was working with Old Wesley. Over that time he has built a reputation in sporting circles throughout Ireland for his innate ability to rehabilitate players back to full fitness while working against the clock.

He is well known throughout the country across a myriad of sports, but I can attest to his contribution in getting some of Ireland’s top rugby players back to fitness at crucial moments in their careers.

At the same time A.K. possesses a unique skill in the Pre-Habilitation of injuries. This ability to treat players with Active Assisted Stretching, which dramatically reduces the risks of soft tissue injuries, has been hugely beneficial to many members of the Irish Rugby Squad in recent years.

I wish A.K. luck in the future knowing that the Old Bawn Clinic will continue to be at the heartbeat of elite sport in Ireland.

Eddie O'Sullivan
Former Irish Rugby Coach

I first came across Alan Kelly on a Heineken Cup trip to Milan with Leinster ten years ago. I'd heard he was a top class sports physio through the AIL club scene with Old Wesley but it was Leinster players who regularly referred to him as The Great AK, and "his hands like magic".

He's helped sort out my knee and is the physio I send my boys to, and I'd never hesitate recommending him to others.

Gerry Thornley
Rugby Correspondent, Irish Times

Alan Kelly played a really important role in my football career and was one of the main reasons I was able to continue playing at the top level for so long, despite suffering a number of serious career-threatening injuries. I first started attending AK’s clinic shortly after being appointed captain of the Dublin senior football team in 1998.

After the success of the initial rehab treatment with AK, I developed an enduring trust and a great respect for his work and I remained loyal to the clinic during every subsequent set-back up to this day.

I would regularly rub shoulders with Ireland’s leading sportsmen in the clinic and I know several of my playing colleagues were frequent visitors to the Great AK and were always insistent that they would not have lined out in crucial games only for his healing hands.

I am absolutely delighted to be able to endorse AK’s work at the clinic and would advise any sportsperson serious about their career, to seek his advice.

Dessie Farrell
Former Dublin Football Captain

The great AK has been a close friend for several years now. In addition he has been a colleague in the area of sport performance for over 12 years now. Since our first meeting as support staff to the first group of professional Rugby players in Leinster in 1995 we have maintained regular contact even though working in different corners of the world at various times.

During those very early days of Rugby professionalism AK was a man ahead of his time. His hands looked after many a player trying to bridge the gap between professionalism and the old amateur Rugby days. We were lucky that he was on hand to assist players like Brian O Driscoll, Denis Hickie, Shane Horgan to mention but a few whose careers were not in a small way helped along by AK. These were the young guns at Leinster in the late 1990’s and in the early years of this decade.

Through our involvement with sport we were lucky to be acquainted with several other sports teams and individuals. As Fitness coach to Padraig Harrington I need to have a top class support structure available to assist when needed in the preparation and management of Padraig’s programme. AK has been a stalwart over the last 10 years in helping with Padraig’s prehab and rehab. In addition when I would be contacted by players and athletes from a variety of sports seeking help with an ‘old’ injury, there was never a doubt that the only one capable of understanding their needs was the AK. The great Tipperary players of yesteryear: Nicky English, Noel Sheehy, Conal Bonnar all made the pilgrimage to AK’s clinic while they were playing with Tipperary. Other players across the country soon began to hear about AK and it was no surprise that intercounty players from virtually every county in the country sought his assistance in their returning to play following injury.

Throughout recent years AK has been ably assisting with Setanta College in the delivery of our sport performance course to coaches across the country. His experience, expertise and understanding are second to none and we are delighted that he makes himself available to deliver key elements of the sports coach course. In addition we have spent a number of years roadshowing with the GPA on Fitness for Gaelic Games. His inimitable presentation manner and his insight into the games are always an attraction for coaches.

Having had the great honour of introducing AK to some of the greatest athletes and players of our country I am delighted to introduce him to you. The introduction for the athletes and players was always a memorable occasion. It will be likewise for you. Read the biographies of our top sport starts and you will see what I mean. AK always left an indelible impression on every one’s mind. Not only had he and still has healing hands but he also has skills that go way beyond others in his field.

If I were ever to write a reference for the great AK I would struggle – not because I would have little to say – on the contrary words do not do the man justice. Those who meet him as I have said are inspired. He heals more that the physical trauma, he motivates, he is perceptive and he makes you feel damn good and confident.

I wish him the very best with his new high tech website. However nothing high tech can compare to the one and only AK.

Dr Liam Hennessy
Director of Fitness IRFU
Coach to Padraig Harrington

Trevor Brennan: Heart and Soul

Ref. Page 127

“I took as many knocks as anyone, and few men did more to help me onto a rugby pitch than the physio; Alan Kelly, the great AK, hands like magic, always with the Calvin Kleins, the slick car, the sunbeds, the well-trimmed goatee and eternally youthful looks, the story teller and, as he’d say himself “physio to the stars” There’s only one AK”!

Peter Canavan: Every Step We Took

Alan Kelly is renowned as one of the bet sports physios in Ireland. He has treated the best athletes in golf, rugby and many other sports. The time with AK was well spent but it was very tough. He was a hard task master but it was well worth it.

Interestingly, he has a framed photograph in his waiting room of Kieran McGeeney holding the Sam Maguire in 2002 and he always seemed to leave me sitting opposite it before he would call me to his office.

Maybe there was a method in his madness. Each time I stared at the image I asked myself if it was going to be Kieran McGeeney or me this time. It was a fact that either he was going to be lifting the cup for a second time or I was going to be lifting it for a first time. I tried not to dwell on that because if I had through too much about the propect of being the first Tyrone man to lift the cup, it would send shivers down my spine.