Mayo Footballer Kobe McDonald Set for Australia Move with Partner Leah Maheady
Mayo footballer Kobe McDonald and his partner Leah Maheady are preparing to relocate to Australia for a professional sports career, trading the GAA for Aussie Rules while planning life milestones abroad, EVOKE reported. The couple traveled to Dublin this week to attend the 2026 PwC GAA/GPA All-Star Awards, where they discussed their upcoming transition and relationship.
McDonald acknowledged the significant hurdles ahead, noting the difficulties of facing a 21-hour flight and being away from friends and family. However, he stated that the opportunity to become a professional athlete is an opening he could not pass up. While football will be his main focus in Australia, Maheady will remain in Ireland until next summer to complete her college studies before joining him abroad.
McDonald Takes up Golf During His Downtime
Outside of his athletic commitments in Aussie Rules, McDonald revealed he has picked up golf to keep himself busy during his downtime. Joking about his athletic abilities on the course, he admitted that a round of golf takes him about six
hours and believes he is so bad at it,
viewing it as a practical way to concentrate on something else.
Before leaving for his international career, McDonald expressed appreciation for sharing the high-profile ceremony with his loved ones. To be able to share the moment with my family and my partner Leah, it’s one of the special nights in my life for sure!
he said.
Star-Studded All-Stars Gathering
The PwC All-Stars event in Dublin brought together numerous other prominent GAA figures and their partners. Attendees joining McDonald and Maheady included Kerry footballer Jason Foley and Katie Ahern, Westmeath footballer Matthew Whittaker and Leah Duffy, Limerick hurler William O’Donoghue and Gemma O’Donoghue, and Cork hurler Sean O’Donoghue and Aoife Daly.