A new chapter for the long-term couple
13:15, 01 Mar 2026Updated 13:18, 01 Mar 2026
Caoimhin Kelleher gets engaged
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Caoimhin Kelleher proposes to partner Eimear at sunset(Image: Instagram/caoimhinkelleher98)
Cork's Caoimhin Kelleher has welcomed his first child with his fiancée and long-term partner Eimear Murphy. The news was confirmed not by Kelleher himself, but rather by Brentford boss Keith Andrews ahead of the team's clash against Burnley yesterday.
Kelleher was notably absent from the team, which raised eyebrows among reporters. When questioned, Andrews revealed that Kelleher and his partner had welcomed their first child and that he wished them all the best.
The former Ireland midfielder said: "Caoimhín’s partner had a baby. We are delighted for them, and we wish them well, but he couldn’t play today."
Despite Kelleher's absence, Brentford managed to claim victory in the dying moments of the game, with an extra-time winner from Mikkel Damsgaard bringing the final scoreline to 4-3 in favour of The Bees.
It's been a very eventful 12 months for the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper. Over the summer, he switched clubs after winning the Premier League with Liverpool. Since then, Kelleher has made a serious impact at Brentford and played a key role in Ireland's World Cup efforts. The Cork man is expected to tog out against the Czech Republic in the playoffs later this month.
It was during the summer that he announced his engagement to Eimear, his childhood sweetheart. He shared his softer side by posting a sweet snap on Instagram of himself proposing. In a fairytale moment, he took Eimear out on a boat at sunset, got down on one knee and popped the question. And of course, Eimear said yes!
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Ireland football star Caoimhín Kelleher has been with fiancée Eimear Murphy since they were teenagers(Image: Facebook)
Eimear is also from Cork, and the young couple have been together for around a decade. Eimear, who is from Carrigaline, keeps her personal life under wraps and is far from the typical WAG. She keeps her social media private and has shied away from a life as an Instagram influencer, despite being now engaged to one of the biggest names in Irish football.
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While Caoimhín is also a fairly private person, choosing to only share little insights into their relationship, the smitten footballer has described his fiancée as "really intelligent" and gushed over her dancing skills. Eimear is a very accomplished Irish dancer, with ties to the popular Kiely-Walsh Academy of Irish Dance, which has schools in Carrigaline, Douglas, Rochestown and Mallow.
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