By Sarah Gill
08th Jan 2024
08th Jan 2024
In this instalment of our Women in Sport series, we hear from Saoirse McCarthy on her sporting inspirations, biggest goals, and how she minds her mental health.
Saoirse McCarthy is a 23 years old athlete, who has just graduated from MTU with an honours degree in sports and exercise management. A two time All Ireland winner with Cork camogie and a two time All-Star, Saoirse has most recently been recruited by the GPA as a Movember Ahead of the Game Facilitator.
Here, she shares her sporting story so far…
Earliest sporting memory?
Winning a school final with my primary school in Ballinspittle national school.
How did you become involved in your sport?
There’s not much else to do in Ballinspittle.
What message would you like to share with young women and girls interested in pursuing a career as an athlete?
Try and enjoy it as much as you can and remember why you started in the first place, because why you don’t give up is the same reason you carry on.
Proudest moment so far?
Captaining MTU to win the Purcell cup in 2023.
The female athlete I admire most is…
Katie Taylor because she sets the standards for her sport and has brought it to a whole new level in terms of equality and competition.
Favourite sporting memory…
Winning the 2023 Camogie final with Cork.
Do you think there is still a stigma around women in sport?
Yes, I’ve seen it first hand, people have a preconceived notion of what the women’s game is like, even if they haven’t seen it. There is still a gap in terms of quality even when it comes to the use of club facilities, the men’s teams will always get preference.
What is the biggest barrier to driving visibility in women’s sports?
Crowd attendance at games. While this is improving, I think women’s sport should be advertised as a spectacle to come and watch, as long as there’s crowds, there’s money coming in and everything else will improve.
The biggest stigma/misconception that exists in women’s sport is…
That the match isn’t as physical or exciting as the men’s game.
If I wasn’t an athlete, I would be…
Bored.
My favourite pre-match meal is…
Pasta and chicken for dinner, with blue bonbons for dessert.
My pre-match playlist includes…
Everything and anything from the Wolfe Tones to Stormzy.
My daily routine is…
I don’t have too much of a routine, every day is different, I just try to keep busy and surround myself with good people and do the things I enjoy.
My biggest sporting goal is…
Win three in a row with Cork camogie cause it has never been done before.
Sports brands I love (Irish or otherwise)…
Under Armour and Queen Bee Athletics.
Biggest splurge to celebrate a win…
A cold pint of Orchard Thieves.
How do you mind your mental health?
I like to get away and go for a walk at the beach or a long drive in my car, I use this time to relax, and it helps me put everything in perspective. I also talk to my teammates, coaches, friends and family if there is something bothering me because from my training as a facilitator, I know talking is key. The Movember Ahead of the Game initiative has also taught me to understand my mental health and it encourages teachers, young players, parents, coaches, and volunteers to build mental fitness, and strengthen resilience to deal with the day-to-day challenges in sport and life.
My three desert island beauty products are:
Sun cream, shampoo and toothpaste.
I need a minimum of 8 hours of sleep a night because…
It’s the easiest form of recovery to get, and essential to keep performing at a high level.
Confidence, to me, is…
Believing in myself and knowing I have put in the work to achieve my goals.
How do you get over a bad performance?
Control what you can control, you can’t change the past so learn from your mistakes and work on them for the future.
Lastly, why is sport such an integral part of community, on a club, local, national and personal level?
Sport brings people and communities together whether you win or lose, there’s a sense of belonging if you’re part of, or support a team… GAA is at the heart of nearly every community in Ireland and I think that’s what makes me proud to play it.
Movember has partnered with the GAA and the GPA to launch Movember Ahead of The Game. The program will support and enable 10,000 young players, their parents, and coaches to better understand mental health, build mental fitness, and strengthen resilience to deal with challenges in sport and life through a series of interactive workshops, delivered by current and ex GAA players. To learn more about the program, click here.
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