Valerie Mulcahy

Ladies Football

Once there was a girl called Valerie, who played football with the boys at school every day. For years she begged her teacher to start a girls’ team and when she was in sixth class, she finally got her wish. When her team got to the Sciath na Scol final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh it was like a dream come true. Unfortunately, Valerie split her knee open and had to be taken off. Even though she was hurt, Valerie insisted on going back on. She was glad she did when her team won and she lifted the cup as captain, in what ended up being her only chance to play in the famous Cork stadium.

After the success with the school team, Valerie’s mum set up a ladies football club called Rockbán. Within six years they won the junior and intermediate All-Ireland titles and Valerie’s star was on the rise. She also played soccer and represented Ireland at the World University Games in 2003, but playing football for Cork was her ultimate dream.

When Valerie first joined the Cork squad they weren’t winning many matches and she was usually one of the first players taken off. Valerie knew if she wanted to change that, she would need to work hard and score more. From that moment on, she practised taking frees and penalties every single day.

In the 2005 All-Ireland final, when Cork had a penalty to win the game, Valerie knew she was ready. She buried the ball into the roof of the Galway net, and Cork won their very first All-Ireland title. Over the next ten years, Valerie won nine more All-Irelands with Cork. She was the top scorer in seven of those finals and won six All-Stars, becoming one of the most recognisable faces in the game.

Valerie also used her profile to promote causes that were close to her heart. She was one of the first players to represent the GAA at the annual Pride parade and was a founding member of the Women’s Gaelic Players Association. Thanks to players like Valerie, the fight for equality for all has made the GAA a more inclusive organisation.