SlaNey Sport
Be part of the fastest growing sport! Ladies gaelic football is considered to have commenced in Ireland as far back as 1926 when a a parish league was organised in County Clare. For almost 50 years after that the sport made little or no impact until the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) was officially established in 1974. By 2007 it had grown to 132,000 members and now there are about 200,000 spread over 1,000 clubs nationwide, making the sport not just the fastest growing sport in Ireland, but generally considered the fastest growing in Europe. The sport can help any young girl fulfil her dreams – from kicking a ball at her local club to becoming an elite athlete performing before crowds of over 50,000 people in Croke Park.
The first step on that journey is joining a local club and one such club is the Shamrocks Ladies Gaelic Football club on the east side of Enniscorthy town. The club started in 2007 and has mushroomed since then with 50+ players now participating spread over a range of teams from age 6 to adult. It’s very much a familyfriendly club with dedicated mentors and officials welcoming new players and all those wishing to give the game a try. Club Chairwoman Regina Tirbhowen says, “We at Shamrocks LGF Club pride ourselves on our holistic approach to ladies football always encouraging healthy choices and positive mental health. Within our club we promote all aspects of community involvement with our members helping the vulnerable in our community, during Covid lockdown,
collecting their shopping etc.” Like most clubs, it urgently requires more coaches for all age groups, so if you can spare a couple of hours a week, please contact Regina on 086 8711224. The club is very grateful to its sponsors and in particular it thanks O’Callaghan’s Centra, The White House, Eddie Kenny at Bodyworx and The Village at Wheelocks. With the weather improving, and a ‘grand stetch in the evenings’, it’s time for the girls and women of Enniscorthy to get active. Check out the club’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ShamrocksLadies-Football-Club-1540847179515207/ or contact Regina Tirbhowan, the club’s proactive Chairwoman, who would be delighted to hear from you on 086 8711224. n
The 2021 Shamrocks Ladies Gaelic Football U-12s (below) with mentors Anne and Megan and U-14s (above) with mentors Fiona and Lisa.
5th April 2022 - Page 111
