Two Irish Daughters - Finding Role Models for Irish Girls

As the afternoon came to a close in a buzzing Croke Park, a rapturously positive feeling radiated from the congregation. This was 'nearly' the end of a truly wonderful year of Ladies football, superbly organised by the LGFA and skills demonstrated in spades on the pitch by the courageous and athletic talents hailing from all parts of the country. In the Senior final Meath weathered the Kerry storm, drew upon all their experience and tactical nous and their main players stepped up and delivered back to back All Ireland Titles. Wall, O'Sullivan, Duggan, Grimes and the indefatigable Emma Troy were merciless when it came to execution. Kerry heads never fell, Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh never stopped. Síofra O’Shea and Lorraine Scanlon kept coming and making Meath work for every inch but as the match wore on, Meath looked to their stars and they duly delivered, in particular Troy who rallied those around her. Meath's team is full of talent but their half back line is ...

The 2022 LGFA intercounty season reaches its climax this Sunday in the Mecca of Croke with an intriguing mix of backdrops from potential tales of redemption, to hopes of the rising Phoenix. To say the LGFA has made dramatic strides under the stewardship of Helen O’Rourke would be an understatement. The association, structures and membership is unrecognisable from those initial days of formation in 1974. The vision, passion and commitment shown by those past and current leaders have blazed through the barriers created, the glass ceilings that were created and the general misogyny that was prevalent towards Ladies football at the time. Credit where credit is due and the continuing rise each year for attendance at LGFA games, highlights the quality of the product and spectacle on show. The days of ridicule and begrudgers has long gone, replaced with those keen to see their kith and kin enjoy a great sport. Onwards to Sunday and we have 3 sumptuous matches to look forward to. Fi...

There are a few Irish sports stars who have made the, sometimes awkward transition from elite player to TV personality, but the speed and ease with which Anna Geary has done so is particularly striking. The Famed Camogie legend retired from competitive sport at the still youthful age of 28 but with a huge determination to succeed at her new career. The opportunity was there for her and she grabbed it with both hands, unwavering in her desire to add another accomplishment to an ever increasing list of achievements. Of those said achievements - where do we even start? All Ireland titles in schools, club, county, province. Captain of Cork, European Camogie champion, Cork Rose of Tralee, University of Limerick graduate, 1st Class Hons Post Grad 2013 in PR & Communications, DipLoma in Business & Life Coaching, numerous individual awards and ambassadorships. It is fair to say what Anna puts her mind to she achieves. Post sports career, she turned her hand to the media s...

Some of us come into the world with everything made easy. We don't have to work at getting better at anything as money, garganutan biceps or high cheekbones will carry us to where we were pre-destined to be. A remarkable jounrey safe from the rapid waters of adversity and content in the knowledge that their world is built around them and those fit in to that world as it is. Some others though are born to fight back, not accept the system as it is and fully believe change is possible. Those others are epitomised by Sinead Burke. Born 1990 with a condition called achondroplasia, Sinead could have accepted the circumstances, kept her head down and bemoaned the lack of opportunites. Sinead scrumpled that note and threw it into the bin. A number of titles can be given to her but none really do her justice exclusively: Disability Activist, Podcaster, Artist, Fashionista, Author, Teacher, Activist. She is a woman of action, of these descriptions and much more. After deciding she c...

We all dreamt as children of flying to the Moon or being an Astronaut at some stage didn't we? For some it was a fleeting moment of interest, for others a lifelong itch to be scratched - for Dr Norah Casey it was the latter. From the moment she visited NASA's complex in Cleveland, Ohio as a child she was hooked and her life's trajectory moved towards that star. This was no facile, childish whim. This was the beginning of a quest to reach that celestial body which has transfixed and beguiled men and women for thousands of years. Norah is making it happen. 'The First Irish person in Space' has quite the ring to it and Norah is fully deserving of the title should she get there. This isn't something that she stumbled into. It has taken focus, determination, hard work, commitment and intelligence for Norah to get to where she is. A native of Ballina, Co Mayo she took a degree in Aeronautical Engineering in Limerick, followed by the International Space Univ...

What a glorious sight it was to see two teams battling in the ampitheatre of Croke Park Dublin in yesterdays conclusion to the Ladies Football Finals. The LGFA have to take enormous praise for the way they have transformed the Ladies game in the past 20 years. The spectacle of show was worthy of any showpiece, regardless of gender, and the atmosphere from the crowd as the game entered its final throes was simply exhilarating. The Women's game has had its detractors for a long time now. Whether this be the result of misogyny, begrudgers or those who hate change it is difficult to say but what i witnessed yesterday could not be viewed without the emotions being stirred nor the admiration for those who enter the crucible of battle on the hallowed turf of Croker. I had my daughter WITH ME for her first experience of the Stadium. I thought the jaunt would do her good to see the standards and levels of what Is needed to reach the pinnacle of Ladies Gaa Football. The Junior a...

  The anguished face of Ciara Mageean, following the tortuous final lap of the 1500m women's race in Toyko, touched our hearts. Having seen her Covid interrupted training schedules of 2020 and 2021, and the late tear sustained to her calf muscle, frustratingly the week prior to the race, we knew how much this would hurt her.  In truth it only served further notice of how bravely the 29 year old had battled to place in the race, in spite of the detrimental injury, and the guts it took to take the race to the favourites at the start knowing how few options were left if the strategy did not work out.  Typically, Ciara wasn't one to complain offering that she is not 'one for sharing troubles that arise'.   She takes ownership of her own problems and sets them right in her own assertive manner.   Ciara has worked hard to get to the top and she will stay there from her own work mantra. Ciara had hoped for a final spot and a PB in these Olympics. Hailing from...

                                                      Mona McSharry's breakthrough Tokyo Olympic achievements correctly have her as the name on the lips of anyone mentioning Irish Swimming and the surreal Gold medals of Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy have been rightly lauded and held up to give us a such a buzz this week, delighting the masses and giving pride at seeing our boys and girls do so well.   Conspicuous by its absence is the mention of the Olympian who won 3 gold medals and 1 bronze at the Atlanta Games in 1996 - Michelle Smith De Bruin. One time national hero consigned to the whispered equivalent of Voldemort. So many conflictions offered by supporters and detractors. Some make sense, others border on the idiotic. Conspiracy theories aplenty, friends now foes. I will hold my hands up - I want to bel...

When you fully believe in yourself, anything is possible.    Bronze medals for Aifric Keogh, Fiona Murtagh, Emily Hegarty and Eimear Lambe - Ireland's first of the games.  They knew, they just knew they had it in themselves to drive on in the 2nd half of the race, comforting themselves in the knowledge their aerobic fitness would see them get onto the podium. It is a gruelling and demanding sport with no hiding spots. Who could ever forget the documentary of Steve Redgrave of GB's Olympic training where he regularly collapsed with exhaustion. That is what it takes, and that is why these girls deserve our full admiration and respect. The girls had demonstrated how hard they finished earlier in the season and their competitors knew this thereby racing out early to try and blow off the Irish threat.  The hard training yards, realisation of their capabilities and trust in the Group meant the Irish girls could storm the 2nd half of the race, finishing with aplomb and over...

  Every time the Olympics comes around, there are the conflicting senses of optimism and pessimism.   We know the likes of the USA, China, GB, Russia (ROC), japan and Germany will dominate to an extent, and our race is pretty much ran before we get there.  But, and there is always a but, Team Ireland has that way of always doing you proud, fighting to the end, plucky minnow against the commercial beasts. This Olympics is no different. Still in its infant week, the sensational win by the women's hockey team over South Africa sparked the onset of belief that this tournament could be another World Cup repeat.  The defeat to the Netherlands while expected, showed the team are developing and improving tactically  all the time.  Ayeisha McFerran was simply brilliant as she repelled one attack after another, ably assisted by her crew who fought valiantly against the best team in the World.   It was rear-guard action at times, but that's what we expe...

  There are those in Irish society who have have met resistance at every corner yet still persevere, meeting the challenges head on and simply demanding their right to be heard and to do their thing. Zainab Boladale is one of those people who have realised their talent, overcome obstacles and refused to let irrational detractors stop her dreams or negatively influence her.  In short she battles on regardless. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Zainab came to Ireland and was raised in the lovely town of Ennis in Co Clare.  She found a 'grá' for the Irish language and is a fluent speaker. She was the first Afro-Irish employee of RTÉ  and its first Afro-Irish presenter.  She is a strong advocate of racial equality in Ireland but also of Women's rights, campaigning to stop inequality simply because of one's race or gender.  By doing so and by putting her head above the parapet, she has attracted unwelcome attention but she refuses to let such things derail her sense of pu...

  Where to start with the good Doctor? When the name 'Dr. McHale' flashes on your screen, in no way does it conjure images that remotely explore the depth and complexity of Dr. Fionnula McHale.  A woman raised in the great Western County of Galway, she studied medicine at Trinity, Dublin graduating in 2010, and then started up her own clinic in Dublin two years later.   Impressive, I hear you say, a driven intelligent young woman who has done well for herself but is there more?   Yes, there's more. Much more.  The grey description above doesn't even begin to describe Fionnula McHale.  How many Doctors out there have came from difficult childhoods, made it to medical school, took research fellowships around the world, lectured in a multitude of cities, became the World International Fitness Champion, 2 time European Powerlifting Champion, and opened their own clinic specialising in an alternative approach to health - Functional Medicine. It is a seriously im...

  photo c/o Getty Images It is not often a GAA club website has a full section devoted purely to a family, or to be more precise, the two sisters Considine (Eimear & Ailish).  To have such an accolade highlights the immense pride the Kilmihil club have for it's famous daughters and how respected they are within the local community.   Ailish is off enjoying Aussie Rules for Adelaide Crows in Australia, and Eimear is establishing herself not just as a teacher, but also as an International rugby player, pundit, analyst and now podcaster.  There appears little she cannot turn her hand to proving to be extremely versatile and a hugely positive person, particularly when it comes to trying new things, letting her natural intelligence and adaptability come to the fore. Hailing from Co Clare, Eimear showed from a young age her talent for Camogie and football, having a great grounding from her father Cyril and Mother Kay.  It is obvious how much her family means ...

Michelle Gallen came into the greater public consciousness when her first book 'Big Girl, Small Town' was released.  Michelle was brought up in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone and studied in both Dublin and Scotland, working hard and realising the potential that was within her.   A child of the troubles, stife was never far from the door in Ulster but life has a way of challenging us to adapt and continue on with normality, however different the circumstances are.   Her debut novel was dubbed 'the Milkman meets Derry Girls' by Sinead Moriarty no less, and Michelle was able to draw on her background for the storyline set in a fictional Irish border town with tragedy and drama ongoing. The dark humour and laughs provide an engaging tale that grips the reader and involves them emotionally, issuing a connection with the characters that ensures you don't want to leave the book down.   Anyone who lived in Ulster can relate to the story and part of Michelle's tal...

The face of Irish hockey was changed forever in the summer of 2018 with the achievements of the Irish Women's hockey team in London at the World Cup. Reaching the final when no one had given them a prayer at the start of the tournament was a momentous achievement and was the talk of the country.  North and South, the Irish were buzzing and Ulster was especially proud of it's daughter and team Captain, Katie Mullan. Hailing from the northernmost part of our Island, Katie was seemingly someone who could turn their hand to a lot of sports, namely athletics and Camogie for Eoghan Rua, Coleraine where she won an All-Ireland Intermediate title in 2010.   Obviously no slacking was contemplated in her studies where she is a qualified Biomedical Engineer, but Women's hockey in Ireland is still predominantly a semi-professional career rather than given the time to concentrate fully on it.  Katie made her international debut in 2012 and although funding has dramatically improve...