 Like Patrick, Shane has featured at youth level for the Republic of Ireland and recently switched allegiance to Northern Ireland, playing and scoring for the under-21 team in August 2012 against Hungary.McEleney was a ballboy at Derry City in his youth.In 2015, an Italian football fan travelled 5,000 km to watch Derry City play and obtain McEleney's autograph after managing the club in PC videogame Football Manager.