A number of counties lay claim to being
the cradle of Ladies Gaelic Football. There is a suggestion
that a parish league was organised in Corraclare County
Clare in 1926 by Tom Garry of Clonreddin. It lasted for
a couple of years but then gradually faded away.
The 60's seems to provide the first real evidence of this
"new craze" as it was called at the time. For years the
women of Ireland, like most countries, had stood half
a step behind the menfolk. The Gaelic Athletic Association
had grown and prospered over eighty years. |
| From a couple of thousand spectators
at the turn of the last century to regular attendances
of 70,000 plus was a huge improvement. At least one third
of these spectators were women. The 60's was a decade
of change all around. The city of Liverpool let loose
a group called the Beatles and the world would never be
the same again. Cries of Liberation for women swept the
boards. No longer were the fair sex content to be taken
for granted. |
|
| In every facet of life they
began to enter the spotlight, no longer content with household
chores. The career woman was born. Sport was an obvious
outlet. Athletics had been well and truly conquered, camogie
was also established along with female participation in
tennis, badminton and hockey etc. However women playing
Gaelic football - Now that was one that was guaranteed
to raise the eyebrow. |
| Gaelic Football was considered a mans game
in every sense. A tough physical sport that seemed well
beyond the capabilities of Ladies. Women's participation
was deemed to be in the role of spectator, cheering (not
too loudly) their heroes. Gaelic Games enjoyed a monopoly.
Practically every single household had direct involvement,
whether it be as a player, official, or spectator. Consequently
it was a daily topic on most people's lips. |
|
| It was perhaps inevitable that women should
take to the playing fields, Carvinals and Festivals were
at their peak. Organisations were on the look out for
novel ideas to raise finance. Ladies Football fell into
this category. In little pockets around the country such
as Clonmel and Ballycommon, in Offaly, games were organized.
It was the Ireland of the traditional cross-roads, young
people looking for something to do, money was scarce,
recreation had to come cheap. One such location was Killmurray
cross -roads in the Faithful county as the youth came
together on summer evenings in the late 60's. |
The lads moved into the football field adjacent to Kilmurray
school to try and emulate the great deeds of that fine
Galway three-in-a-row team, or the Offaly minors of '64.
The girls were not content to stand aside and view the
proceedings. Indeed the Malones, the Todds, the Walshes
and Mary Bridget Boland were intent on proving that ladies
could, if given the chance, be equa1ly proficient at the
"Peil Gaelach" Two ambitious girls in the group, Maureen
Malone and Mary Bridget Boland set out to look for competition.
Training began, the lads were always there to offer coaching
tips, particularly Paddy Ferry. Known as Ballycommon they
ventured into seven-a-side tournaments, putting their
skills against Lorra and Redwood (Tipperary) and St .
Lomans from Westmeath. |
| Well known Tullamore personality Michael
Noel Byrne presently development officer with the Offaly
G.A.A.Board, played his part in organizing a tournament
that saw Ballycommon defeat the Marian Hostel Tullamore
in the final. The history making team lined out as follows
- Geraldine Todd (goalkeeper), Mary B Boland, Ann Malone,
Mary Todd, Maureen Malone, Annette and May Walsh. The
word spread to Kilcormac and the Ballycommon -Kilcormac
clashes that followed generated great excitement. There
were three Buckleys and three Malones in direct opposition
and in the words of Maureen Malone "there used to be murder
but we'd meet at a dance in the Marquee later on and that
would all be forgotten". |
Players only needed a of a game and Rene
Brennan, Martina Conroy. Essie Walsh, Evelyn Malone, Frances
Mc Donald, Tara Mc Donald, Teresa Maher. Will have happy
memories of numerous trips in Tom Malones grey volkswagen
van and Paddy Feery's Cortina.
Seamus Aheame of the Dungarvan Gala Festival committee
organised a tournament in June 1968 and drew a huge attendance,
and the following summer the Clonmel Nationalist carried
a notice of a Ladies Gaelic Football match on the lOth
July " Followers of football will be able to see a novel
attraction at the Clonmel Sportsfield tonight (Thursday)
at 8.30 p.m.
A Ladies Football match between the staff of Clonmel Post
Office and the County Council office has been arranged,
admission will be 1/- and the proceeds will go to the
Biafra Relief Fund. |
|
The standard while to may not approach that
of the Kerry mens team will prove an attraction in more
ways than one. Some fine entertainment should be provided
and the public is asked to support a very worthy cause".
Probably out of sheer curiosity, along with that worthy
cause, a big crowd turned up to a game which the Post
Office won. A week later the news paper reported a high
standard but scores were hard to come by.
The interpretation of the rules caused problems and this
was very much in evidence during the early years. The
mens rules were applied and this led to a few hair-raising
incidents. |
For the record the teams lined out as follows:
POST -OFFICE: Betty Mc Carthy, Helen O Flynn, Mary O Connor,
Pat Hoare, Ann O Meara, Monica Sayers, Eileen Bolger,
Ann Nolan, Kathleen Nolan, Eileen Bowes. Ann Sheehan,
Bernie Cullen, Joan O Dwyer, Judy Cleere, Breda O Meara
(capt).
SUBS: Ann Ryan, Joan Ryan, Mary Dennehy.
COUNTY COUNCIL: Noelle Dempsey. Aileen Acheson, Maura
Dalton, Carmel O Brien, Eileen Ryan, Josephine O Callaghan,
Theresa O Regan, Kathleen O Brien, Mary O Dwyer, Pat Lynch,
Kitty Connolly, Margaret Dawson. Ann O Connell, Mary O
Keefe, Mary Keane.
SUBS: Una Cooke, Joan Mc Carthy.
|
 |
The game whet the appetite of the players
as well as the spectators and a week later the Post Office
played the Carrick-on-Suir Exchange as it was caned in
those days. Clonmel notched up their second victory and
the success of these two fixtures led to a league being
organised.
Eight teams from various organisations entered - Burkes
Bacon Factory, Clonmel Industries, Showerings, Currans,
Schiessers (2 teams), and the Trail Blazers, the Post
Office and County Council. The League was organised by
MI O Shea, Michael O Connell and Pierce Butler, and called
itself the Ladies Football Organizing Committee. Referees
for the Tournament were Jimmy Collins, William Robinson
and Tommy Mc Donald Junior. |
On the occasion the proceeds which were
considerable went to the Northern Refugees, to be forwarded
by the Red Cross. By the 12th of October it was down to
a final between Showerings and the Post Office with Jimmy
Collins a prominent St Mary's hurling club official as
referee.
The game was played on a camogie size pitch and was covered
by the Nationalist sports reporter "ATLAS" along with
a staff photographer. Progress indeed. There was a great
build up, the Post Office made Christy Aylward as the
manager with MI O Mahony in charge of Showerings. |
 |
Players were permitted to lift the ball directly off the
ground. Although Showerings led in the early stages the
more experienced Post Office outfit were convincing winners
and they were duly presented with their trophies later
that evening at a function in the Ormonde Ballroom Clonmel.
Man landed on the moon in 1969 but that had to share the
top billing around Clonmel with the novelty of Ladies
Football. At that particular time Clonmel was a thriving
town and drew much of its work force from surrounding
areas such as Ballymacarbry, Newcastle, Ardfinnan and
Fethard. It was only natural that the players would bring
the news of their new pastime back to their native parishes
and this is exactly what happened. |
| The summer of 1970 saw clubs formed in Ballymacarbry,
Newcastle, Ardfinnan, Kilsheelan and Fethard. Tournaments
were held regularly, amongst the sponsors were Clonmel
Junior Chamber. A couple of shrewd clergymen saw the game
as a good parish fund-raiser. The interest was phenomenal.
Most of the players were young eligible ladies and this
brought along the local "garsuns" to help swell the attendance's,
much to the delight of the organisers. Ballymacarbry club
was officially formed on Tuesday 7th July 1970 with Winnie
Hallinan as chairperson, Peg Kelleher as Secretary and
Noreen Hannigan as Treasurer. The Ardfinnan Festival was
a prestigious event for local G.A.A. teams and when they
added Ladies Football to the list of events it was a big
step. Eight teams took part and was whittled down to the
host team and Newcastle. |
Prior to the start of the final the teams
paraded behind the Convent Girls Pipe Band from Clogheen.
Newcastle trained by Tony Rushe won and they were presented
with their prizes, skirt-Iengths by the local curate Fr
Morrissey.
Clubs still had to raise money for their own individual
needs. The church gate collection was popular along with
a Dance in the local hall. There was fierce local rivalry
along both sides of the river Suir, the Waterford -Tipperary
element was a factor, Newcastle and Ardfinnan always pulled
out all the stops in G.A.A. and the Ladies were no different. |
 |
| It helped the attendances and a game between
Newcastle and Ballymacarbry, in a N.F.A. sponsored tournament,
attracted over 500 spectators to the Mill Field Ballymacarbry.
The Nationalist reported that both teams served up a wonderful
game before Newcastle's Eileen Bolger shot the winning
goal. Ironically Eileen was a native of Ballyrnacarbry
and this increased future rivalry. By now the game was
spreading. Emly invited a number of teams into a festival
tournament including Solohead, Clonmel, Ardfinnan. Two
weeks later it had spread across the Limerick border to
Oola and Pallasgreen. Ladies Football had really arrived. |
| The year ended with a South Tipperary -
West Waterford league played on a double round basis and
Newcastle confirmed their superiority over the local sides.
Thus the first year of real competition in the region
came to an end and the seeds were securely sown. At last
the Ladies in rural areas had a means of recreation that
not alone gave them healthy enjoyable exercise but also
put them in the public eye. 1971 was to be a real test.
The initial novelty had worn off and now the game would
have to stand on its own merit, with a view to improve
the games status a convention was called in Clonmel in
March. A south Tipp fixtures board was set up to organize
a proper league and arrange matches. By now Ballymacarbry
and neighbours Touraneena had formed a team and within
a week Killrossanty did like wise. On Saturday the 24th
July 1971 the Dungarvan Observer carried the announcement
that a Ladies Football championship would be run off in
Waterford. It was decided that all games would be played
in Leamybrien a little village seven miles outside Dungarvan
on the Waterford road. |
| A county board was set up under the chairmanship
of Fr Percy Ahearn a native of Colligan with Margaret
Foley as Secretary. Two weeks later the first championship
match took place and Ballymac scored a six-point victory
over Killrossanty. The championship was sponsored by Muintir
Na Tire and played on a league basis. Kill, Fenor, Stradbally,
and Abbeyside also took part. Ballyrnacarbry and Killrossanty
qualified for the final on the 2nd of September. Ballyrnacarbry
became the inaugural champions by a two-point margin.
Meanwhile Tipperary also organized a championship and
two weeks later Ardfinnan surprised favourites Newcastle
to capture the first Tipperary title. With club competition
going smoothly the idea of an inter-county match arose.
Fr Ahearne and Tipperary's Jim Kennedy and John O Donovan
sorted out the arrangements and Sunday the 3rd October
saw Tipperary take on Waterford at Ballypatrick a little
village outside Clonmel on the foothills of Slievenamon.
In what was probably the first ever game of intercounty
ladies football. Tipperary won by a couple of points. |
|
| In north Cork a series of tournament and
challenge games also took place. Knockscavane, Ballydaly,
Banteer, Newtownshandrum, Freemount, Boherbue, and Buttervant
began to play each other and the spectators started to
respond. Likewise in Kerry the trend was the same, carnivals,
festivals or anyone of half a dozen other causes was met
with a positive response. Kerry's great football tradition
meant that the ladies were ready, willing and able to
take the field. Very often girls stood in to make up the
numbers, they couldn't help but be interested faced with
a constant diet of hurling and football from fathers and
brothers. Ladies football gave them an opportunity to
fulfil their own dreams. Roscommon was another county
with strong tradition. However it was 7 a - side football
that got the game off the ground. Clan na Gael, Ballintubber
and Lisnamult were the instigators. Individuals such as
P J Lennon and Marie Holland and Michael Naughton promoted
the game. Roscommon county council also played its part
with Pat Burke as trainer. |
The early 70's also saw the gradual stemming
of the tide of emigration. In the previous two decades
employment opportunities were limited so for a large percentage
of the youth there was only one alternative - the boat
to England and further a field. However economically Ireland
began to realize its potential. It was an era of foreign
investment particularly by American companies and this
helped in no small way to keep the youth in Ireland. However
it did necessitate travelling within the country and this
flow led to the promotion of Ladies football. A new environment,
new friends and a chance to spread the news. Cork began
with a divisional championship in 1973. The final was
played at Banteer on the 2nd of September and Knockscovane
beat Ballydaly 3-4 to 2-3.
|
 |
| A carnival week held in the North West Cork
town saw Cork take on Kerry in a game that attracted a
crowd of 2,000 spectators. Referee for the occasion was
Cork inter-county midfielder Denny Long. Denny was a member
of the Cork senior football team that won the All Ireland
senior title for the first time since 1945 a couple of
weeks earlier. The Kerry side was selected by Mick Fitzgerald
and a Scotsman called Alex Rintnel. Cork had a real-star
in Bridie Brosnan whilst Kerry's Mary Geaney contributed
2-6 as the Kingdom won 5-10 to 4-11. In Offaly the G.A.A.
was enjoying a boom and ladies football benefited accordingly.
There was a very strong Offaly Association in Dublin and
it was making a strong contribution on the playing field,
where it was to play a huge part in fund-raising for the
Faithful County. Actively involved in the Association
was Brendan Martin, a native of Tullamore. Brendan's brother
Tom had a holiday house in Stradbally County Waterford
which Brendan visited regularly. During one such visit
he met a group of girls returning from a football match
and thus chance conversation led to a match being organised
between the Dublin based group and Stradbally. |
| This took place a couple of weeks later.
Brendan was impressed and further contact with his native
county led to Kerry being invited up to Offaly. It was
billed as an UN-official All Ireland and resulted in a
big win for the home side. By the end of 1973 there was
enough evidence to suggest that the game was on a sound
footing. The responsive as positive. Club championships
had proved very popular. But the various inter-county
challenges brought a new dimension. Players longed for
the chance to wear the county colours. It was time to
organise the game nationally. The following twelve months
was to fashion that particular structure. |
|
1974 THE OFFICIAL STAMP
1974 brought the revitalization of Gaelic football. It
had lost a little bit of its glamour but the emergence
of the Dubs with Kevin Heffernan as manager brought the
crowds flocking back. Hill 16 became an institution as
the spectators introduced a witty repertoire of songs
a selection of banners along with the traditional colours
as the Sam Maguire Cup went back to the Capital City for
the first time since 1963. It became fashionable to play
football again as the trend in which the code was under
threat from English Soccer was reversed. |
| Croke Park became a cauldron, the atmosphere
was fantastic and the G.A.A. benefited accordingly. Ladies
Football also made giant strides. Several county boards
were set up. Michael Naughtons house in Lisnamult Co Roscommon
was the venue for a meeting which set up a county board
on Wednesday 26th June. Marie Holland was elected chairperson
with Michael Naughton as Secretary- Treasurer. The committee
included PJ Lennon, Elizabeth O Brien, Patrick Burke,
Margaret Flanaghan, Ann Naughton, Patricia Kilroe and
Ann Crean. This led to the commencement of a county championship.
Clan na Gael won the first county title defeating Ballintubber
in the C.B.S. field in Roscommon in a score line of 3-6
to 4-2 in a cracking game. |
 |
| A meeting was called at Killurney a little
village in Tipperary with a view to setting up a national
association. Personnel from a number of counties attended
and a few players were in favor of a trip abroad to either
England or America. Jim Kennedy and John Donovan were
adamant -get the game organized in .Ireland first and
then talk about trips. It was decided to call another
meeting and try and get,. more delegates. Hayes Hotel
Thurles was the chosen venue. Ninety years earlier the
Gaelic Athletic Association was founded in this famous
hotel and Thursday evening the 18th July saw four counties
Tipperary, Offaly, Galway, and Kerry represented. The
Ladies Gaelic Football Association was officially founded.
Tipperary's Jim Kennedy was elected as President. Jim
was a native of IKillenaule and a Sergeant in the Army.
He had served in both the Congo and Cyprus in the 60's
and at this particular time he was living in Clonmel and
was an instructor in the F.C.A. in Cahir. Mary Nevin from
Kilcornlac in Offaly took the position of Secretary .Mary
worked with the Eastern Health Board in the Mater Hospital
in Dublin, but played club football with Kilcornlac Roscommon's
Margaret Flanaghan became treasurer. Margaret hailed from
and played with Ballintubber, she was a founder member
ofher club and worked as a physiotherapist at the county
hospital in Roscommon. Marie Holland,also from Ballintubber,
aDept of Agriculture official, became vice president with
Offaly's Joe Feighery as assistant secretary and Brendan
Martin as assistant treasurer. |
It was decided to hold a senior inter-county
championship with each county paying a £10 fee to cover
medals. Eight counties Roscommon, Laois, Offaly, Galway,
Kerry, Cork, Waterford and Tipperary indicated of their
interest to take part. The four Munster counties were
drawn in opposition and agreed to playa Munster championship
on a league basis. It was decided to draft a set of rules
as their was different interpretations with some counties
using the complete set of G.A.A. rules. Roscommon were
drawn against Laois, Offaly were drawn against Galway
along with the Munster championship.
|
 |
| On Thursday 8th August a Kerry county board
was formed at the Austin Stack Pavilion in Tralee. Richard
Williams of the Fossa Killarney was elected chairman,
Joan Kelleher became secretary with Ardfert's Pat Lawlor
as treasurer. A second meeting was held at the commercial
rooms in Kelly's hotel Portlaoise. The playing rules were
discussed and a total of forty rules were drafted. Several
of these were similar to those of the G.A.A., the most
notable being that a size 4 football be used, a player
n:ay pick the ball clearly off the ground. The traditional
50 was to be taken from 30 yards out [similar to camogie].
Over the next two years meetings were held at several
different venue's including the Famham Arms Hotel in Cavan,
Bolgers Hotel Tullamore, the Shamrock Lodge Hotel in Athlone,
Egans Hotel Birr, Lawlors Hotel Dungarvan, The Royal Hotel
Roscommon and the American Hotel in Eyre Square Galway.
|
| Prominent county delegates during that period
included Offaly Phyllis Hackett, Ballycumber Joe Feighery,
Ballycommon Mick Talbot, Kilcormac Tom Kenny Banagher,
Tipperary John Donovan Kilsheelan, Derry Shanahan Littleton
Mick Lonergan Golden, Waterford Ann Mc Carthy Ballymacarbry,
Noreen Begley Stradbally, Kerry Richard Williams Tralee
Mick Fitzgerald Castleisland, Laois Tom Daly and Eileen
Maher Stradbally, Cork Tommy Tucker Ballydaly Nora Mitchell
Little Island, Roscommon Michael Naughton Lisnamult Ann
Dolan Ballintubber , Galway Pack Conway Corofin. The championship
got under way, both Laois and Roscommon had inexperienced
sides. |
| Laois county board wasn't formed until 1976
but Joe Strahan of St Fintans hospital Portlaoise arranged
for Peter Dunne to train a group of 25 ladies who were
, interested in representing the county. Roscommon also
lacked match practice and Laois advanced to the next round.
Galway had formed a board with Frank Kearney (Torloughmore)
as chairman, Margaret Colleran (Fr Griffens) as secretary
and Bridget O Brien as treasurer. Pat Conway (Corofin)
invited Offaly to travel to Galway for a tournament game
and a month later the sides met at Kilcormac in the championship.
It was part of a festival and a band paraded the teams.
|
| Galway's team comprised mainly of camogie
players was very young including a couple of fifteen year
old girls. Offaly had three years of inter-county competition
behind them and scored an impressive 5-5 to 1-3 victory.
Down south in the league Munster championship Tipperary
defeated Waterford 3- 8 to 2-6 in Fethard and following
that with a good victory over Cork. Kerry also defeated
Waterford and Cork to qualify for the Munster final against
Tipperary at Kilsheelan on the 15th September. Tipp led
by six points at halftime but had to survive in a nail
biting finish by a single point 2-6 to 2-5 with Eleanor
Carroll and Mary Mc Grath scoring the vital goals. Two
weeks later Offaly faced Laois in Portlaoise. Offaly were
firm favorites but the O Moore county hadn't read the
script and Offaly were fortunate to record a 3-6 to 2-6
victory. Thus Tipperary and Offaly were to contest the
first All Ireland Senior Final. |
| Tipp had prepared
diligently all year. John O Donovan was in charge of training
and his fellow selectors were Sean Gorey, Jim Kennedy
and Teddy Keane. they trained at Rockwell College where
they had the use of excellent facilities and usually ended
the session with a swim in the pool. In September they
moved to Ferryhouse outside Clonmel because it was floodlit.
Barlows Ltd were approached for sponsorship and they donated
a set of jerseys. The presentation was made by the company
director Carrie Acheson, later to become a T.D. Offaly
trained at both C.H.S. school in Tullamore , and at Kilmurray
cross. Bro Sylvestor Kearney, Joe Feighery and Mick Talbot
ensured that Offaly were well prepared. The final was
fixed for Durrow county Laois on Sunday the 13th October
1974 at 3.30p.m. with Kerry's Paul O Sullivan the appointed
referee. |
 |
| A press conference was called for Hayes
Hotel on the Thursday evening prior to the game. The organizers
were concerned with the lack of coverage and sought to
give the historic game a boost. It had the desired effect,
on Saturday the Evening Press carried the headline Make
way for that other All Ireland Liam Kelly wrote " Move
over Heffo's Army, the girls of Offaly and Tipperary are
after that All Ireland Football crown. But the Dubs need
have no fear. The girls have their own All Ireland Championship
to play for so there". |
| On Sunday afternoon Irish Press reporter
Dan Coen and photographer John Rowley made the trip to
Durrow. The following day Dan reported under the heading
II All Ireland first for the women"- it had not the huge
crowds but yesterdays first Ladies All Ireland football
final between Offaly and Tipperary (the winners by a single
point) had all the enthusiasm and thrills of many an All
Ireland in Croke Park. Tipperary won the toss and elected
to play uphill and thats exactly what they did, for though
the pitch was in excellent condition the incline would
put the heart crossways in any trainer who might find
his team trailing at the half way stage and having to
face it in the second half. The play was fast and tough
and as referee O Sullivan said -"not without a great deal
of expertise". Tipp were older too and maybe this combination
helped them to become the first champions on a new branch
of the G A A which is hoping for full affiliation with
the Association headquarters. |
| Towards the end of the first half Tipp were
in a comfortable lead of 1-2 to 0-0, and it seemed despite
the determined play of the Offaly women and the vocal
support from the sidelines that the match was over. However
Mary Nevin sec of the ladies G.A.A. and a sub on the Offaly
team told me to keep an eye on her side because they never
said die. She was right, for within minutes of the restart
Offaly took the lead with a goal. Still Tipp came back
and with about eight minutes to go went ahead with a point
from a free and that was that |
| Tipperary had won the first All Ireland
Ladies Football final in a score of 2-3 to 2-2. The enthusiasm
was there with much umbrella waving and shouting and calling
an all the saints in Heaven and sometimes for the devil
to do something about the flagging fortunes of either
side. It was a great day for women's football, and a nice
ladylike touch was added when the Offaly captain Agnes
O Gorman presented the cup to the Tipperary captain Kitty
Ryan. With a bit of luck more than eight counties will
take part in next years championship and the All Ireland
will be played in Croke Park. |
|
| The Tipperary supporters led by cheer leader
Gertie Strappe a supermarket owner from Golden were in
jubilant mood after the game. Winners of the first All
Ireland senior hurling title way back in 1887, they became
the first county to receive what over the years has become
a coveted prize the Brendan Martin Cup. After the game
both teams adjourned to a local hotel where they had in
the words of Jim Kennedy- " a bit of a do". There they
chatted and in many cases began friendships that were
to span the next decade. For Tipperary there was no majestic
home coming, but the following night they travelled to
Ardfinnan the home club of captain Kitty Ryan where they
were awarded a reception hosted by the local Ardfinnan
G.A.A. club. That was followed by a mayoral reception
in Clonmel with doing the honors. It was a disappointed
but very determined Offaly team that made the relatively
short journey home on Sunday evening the 13th October.
Theirs was a very young side and surely the experience
gained would stand to them in the future. They were not
to know that it would take another four years of hard
work coupled with several disappointments before they
landed the big prize. |
| The game also caught the imagination of
the Evening Press and the Monday edition gave it liberal
coverage under the heading "HATS OFF TO THE GIRLS"
before continuing "IF THE OFFALY G.A.A. LADIES
DIDN'T WIN THE ALL IRELAND AT DURROW, LAOIS, YESTERDAY
THEY SET A STYLE ON HEADGEAR THAT HEFFO'S ARMY -OR ANY
OTHER ARMY FOR THAT MA TTER - COULD EMULATE WITH ADVANTAGE." |
It was the first such clash and it dispelled
any illusion that this kind of sport in not for the gentle
sex. Offaly the vanquished are still powdering their wounds
-the 30 girls on the pitch and their legions of supporters
have little to learn of the fine points of the game. On
page 3 there was photographs ofMary Buckley, Fidelma Geraghly,
Rena Brennan, Urusla Corrigan and Catherine Hanlan wearing
distinctive caps that wouldn't have been out of place
at a Paris fashion show.
Four weeks later the Sunday Press continued the welcome
coverage with a feature on Tipperary captain Kitty Ryan
under the heading "KITTY IS ON THE BALL" The Press
continued with a quote from Jim Kennedy " Ladies football
is a very serious business and were to be taken seriously.
Its not just a gimmick or a flash in the pan. Ladies football
is catching on and the girls are taking it very seriously" |
Kitty continued " we get big crowds when
there's no other sporting attractions to draw them away.
Some of the lads might come along for a laugh at the girls
but I think most of them now realise that we can play
good football".
Thus 1974 came to an end with the game firmly established
in eight counties. The players of today owe a great debt
of gratitude to the trail blazers both on and off the
field, who put down the solid foundation that has stood
Ladies football in such a good stand over a quarter of
a century. |
 |
|
Ex
Presidents of The Association
|
| 1974 |
Jim Kennedy Tipperary |
| 1977 |
Tom Kenny Offaly |
| 1979 |
Tom Dowd Cavan |
| 1982 |
Mick Fitzgerald Kerry |
| 1985 |
Pat Quill Wexford |
| 1988 |
Mary Wheatley Laois |
| 1991 |
Peter Rice Wexford |
| 1994 |
Helen O'Rourke Dublin |
| 1997 |
Noel Murray Waterford |
| 2000 |
Walter Thompson Dublin |
| 2003 |
Geraldine Giles Westmeath |
|
