‘With Covid, we had a massive membership increase’ says Simon Gillespie when commenting on the recent stats that over 1000 girls are playing Gaelic Football in New York this year.
Simon reflects that ‘it is an amazing moment for us since LGFA started with just 12 people in a room figuring out if we could get a club team 30 years ago’. This sentiment really resonates as the growth of New York LGFA is spectacular, from its origins where LGFA had never before been taken seriously, to its prominence now in the big apple, the growth of the club is a real testament to the Irish community and to women in sport more generally.
In this video, we hear stories and memories from some of the most prominent players in the New York LGFA, and their journey from discovering the sport to where they are standing today as athletes.
The future for @NYLadiesGAA is looking brighter than ever, with over 1,000 women & girls playing this season
Clubs now have multiple teams, meaning competition & growth for generations to come
Full video live tomorrow
🤝 @gympluscoffee#NYLGFA #LadiesFootball #GymPlusCoffee pic.twitter.com/2z6xG0VNSJ
— Her Sport (@HerSportDotIE) September 5, 2022
‘I started playing with the boys’ says Margaret Brady before she was taken to her first LGFA training in the city. Growing up with the team has been has clearly been so formative for the community as ‘a lot of girls who started in 2003 just 7 years of age are now the leaders of their clubs’ Nollaig Cleary, this consistency has lead to New York producing some of the worlds top athletes the sport.
New York LGFA has proven to be a legacy that will carry on for generations, as it is not uncommon for the former players to become coaches and their children start the sport themselves. New York LGFA is clearly more than just a club, it is a family.
‘The growth here, you can physically feel it’ Simon concludes, watch the video here for the full story.
The Future of New York ladies Gaelic Football – YouTube