This entry is by Eleanor from Heywood Community School, Laois!
I admire Orlagh Farmer not only as an exceptional football player but also for all the work she has done over the years. She is such a talented football player, but not only is she a star on the field, she also shows us as young girls that you CAN play sports and still do amazing things with in life.
Orlagh is a qualified PE teacher and lecturer in physical activity. She also has completed a PhD which focuses on why so many young girls drop out of sport at such a young age. She got the opportunity to speak at the National Games Development in 2020 where she shared all her research and ways to help solve the problem. This is one of the most inspiring work Orlagh has done because it sheds a much needed light on the girls in sport.
I have had teammates that have played with me during the years and seeing them lose interest or get turned off the sport they once loved because of something is terrible to see and needs to be addressed to keep small clubs going and able to compete.
After this, Orlagh went on to create a five-day football challenge to keep young girls interested in sport and active during lockdown. It brought in both elements of football skills and cardio in a fun and also challenging way. I found the videos to be a great way to dust off the cobwebs and work on your basic skills in an enjoyable way, it was very easy to follow along and you could do the workouts a couple of times each day. It also helped knowing that other players around the country were doing the challenge along with me. This challenge she created was a major success with lots of clubs across the country and got the positive response Orlagh was hoping for.
She is also an ambassador for Gaelic 4 Teens which again shows her passion for keeping everyone playing sports.
Orlagh has achieved a lot in her years of playing football. She has had the privilege of winning six All Ireland Medals with the Cork ladies football team. She plays corner forward and is a vital scorer for the team. Last year she was named the Irish Times/Sports Ireland sportswoman of the year for the month of May. These achievements are ones I dream of being able to do when I get older. Her and her team to have won six All Ireland medals is something that is just extraordinary. Being named Sportswoman of the Month is a major achievement with all the talent that is in ladies' football.
I find Orlagh so inspiring not only because she shows such a love and passion for sport, but she has achieved so many incredible things and many achievements young girls dream of achieving in sports ,and keeps on achieving more. She shows everyone that if you love something so much and you dedicated time and effort into it ,the possibilities and opportunities are endless
