Anyone who follows women in team sports in Ireland, whether that be soccer, rugby, football or camogie, is invariably used to empty stadiums, ill-fitting kits, little or no press coverage, games getting cancelled or moved to facilitate men’s games and, of course, the demeaning, derogatory, “nobody cares” comments. Even when you disregard the comment, it stings.
The thing is, though, they’re also witness to passion, skill and a pure self-belief. The players care even if a general bystander doesn’t. Some journalists are there overseeing the players, the games, the matches no one apparently cares about. Players who have played with boys’ teams as children, risked injury on unsuitable pitches, worn the borrowed tracksuits, paid their way where needed, gone abroad to follow the dream of professionalism, represented the country without the [need] for people to see. An admission by the players that this matters, at least to them.
This Fifa Women’s World Cup, although not perfect, has felt like a balm to that burn.
Attendance records are being broken: 1.5 million tickets were sold within days of the tournament starting, television viewing records are being surpassed, the Matildas jersey had outsold the men’s before the tournament even started. The Irish games have been crowded with Irish jerseys and superfans (including someone who even quit their job to attend). From radio to TV to print, the media is covering all angles of this team in this tournament. There are watch parties for those who can’t be there. People care.
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Admittedly, not everyone. It’s hard to imagine that workplaces, bars, supermarkets and stores in Ireland would have the same apathetic reaction if the men’s team qualified for the World Cup (which they have not done since 2002). Similarly in Perth, bars and restaurants were unaware of a World Cup game happening just down the road from them, unintentionally delaying fans arrival to the Rectangular Stadium, not realising a game kick-off of 8pm.
For Katie McCabe’s Irish women’s team, the journey to here really began in 2017 when Emma Byrne captained the team to a now-infamous strike. The FAI listened and sweeping changes have been brought in, equal pay and an individual sponsorship with Sky.
As McCabe said, it’s been a journey for this team to get here. There was the low of not qualifying for the Euros and the unforgettable high of Amber Barrett scoring in Hampden Park days after the Creeslough tragedy, securing Ireland’s place in this, their first World Cup.
And, yes, the opening game against Australia was huge. With 76,000 people watching Ireland fight their way to a loss, but what could and should have been a draw.
It was in Perth, though, going up against the Olympic champions, that it really hit home. The rain bucketed down and the Irish filled the stands, a sea of green taking over Rectangular Stadium on a night where it could have been winter in Ireland. While Tallaght Stadium is always host to families and young children clamouring to see the players, this was a larger range, Irish expats of all ages turning out to see the girls in green.
The players that used to sing Amhran Na Bhfiann to virtually empty stadiums were now being drowned out by the 17,065 people singing along with them, loud and proud, right through to the final whistle.
There is just Brisbane left, Ireland v Nigeria, a game that could decide whether co-host Australia progress out of the group stages. Despite it being a dead rubber for Vera Pauw’s side it seems as though the Irish will turn out in numbers again. Irish jerseys are visible in and around Brisbane city, in the Fifa fan zone watching the Brazil v France game, with fans flying in from other parts of Australia. The fan zone yesterday welcomed fans in preparation for the game on Monday, with Katie McCabe and Vera Pauw making a surprise appearance.
“I think obviously coming into this tournament, we knew how tough it was gonna be with the level of opponent that we were gonna play,” said Megan Connolly in a pre-match press conference. “I think within the group we had that belief that we know that we can compete against the best teams and obviously we wanted to get out of the group. There’s no question about that. We wanted that, but, yes, coming away from this tournament we wanna come away with some points. You know, we want to continue to put on performances and make everyone proud, and again show the world that this is our first tournament but hopefully not our last.”
This team and the support behind them has felt like a rebuke to everyone who has ever belittled women’s sport. It has felt validating in a way that’s hard to explain. For this writer, having grown up with what felt like a singular female sporting hero in Sonia O’Sullivan, it’s an assurance that caring about this team (and other women’s teams) isn’t niche or unusual.
It’s likely the legacy of this team in this World Cup has planted a seed that we won’t see the fruits of for some time. For the IRFU and LGFA it surely has shown what can happen when there’s some committed focus and smart investments. For Irish fans, to aim high, dream big and back yourself, even/especially when others don’t believe in you. For players, whether you play in the women’s national league or captain a team in the NWSL, that you can make it to a World Cup playing for Ireland.
If this is how well this team can do within five years of a significant investment the future is bright. In the meantime this team have Nigeria to play, then a first match in the Aviva Stadium against Northern Ireland in September.
Ireland’s women will eventually have their own Italia ‘90, but until then we have McCabe’s corner goal and Australia 2023.
