Richie Sadlier announces birth of ‘gorgeous’ first child with wife after fertility struggle

The former Ireland international took to Instagram to share the happy news.

Mr Sadlier said he was “delighted” to share the news that Fiona had given birth to the couple’s “gorgeous little son”, named Sam.

“Parents, at last. I won’t even try and put into words how incredible this past week has been for us, but for now, just wanna say a huge thanks for all the lovely messages and well-wishes we received throughout the pregnancy,” he said.

“It was lovely knowing there were so many people rooting for this chapter of our story to have a happy ending.

“The biggest thanks of all goes to Fiona for never giving up hope that one day we’d feel this way.”

The couple, who got married in 2019, were previously told by specialists they could not conceive naturally but Sadlier took to social media last August to share the joyous news that he and his wife Fiona had conceived naturally.

At the time, Mr Sadlier said the couple had endured a lot of fertility complications to conceive naturally.

“Four years after being told we couldn’t conceive naturally, and umpteen fertility consultations, scans, injections, embryo transfers, tears, hugs, and negative pregnancy tests later … I’m bloody delighted to share the news that my amazing wife @fionaward25 is now 15 weeks pregnant …. Naturally!

"“I know everyone finds their own way through challenges like this, but we chose to speak openly to friends and family about what we were going through from day one, so we got their support when we needed it and the space when we asked for it.

“So grateful for all for the encouragement, support, solidarity and love we received along the way, and big hugs to anyone out there currently travelling the same path,” he said.

Mr Sadlier previously encouraged couples who are struggling to conceive to talk about it with family and friends.

Speaking on RTÉ’s The Late Late Show in September, Richie said: “We were overwhelmed by the response, but I got so many private messages from people who said ‘I'm on that journey’ or ‘I'm about to embark on it’ and I'd always ask them if they had told their friends of family.

“And so many people replied with ‘no, no’ they couldn’t tell the lads or they only told some family.

"But we wouldn't have gotten through the last few years today if we didn't tell our family and friends and get their support.”

The couple received countless messages congratulating them, with many of Ireland’s best-known faces and sport stars sending messages of love.

Brian O’Driscoll, Shay Given, Richie Towell, Muireann O’Connell and Rosanna Davison were among those extending their well wishes to the couple.