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Women in Ireland Making Strides in Sports
DUBLIN —
For six years in a row, Irish boxing sensation Katie Taylor has been selected as the “most-admired” athlete in Ireland. Her success is emblematic of the rise of women’s sports in the country.
The women’s national soccer team recently qualified for their first World Cup, and jockey Rachael Blackmore and Olympic boxing champion Kellie Harrington follow Taylor on the Teneo Sport and Sponsorship Index. Women also received “team of the year” honors for 2022 after qualifying for the upcoming Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Although the women’s game has grown in popularity, national pride also plays a role in the support of specific sports. Soccer, rugby, and Gaelic Games regularly take the top three spots, and the men’s rugby team is a favorite heading into the Rugby World Cup in September after winning the Six Nations tournament.
Breaking Down Barriers
As for women’s sports making strides in Ireland, boxing fan Aoife Thompson recognizes that it has been a recent development. “When we were growing up there were no real opportunities for women to participate that much in sport,” she said. “Now we have the likes of Katie Taylor, Kellie Harrington, we have loads of (Gaelic Athletic Association) stars you’d recognize all over the country now which you wouldn’t have gotten a few years ago.”
Public service broadcaster TG4 began airing Irish women’s soccer league games in 2021, and Britain’s top league, where Irish captain Katie McCabe plays for Arsenal, is also available in Ireland.
Changing the Culture
According to a survey by Onside consultancy group, Taylor and national soccer team captain Katie McCabe led this year’s list of most marketable personalities in Ireland. Women’s games are now airing in prime time, and the media coverage of matches has expanded to include more women on the panel.
Sinead Thompson, who attended the Taylor weigh-in with her sister, believes that the space for women has been created. “Women are being acknowledged for their pure talent,” she said. The women’s soccer team will play at Ireland’s national stadium for the first time, hosting Northern Ireland in a UEFA Women’s Nations League game in September.
A Role Model for All
For her part, Taylor remains humble and deeply religious, qualities that resonate particularly among older Irish. Although her homecoming fight ended in defeat, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist remains revered in her home country.
As Sinead Thompson notes, it’s just the beginning of a long road. “It’s just going to expand and expand.”
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