An unforeseen opportunity has seen him across the pond though and he's now playing for the Newcastle Knights. He's also currently doing his master's and has his own wellness brand (Amani) in the pipeline. It's all very much a new experience for him in a new city.
'I finished my degree at the University of Manitoba and didn’t really think I’d be playing basketball again at all. I was quite happy with that. I was like, that's it, chapter's closed. I didn't really expect another opportunity to come along', he told The Courier. What started off as a bit of a surprise has now become a continuation of playing the game that I love, with the added benefit of being able to explore other avenues as well. The move to Newcastle hasn't just been an opportunity to continue my education in a different system; it's also been a chance to meet some new people and to go on and do things that are absolutely not just about basketball.
That was until Team Gleas (the organisation that matches students doing postgraduate degrees with universities) got in touch with an opportunity. Of the three universities on the table, Newcastle stood out immediately. His brother was already living in the UK and the people he knew there were all very positive about the city and the quality of life. It was a no-brainer. 'I wanted to do a one-year degree, so I thought that would be the best year.'
Having swapped Winnipeg for Newcastle, O’Hara has discovered that the two cities are actually a lot more in common than he'd initially thought. The biggest difference has been getting about without a car. 'In Winnipeg you need a car; if you don’t have one, it’s very difficult to get around,' he says. In Newcastle walking has become the norm for him, with most of his journeys taking between 20 and 40 minutes. It's also given him the opportunity to experience the city at a much slower pace.
[he has] found Newcastle to be very welcoming and that has made the whole process of crossing the Atlantic that little bit easier.
There are, of course, a few cultural differences. Cierán admits he's still getting used to the sheer frequency of people drinking, particularly the older residents having a drink around the city. He has, however, found Newcastle to be very welcoming and that has made the whole process of crossing the Atlantic that little bit easier.
His move has also given him the opportunity to experience university basketball from a slightly different angle. Having played in Canada, he's noticed that sport in the UK is much more embedded in the university itself, particularly through societies and the opportunity to meet players from different teams.
Even if he's not playing with those on the second or third teams, he'll still see them quite a bit, which makes it much easier to get to know them off the court.
the training is only around two or three times a week.
The big difference is the structure of uni life. In Canada, O’Hara was used to training all week leading up to the weekend competition. At Newcastle, with games on Wednesday and Saturday quite often, the training is only around two or three times a week.
'You have to work out your own time,' he says. 'It’s still structured, just a lot more of it is you working it out for yourself.'
The same is true of his studies. His undergrad in Canada was a very full programme with multiple classes every day. His postgrad in Newcastle is very different in that it gives him much more independent time between lectures and seminars. For him, that adjustment to the freedom is part of the university experience now.
Representing the Newcastle Knights also means being part of a club that brings together students from both the University of Newcastle and Northumbria. He admits the team doesn't really think about it, but he appreciates the community it creates. With the universities ultimately going head to head in competition, he's already looking forward to the atmosphere. 'I think it'll be fun,' he says. 'I think there’ll be a lot of friendly banter as well.'
Off the court, he's been building Amani, a wellness brand he started around three years ago...
Basketball is of course only one facet of O’Hara’s life. Off the court, he's been building Amani, a wellness brand he started around three years ago out of a personal interest in health and supplements.
What began as some independent research into products that might improve his day-to-day wellbeing eventually became something more substantial. He'd been ordering various powders and experimenting with making his own capsules at home. He started to give the supplement to his friends and they all responded very positively. That in turn led him to consider whether his interest might be developed into a business. 'I was already in the health space, so why not?' he says.
Since then, Amani has moved well beyond its original product roots and now runs a whole range of community events too. These include sound baths, spin classes, and confidence workshops, to name a few, all designed to bring people together around the theme of wellbeing.
... he's learnt to be patient and try various things in the hope of eventually finding something that works ...
For Cierán, one of the most fun parts of running the business is the creative freedom it offers. He really enjoys the content creation aspect of it; it's a chance to be himself in a different way. Marketing is a different ball game though. 'Marketing is just a massive puzzle, really. You’re trying to work out how the hell you're going to sell it and make money.' With no clear plan for success, he's learnt to be patient and try various things in the hope of eventually finding something that works, always with the long term in view.
His interest in wellness also feeds into his views on student-athlete support. Having played basketball for so long, he's seen teammates in all sorts of situations off the court, and that's what has made him appreciate the value of having someone to talk to. That could be a mate, a coach or someone else entirely. He feels support should always be there.
Academic advice is just as important, particularly when you've got a very demanding sporting schedule on top of your university studies. In Canada, he remembers academic advisers and ex-students giving their time to help their teammates with their academics.
As O’Hara gets settled in Newcastle, his ambitions for the Knights are very much in place. They're aiming at both BCB (British Championship Basketball) and BUCS, obviously. The only thing is that to actually achieve that you're going to need a lot more consistency and a lot more defensive solidity. 'We have the tools, and we have the players to do it,' he says. 'It’s just a matter of working out how to get everyone to push in that direction.'
For a man who once thought his basketball career was over, Newcastle has opened the door to a very different next chapter. Having fought for championships, completed his Master's and raised Amani, O’Hara is now fully embracing the prospect of starting again on his own terms.