Harry McNulty: Rugby, Travel Photography and Living Nomadically

May 08, 2026 6 min read

Originally born in Bahrain, Harry McNulty has explored his fair share of the world thanks to his extensive Rugby career. Nowadays, you can find him traversing across Africa, finding inspiration for his next expedition, snapping some of the most stunning photography along the way. We had the pleasure of chatting to Harry about his passions for sport and photography, why they feed into each other so well, and the highlights of his career so far.

Firstly, can you please tell us a little about yourself? Maybe a small back story on how you got to where you are today?

I wouldn’t be who I am today without my parents. They raised us with the spirit of travelling. Mom was an air hostess for the King of Bahrain and Dad was in finance. Mom drove the travel and Dad showed us rugby. Both became huge parts of my life.

You travelled around more than most in your early years. How do you think this has impacted the way you live your life now? Do you think it’s spurred on a more nomadic lifestyle?

Yes, definitely. I loved our family travels as kids and with rugby I was very lucky to travel for a career. I went on to travel at any other available time. I really love exploring new locations, understanding new cultures and trying new foods.

Your rugby career started back in your school days at Bahrain Rugby club & Rockwell College, did you ever expect at the time that you’d fall in love with the sport? And when was the moment you realised it could go beyond your school team?

I knew of the game from my Dad and I followed the footsteps of my Uncle by going to Rockwell. I was on the B team all the way through school until my final 2 years. I just wanted to enjoy it and make friends. It became more serious when I went to university and I thought there may be a possibility to go pro, but it didn't work out for me in the XV game. I was very lucky 7s started the programme in March 2015 and I went to the first open day. My Mom signed me up! I was hooked from day one and knew then that I could make a career out of the game.

You represented your country twice in the Olympics, they must have been pretty incredible experiences! What was your biggest take away from your time spent competing with the whole world watching?

Its very surreal to look back on. Its also surreal to think I wasn't nervous running out to a full stadium! My biggest takeaway is to enjoy all the small moments. You give your life to the game and it all goes by so fast. Its very easy to get caught up in the bad or the 'what if's. It's the small, beautiful moments that are really important to remember.

What kind of work goes into achieving something like this? What is your average day like in the lead-up to these events?

You are on a loaded schedule designed by the best in the world on all fronts. They put you through hell and back throughout the year to make sure you are battle hardened but also, when you find yourself in a tough game, you're able to fall back on how hard you've trained. The harder you prepare the higher you can achieve.

A day would be 2 sessions. One gym and one pitch session. Both sessions were an hour long and the level of intensity would rise as the week progressed.

Rugby can be a very intense sport that comes with both physical and psychological challenges. Did you have any tactics during your time as Captain to boost the team's morale throughout long travel days and tough environments?

It's all about finding the balance. Do you do a session just because it’s “deemed” the right thing to do? Or do you really read the room and see that it's best to totally switch off and escape from rugby for a while. It's a balancing act that you don’t always get right. That's all part of learning about your teammates

It seems that travel comes second nature to you thanks to your years spent in the UAE and USA, along with travelling the world with the Irish Rugby team, what was it that sparked your interest in travel photography?

I had moved to Brisbane, Australia for a study abroad programme in 2015 for 6 months. I brought a GoPro with me as I wanted to travel and capture my trips. What started out as a very basic hobby became an obsession and then the obsession continued as I travelled with rugby. It's been fantastic!

How did you find the transition from working as an athlete to working as a photographer? Was there anything you could take from your career in rugby and utilise in your career in photography?

An obscure concept is that you can prepare and be ready for a shoot or game for a while but on the day it doesn't go right. For a shoot it can be due to so many out of control reasons - weather, gear, transport etc. Same in rugby, you might just not play well. It's about getting back up and trying again. The results will come.

You’ve travelled around the world looking for the next amazing shot. What’s been your favourite place to capture?

I loved my solo trip to Jordan in my early days. Petra and Wadi Rum are so special. My other favourites have to be the Safari to see the silverback gorillas in Uganda, the Great migration in Tanzania/Kenya and the surfers in West Ghana.

Where feels most like home these days? Do you have any recommendations for anyone visiting there?

My second home is Kenya. Watamu to be exact. I have a beach villa there which doubles as an Airbnb. Its an undercover, special slice of paradise. I love heading there to escape the European winter or relax after a big Safari.

What’s your best piece of advice for people who might want to get into travel photography?

Take photos of everything that interest you. What can you see that others can't? Don’t be too caught up on the perfect light or conditions. Just focus on how can you take the best photo, and have fun with it! Also, never leave the camera at home, that's when the best sightings happen hahah!

Can you share any top tips you have for elevating your photography skills? Anything that you’ve learned along the way that helped you grow?

They say to never copy or replicate and to make it your own. I think when learning, the best thing you can do is to try and copy other peoples images as much as possible. Only then will you learn how that photo was taken and what steps were needed to make it happen. If you do that 5 times, you now have 5 new skills which you can then begin to blend together and that is when you start to create your own style.

We’d love to know, what is one image that you’re most proud of?

The three surfers from Ghana - it was my first time “directing” models and working with new friends. I had to go waist deep in the ocean with my camera and dodge waves! Sometimes everything comes together perfect, that day it did.

What’s a place you are yet to photograph, but is at the top of your bucket list?

Lalibela, Ethiopia - especially the holy day of Genna - Ethiopian christmas. It's an out of this world, traditional day that encompasses lots of my favourite categories: Travel, Culture, Tradition and Timing.

What’s next for you? Anything exciting on the horizon?

I am really focused on pushing and progressing my company, 890 Expeditions. 890 is my Team Ireland Olympic number so it's very dear to me. I want to send people on the most special trips around the world, and showcase what is really possible. It's what fuels me!

A huge thank you to Harry for taking the time to chat with us. We're adding Kenya to our list of must-see places as we write this! You can keep up with Harry and his travels over on his Instagram, and if you're feeling inspired to explore, check out his expedition company here!