Ladies Gaelic Football

ladiesgaelic.ie // 31 SHEENA BYRNE Volume 14 | Issue No 1 | PEIL Spring "She's the reason I'm so into sport and Gaelic Football," explained team-mate Caoimhe Fagan. "She was there from day one, coaching us and then when I finally got moved up to senior, I got to play side by side with her at midfield. "It was just brilliant because she's been a role model to me throughout my whole football career." Sheena, who set up Kilcock's underage section in 2004 along with her sister, Linda, was visibly moved by the numerous compliments and good wishes on the night. Proudly clutching the Lulu Carroll award, she said: "It's a gorgeous trophy and it's an honour to receive it, especially after such a wonderful lady as Lulu was. "Her family are here tonight and it's just an honour to meet them all. To be associated with her in any way is a huge honour for me. "They said to me that I was very like her, and that they were delighted that I won. They were explaining that the trophy had a picture of her on it and the back of it had her home town and her club. They're a very nice family to meet." Modestly, Sheena attempted to play down her own contributions. She smiled: "I actually don't do that much compared to what everyone else does in the whole country for Ladies Football. Myself and my sister started up the underage, we train the teams and we play ourselves, the admin bits and things like that. I don't think I do that much, to be honest." Administration and fund-raising plays a huge part in Sheena's work with Kilcock but she still gets a huge buzz from pulling on the boots and getting out on the pitch. "I love playing the game. My main thing is playing the game. I love to play the game and the girls even slag me playing that I have a big smile on my face playing matches. I love to see the girls playing in the club and that the club is promoted and growing, that we'll always have a ladies team for everyone else to gain things from, like I have. To promote it like that really means a lot to me." Volunteers like Sheena within the Ladies Gaelic Football Association are invaluable, particularly with research revealing the high level of drop-out in sport among teenage girls. Sheena believes that keeping players involved through their teens and beyond can impact positively on all aspects of their lives. She reflected: "When they're young, you might think this girl is brilliant and she'll be the best girl in minor or whatever. "And they're the girls that probably don't even last through the game. It's important to make sure they all play and enjoy it. It's a social thing as much as anything else for Ladies Football. "It's good to get the women involved in the club, and in the local community, because it's mostly a men's club. It's getting women in and getting them to enjoy all of the things…mental health, physical health, in every aspect it touches your life." Sheena has also noticed the growing levels of interest in and media interest focusing on Ladies Gaelic Football. Last September, a record 46,286 attendance flocked through the Croke Park turnstiles for the TG4 All-Ireland finals in the junior, intermediate and senior grades. And Sheena says: "When I started playing football, Ladies football wasn't even on the telly, the All-Ireland finals. Every year it's getting bigger and last year was the biggest attendance at the All-Ireland. It's the fastest growing sport in Ireland and it's great to see. I can only imagine that in the next 20 years, it'll be just as big as the men's game but it's not to be the men's game, it's to be a unique game of our own." Savouring her own personal achievements with family and friends at Croke Park, Sheena was feeling understandably proud. Under her guidance, and assisted by fellow volunteers, the Kilcock club continues to go from strength to strength at all levels. Honouring volunteers was high on the LGFA's list of priorities for 2018 and Sheena was a worthy first recipient of the Lulu Carroll award. She smiled: "I'm delighted, even the video tonight was just amazing…I'm nearly speechless to think of how I feel. I'll process it over the next few days. It's an absolute honour and to be associated with the LGFA, it's very close to my heart, I'm just delighted." "It's a gorgeous trophy and it's an honour to receive it, especially after such a wonderful lady as Lulu was. "Her family are here tonight and it's just an honour to meet them all. To be associated with her in any way is a huge honour for me."

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