WWE’s Irish superstar Sheamus kicks into high gear

“I seriously love what I do,” he says, mentioning that he and a number of other WWE superstars recently returned from a tour of Australia.

“I’m hoping that my career lasts another 10 years minimum, so after 10 or 15 years I can chill out and relax.”

Sheamus returns home to Dublin infrequently due to his work commitments, but the WWE tours twice a year; shows in Dublin and Belfast are scheduled for next month.

Before he became Sheamus, Farrelly worked a number of jobs in Dublin, including information technology support and as a bodyguard at top nightclub Lillie’s Bordello (Bono was among those under his watch.)  But a professional wrestling career was always the goal, and the Farrellys back home couldn’t be happier.

“My family watches all the time,” says Sheamus. “They actually love the WWE. They don’t just follow my matches. They watch it all.”

The economic recession in Ireland, it seems, has affected everyone, including Sheamus’s sister, who would love to leave.

“She keeps asking me if she can be my personal assistant or PR girl or something,” Sheamus says.  “She is desperate to get out of Ireland. It’s really a shame.

“When I left in 2001 the country just started to go south a bit, and it’s been tough on a lot of people. They are the ones paying for the mistakes of a small minority who had all the money. It’s depressing and really terrible.”

Sheamus got out just in time, and his WWE profile shows no signs of receding.  He even has his own Mattel action figure (“It’s not a doll!!!” he laughs), and promoted it during an appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s NBC talk show in December.

“It’s not too bad,” he says when asked if it’s a good likeness. “They took a camera and went 360 degrees around my head.”

The action figure, when it’s updated, will need to include the World Heavyweight Championship Sheamus plans on capturing from Bryan on Sunday.  After his victory he plans on watching all the other top matches on the Wrestlemania card, including the highly anticipated Cena vs. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

“No one could be brave enough to call that one,” says Sheamus. “I’ve gotten punched in the face before by Cena. His hands are like rocks. He can take a beating and come back.”

Sheamus is hoping that he’ll be inflicting a beating of his own come Sunday. Don’t count him out.

(For more information on Wrestlemania, including order information, visit www.wwe.com .)

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Nster.com