Irish rugby star Beibhinn Parsons has had a packed schedule over the past few months - Parsons was one of five Ireland sevens players asked to play for the women's 15's squad in the Six Nations whilst keeping her Olympic 7s dream in sight.
A dream which has now come true as it was recently announced that the winger will be heading to Paris. She sat down with Her Sport, as part of TritonLakes sponsorship of the Ireland 7s, to share her palpable excitement and gratitude for this career milestone.
“It’s such an honour,” Parsons said, reflecting on her Olympic selection. “We had a day the other week where we talked about all the people that have come through our programme and the impact that each one of them have had. And it sort of just reiterated the fact that we're part of the privileged 12 that actually get to go, but that all these people have contributed to this happening. So it's just a massive honour, and I know I'm representing a lot more people than just myself. So yeah, it's really exciting.”
Excitement and Goals for Paris
The Olympic draw has been announced, and the Irish women have been drawn in Pool B with Australia, Great Britain and Olympic debutants South Africa. A challenging pool, but one which Parsons feels optimistic about: “We’ve beaten all those teams this year at one stage or another,” she noted. “We know that when we come together and we’re really connected, great things can happen. We’ve seen that when we beat Australia in the final.”
“We really want to go far in this competition. The best way to repay all those people who’ve worked hard for us is to come home with a medal,” she asserted.
The excitement for the Olympics extends beyond the pitch for Parsons, particularly about the unique atmosphere of the Olympic Village. “I think it hasn’t hit me yet that we’re going to the Olympics, but when we make that transition into the Olympic Village, it’ll be really special. We get our kit pretty soon as well, and that’s going to be a massive day.”
When asked about hopeful potential celebrity encounters in the village, Parsons played it coy: “I’ve been asked this a few times today. I don’t really know, and if I did, I wouldn’t want to jinx it. So I'm going to keep that to myself.”
Rugby players are known for their camaraderie and sometimes, their shared tattoos (at least for the Irish Women's Sevens squad!). After securing their tickets to Paris back in May of 2023, the team marked their qualification with matching bee tattoos. Will she add the Olympic rings to her collection? “Hopefully down the line. If I get to Paris and I put my feet on the soil, yes, but it’s not something I’m going to think too much about until after the fact,” Parsons said.
For the first time in a while, the proximity of Paris to Ireland brings a unique thrill for Parsons and her teammates. “We play all over the world in loads of different time zones. To be so close to home, we’ll see a sea of green at the Stade de France. So many of our families are going over, and it’s fantastic to feel so well supported.”
Encouraging the Next Generation
Reflecting on her own journey, Parsons highlighted the growth in opportunities for girls and women in Irish rugby and the increase in visibility: “There’s been an under-20s team put together. Participation is growing, media coverage is growing, and people are getting to know our team. It’s brilliant because once you know a person, they can be your role model.”
Research by Allianz showed that 1 in 5 children stop participating in sport at the transition from primary to secondary school. Girls are also twice as more likely to drop out of sport than boys before the age of 14. For Parsons, sport has proved to provide invaluable experiences for her, as she emphasized the importance of staying in sport: “The experiences I’ve had and the opportunities to go to an Olympics and hopefully a World Cup are things I dreamed of. Whatever I’ve put into rugby, I’ve gotten back tenfold. The friendships I’ve built and the memories I’ve made are things I’ll never forget.”
"And it doesn't matter if you're playing for Ireland or if you're just playing for your club. I've had fantastic memories that are just in my club in Ballinasloe as well as being the other side of the world in Perth. It doesn't matter where the sport takes you, but there's always memories and friendships to be made along the way."
