Women in Sport Stories
Marian McHugh
Marian went from couch to 5K, is now combining her job with a love of running and walking
Shirley Roche
Shirley has come through a series of bereavements to tackle opponents less than half her age and has no plans to hang up her boots anytime soon
Tina Golden
Tina is one of thousands of mothers around Ireland who form the backbone of local sports clubs
Michelle Cummins
Despite not engaging in sport since the age of 16, Michelle has now run two marathons and clocked up numerous 5k, 10k and half marathons
Louise Killeen
Founding a dragon boat club for breast cancer survivors has changed Louise's life for the better
Marian Maloney
Told she could never play sport after being diagnosed with a visual impairment, Marian is proving her doubters wrong
Emily McElarney
For Emily, the heartache of miscarriage was a driving force to get running
Holly Widger
A global pandemic is a baptism of fire for any student nurse - so the sea has become even more of a sanctuary for Holly
Ann Carroll
Taking part in new age kurling has reminded Ann of everything she loves about sport – exercise, fun and friendship.
Mary Casserly
Mary has found a life changing non-contact boxing training programme which helps slow the progression of early onset Parkinsons disease
Anita Lynch
Raising three boys under three years of age, in a global pandemic Anita took on another challenge and became a runner, something she had never imagined
Geraldine Lavelle
A life changing accident did not diminish Geraldine's passion for exercise and adventure
Sheila O'Brien
When Sheila first bought a bike it got little use, until her sister was diagnosed with MND and she used it as a way to deal with the devastating diagnosis
Anna Deegan
Anna turned to triathlon to address an unhealthy lifestyle and has never looked back
Kate Hawney
The need to make friends in a new town after relocating for work, as well as wanting to learn to swim, led Kate to triathlon
Sarah Cregg
Diagnosed with spina bifida hydrocephalus shortly after birth, wheelchair hurler Sarah plays for Connacht
Fiona Oliver and Miriam Scanlon
Away from the parks, pitches, stadia and school yards Fiona and Miriam instill the joy of sport and exercise among female prison inmates
Sinead Tighe
Running has restored Sinead Tighe’s self-belief and provided an identity for her son Daniel
Sophie Dodd
Not only a great player herself, Sophie is giving back to her golf club as a coach for the juveniles
Ellie Duffy
Ellie Duffy had the most practical of reasons for taking up refereeing hockey matches whilst in college.
Karen Coakley
Sea-swimming is all the rage after a year of Covid lockdowns and learning to ‘love local’- but Karen never thought she would be such a convert.
Noreen Vaughan
Post-pandemic, Noreen's aim is to go cycling with her mother and daughter - three generations of females enjoying exercise and the countryside together.
Caroline O'Mahony
After her children grew up Caroline returned to rowing in her 50's
Kate Russell and Ciara Floyd
A dynamic duo of young women who have become player-coaches whilst still aged in their teens, can be found at Albion Rovers FC
Amara Onwuzulumba
Amara came to Ireland seeking asylum for herself and her children, within weeks she was also searching for something else central to her life – a place to run