Women wanted for G4M&O

G4M&0 FEATURE

Gone are the days when GAA women were just fundraising, form-filling, lift-sharing, fee-paying, sideline-cheering observers of the beautiful game of Gaelic football.

Now they can lace up their boots and warm up their gumguards and get out on the pitch for some craic.

“It is for everyone,” said Louise Farrelly of Ballycomoyle Gaelic for Mothers and Others (G4M&O). “It used to be just Gaelic for Mothers but now that is not a requirement, although we have lots of mams on our squad and it’s great to see all our kids out cheering us on, but it is open to everyone, and you don’t have to have ever kicked a ball or watched a game to come down and train with us.

“It is really about getting out, socialising, having fun and making friends.”

This cohort started last October and trained throughout the winter, breaking an important GAA tradition that was in the main honoured in the breach not the observance. The numbers have grown steadily and last Wednesday there were 47 at training in spite of the thunder and rain.

“We would love to see more women coming down and joining us, and it is absolutely for everyone,” said Louise.

In sheets of driving, freezing rain, Ballycomoyle’s (G4M&O) set off at first light to travel across country to compete in their first ever national blitz. It was a day filled with dancing, laughter, football matches and drinks after.

It was, as with everything women do, done right. There was no rivalry but a sense of occasion, of getting out and when you’re out, you’re out.

“It started off with a massive zumba session to get us all warmed up and then off we all went to play our matches. A goal is a point and a point is three points, and you only have one play before you pass the ball on – so like a hop and a hand pass or a solo and a footpass,” explained Louise.

“That evens the playing field between people with experience and people new to the game.

“It was the best day’s craic ever.”

It is fitting that Bal G4M&O are sponsored by Sundancers Montessori in Castlepollard, another place where mothers have met and formed new friendships.

Owner Paula Hilliard and husband William have a long association with Ballycomoyle, and Breean, one of the ‘new to Gaelic’ players, is the manager of the Montessori. “We were only delighted to sponsor the tops,” said Paula, “and support this brilliant initiative for women.”

Sundancers have been in Castlepollard for more than 10 years now, but they were never approached for sponsorship. That tends to be builders, plumbers, electricians and other industrial jobs.

“When we were asked, I just thought it would be nice to support Breean and the young mams in the area. It is tough being at home with young children and anything that provides a social place for women to gather and to make friends needs to be supported.

“I know its now not just mothers – but it can be really challenging for women to get out and make friends or meet friends and it gets harder as we get older. We would not normally sponsor teams, we more often make contributions to worthy causes, but we made this one exception because it was important to us to support the initiative,” said Paula.

Coach

It can be a tough gig to coach your children but imagine Seamus Farrelly’s predicament coaching not just his wife but sisters-in law too. It’s a Bernard Manning joke from the 1970s struggling to break free, but it never happens.

Underage Coach for Ballycomoyle, Seamus was persuaded to also manage the G4M&O and with him comes the Gallagher family, who bring extensive playing talent – Aoife and Sinéad both played football for Bal. But his wife Louise, their sister was starting from scratch.

Experience varies from retired county players to ‘never even ran a lap’ non-sports people. Ability varies from people who have represented their county and country in various sports to those who never did sport, and age varies from ‘still being asked for ID in bars’ to ‘I can’t even remember when I was last ID’d in a bar but Right Said Fred was number 1’.

That’s a difficult job to coach but Seamus manages it with humour and goodwill. He has also persuaded the team to consider shorts.

Even going as far as to rope another branch of his family, Farrelly’s Bar, into sponsoring the shorts and socks. When you look the part, it’s half the battle.

“At the rate we are growing, we will have two teams, no – three, to put forward for blitzes in the future,” said Louise, “and it’s not too late to come along and join us. So try it and see what it is all about.

“Check out the Ballycomoyle Facebook page for contact details and all the information you need.”