James O'Shea (born 10 August 1988) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for A-League Men club Brisbane Roar.

O'Shea began his career with St Joseph's Boys AFC before moving on to play for Home Farm of the Leinster Senior League in 2005.

He subsequently joined Birmingham City in August 2009 for an undisclosed fee and made his Premier League debut shortly after against Manchester United.

O'Shea began his career at St Joseph's Boys, a youth team located in south County Dublin that caters for players from the age of six up to eighteen years old.

[3] Shortly after leaving St Joseph's, he signed for Home Farm of the Leinster Senior League in 2005, before joining Bray Wanderers a year later.

O'Shea made his Bray debut in the club's 2–0 home defeat to Longford Town in September 2006 at the age of eighteen, coming on as a substitute in the second-half,[4] and started his first match in a 6–0 loss to Cork City.

[5] He scored his first professional goal in a 3–0 win over Shamrock Rovers in October 2007,[6] before signing for League of Ireland Premier Division side Galway United in December 2007.

[8] In November 2008, it was rumoured that a £400,000 deal had been agreed between Galway and English Championship side Derby County, with the player expected to move when the transfer window reopened in January 2009.

[9] O'Shea went on trial with the club in November 2008 and scored twice in a behind closed doors friendly against Notts County in a match which an experienced Derby side won 5–2.

[15] In his last two games for Galway, O'Shea was watched by scouts from Portsmouth, Derby County, Birmingham City, Middlesbrough, Watford, and Falkirk respectively.

[31] Having scored in a reserve match against Ipswich Town the day after signing, O'Shea started in Stevenage's 0–0 home draw with Chesterfield on 30 October.

[38] In July 2011, O'Shea spent some weeks on trial at League One club Milton Keynes Dons, before impressing manager Karl Robinson enough to win a one-year contract with an option for a second year.

He was named on the Football League Team of the Week after scoring two late goals to secure a 3–1 win at home to Torquay United on 15 February 2014.

[47] He was included in the Football League Team of the Week for a second time that season after scoring a second-half brace to confirm the 2–0 win at Burton Albion that sealed an automatic promotion place.

[48] He scored a total of nine goals in 47 games as the "Spireites" won promotion as divisional champions in 2013–14 and dedicated the title success to a recently deceased friend.

[49] He scored seven goals in 41 League One games in the 2014–15 campaign to help Chesterfield to reach the play-off places, where they were beaten by Preston North End at the semi-final stage.

[56] He scored three goals in ten appearances to help the "Blades" win promotion as champions and was hopeful that manager Chris Wilder would sign him permanently in the summer; ironically his parent club, Chesterfield, were relegated in last place.

[59][60] He went straight into the starting eleven for the opening fixture, at home to Walsall, but lasted only 54 minutes before sustaining a medial ligament injury that was expected to keep him out for six weeks.

[71] On 28 June 2019, O'Shea left England for Australia and signed with A-League club Brisbane Roar, who were managed by former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler.