Most people still think of Rounders as a game played in primary school yards. The reality is very different.

Every weekend during the summer, around 100 adult teams travel the length and breadth of Ireland to compete in national championships. Men, women and mixed teams take to the field from Mayo to Wexford, Galway to Monaghan, in a sport that has quietly become one of the most inclusive and community-driven success stories within the GAA.

Across Ireland, hundreds of adults are discovering the sport for the first time.

Many never played Rounders as children. Many never played any GAA sport at all. In clubs across Galway, Dublin, Waterford, Limerick and beyond, players from every corner of the world are pulling on club jerseys and becoming part of their local communities through Rounders.

Few sports offer such an easy entry point. A person can arrive in Ireland having never kicked a football or picked up a hurl and, within weeks, be playing championship sport alongside Irish teammates. In an increasingly diverse Ireland, Rounders has become one of the GAA’s most effective integration sports.

The growth in women’s participation has been equally impressive. Women’s and Mixed competitions continue to expand, creating opportunities for women to remain involved in competitive sport long after many traditional pathways disappear. Mixed Rounders, where men and women compete together on the same team, remains one of the most unique and successful participation models in Irish sport.

Another remarkable statistic is that 60% of adult members are over the age of 35. At a time when many sports struggle to retain participants beyond their twenties, Rounders has quietly become a lifelong sport. Players continue competing well into their thirties, forties and beyond, drawn by a combination of competition, friendship and community.

That sense of community is perhaps the sport’s greatest strength.

For many players, Rounders becomes far more than a weekly fixture. Clubs become social networks, support systems and friendship groups. New residents find connections. Families play together. Entire communities are built around a shared love of the game.

Yet behind this success story lies a challenge that cannot be ignored.

The Volunteer Strain Behind the Growth

The sport’s growth has been achieved almost entirely through volunteers.

Every championship fixture, every juvenile blitz, every social media post, every referee appointment and every development initiative depends on people giving up their time because they care about the future of the game. Nationally, Rounders now operates approximately 400 matches annually, placing increasing demands on a relatively small group of volunteers, referees and administrators.

Travel remains another major obstacle. Unlike larger sports with established regional structures, Rounders clubs often face significant journeys to fulfil fixtures. Volunteers regularly spend entire weekends travelling to support their teams, while referees cover huge distances to ensure games can proceed.

Facilities present an equally significant challenge. As participation grows, access to suitable playing venues is becoming increasingly difficult, particularly in urban areas where demand for pitches continues to rise. Many clubs are thriving despite having no permanent home of their own.

What Rounders Needs Next

The sport’s future will depend on addressing these pressures. Greater investment in development officers, stronger support for volunteers, improved facilities and increased visibility could help unlock the next phase of growth.

There is also a growing belief within the game that reaching 100 active clubs nationwide would be transformative. More clubs would reduce travel, strengthen regional competitions and create a more sustainable championship structure for everyone involved.

The foundations are already in place.

Participation is growing. New clubs continue to emerge. Women’s involvement is increasing. Juvenile programmes are expanding. More people from different backgrounds are discovering the sport every year.

For a game that many still mistakenly view as a childhood pastime, the reality is that Rounders has evolved into one of the most welcoming, inclusive and community-focused sports in Ireland.

The challenge now is ensuring the structures, resources and support systems grow as quickly as the game itself.

Because if they do, the next chapter of the Rounders story could be its most exciting yet.

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It is with great sadness that the Camogie Association has announced the passing of Iar-Uachtarán an Chumainn Camógaíochta, Liz Howard.

Liz served the Association and the sport of camogie with distinction across several decades and leaves behind an extraordinary legacy within Gaelic games.

A Trailblazer For Camogie And Women In Sport

The first Tipperary woman to hold the top post, Liz was elected President of the Camogie Association in 2006.

Born in Carrick-on-Suir into a family steeped in Gaelic games tradition, Liz developed a lifelong passion for camogie and hurling. Her father, Garrett, won All-Ireland senior hurling medals with both Limerick and Dublin.

Liz later moved to County Clare, where her parents established Feakle camogie club. During her playing career, she represented Feakle in Clare, Roscrea and Knockshegowna in Tipperary, and Celtic and Phoenix in Dublin.

She won a National Senior League medal with Tipperary and an All-Ireland junior medal with Dublin.

Decades Of Service To Gaelic Games

Liz was appointed National PRO of the Camogie Association in 1979 and also served as Tipperary GAA PRO from 1981 to 2003.

She was also a media pioneer, becoming the first female analyst on The Sunday Game on RTÉ.

Liz played a major role in the preparations for the Camogie Association’s centenary celebrations in 2004 before being elected President of the Association in 2006.

Her contribution was recognised with the Tipperary Personality of the Year award and the National Administrator of the Year award at the Volunteers in Irish Sport Awards in 2009.

She remained closely involved in camogie administration in the years that followed, continuing to serve the game in several different roles.

Tributes Paid By Camogie President Brian Molloy

Uachtarán an Chumainn Camógaíochta, Brian Molloy, expressed his condolences following Liz’s passing.

“On behalf of the Camogie Association, I would like to share my sympathies with Liz’s family, her many friends, former colleagues and the wider Gaelic games community on her passing.

“Liz Howard was one of the great servants of our Association, someone who dedicated decades of her life to the promotion and development of camogie at club, county and national level. Her contribution to our sport was immense.

“Liz brought passion, intelligence and enormous energy to every role she held. She was a proud advocate for camogie and for women in sport, and her leadership helped strengthen and modernise the Association during an important period in its history.

“She will also be remembered as a deeply respected figure within Gaelic games, whose love for camogie and hurling shone through in everything she did.

“Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis.”

Funeral arrangements will follow.

Suaimhneas síoraí dá hanam.

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Kate O’Connor is no longer just one to watch — she’s one to beat.

With European and World Indoor medals now in her collection, the 24-year-old heptathlete enters a new phase of her career: not just competing with the world’s best, but challenging them. As she prepares for two major summer events — the World University Games in Germany later this month and the World Championships in Tokyo in September — O’Connor is thinking big.

“My whole team focus has kind of changed,” she says. “Before, I’d go to championships looking up to the top girls. Now I’m going there to put it up to them.”

Belief Born from Breakthrough

O’Connor’s confidence is rooted in a sensational indoor season, where she claimed bronze in the European Indoors pentathlon and silver at the World Indoors. These were her first senior medals in an Irish vest, after earlier success as a European U20 silver medallist in 2019 and a Commonwealth Games silver medallist for Northern Ireland in 2022.

“I definitely feel like I’m in that bracket now,” she says. “It’ll take another couple of years to challenge for the very top, but that’s the ultimate goal.”

Monte Gordo Grind

Currently training in Monte Gordo, Portugal, O’Connor is putting in two sessions a day while juggling the final stages of a master’s degree in communication and PR. It’s a heavy workload, but one she’s handling with focus and ambition.

“I’ve always had something outside athletics – like university – to keep me grounded,” she says. “You never know when injury or setbacks can hit. It helps to have more than one identity.”

Backed by Adidas

Earlier this year, O’Connor signed a professional deal with adidas, giving her much-needed support in one of the most demanding events in sport. It marks another step towards her goal of becoming a full-time athlete after her degree wraps up in September.

“Financially, it’s getting better,” she says. “The support since indoors has really grown. Ideally, I’d love to bring my full coaching team to every event and not have to make decisions based on budget.”

Bigger Platform, Bigger Pressure

O’Connor’s success has brought increased public attention, and with it, new challenges. “At first, I said yes to everything — media, events, interviews — but it quickly got overwhelming,” she admits. “My dad’s been amazing, stepping in to handle the flood of emails so I can concentrate on training.”

“I thought three weeks off after indoors would be enough to reset everything, but I quickly realised the attention doesn’t just stop. You have to learn how to manage it.”

Record-Breaking Goals

O’Connor will open her season at the World University Games on July 23, where she hopes to surpass her own Irish heptathlon record of 6,297 points. Her target? Break 6,500 — a score that would place her among the world’s elite.

“I’ve focused hard on my speed this year,” she says. “If I can break 24 seconds in the 200m and improve on my javelin — my PB is from 2019 — I’ll be in a great place.”

With the World Championships just over 10 weeks away, her timing is spot on. “I’m in similar shape to indoors, maybe even better. If the body’s in good condition, anything’s possible when you put the events together.”

Powered by Partnership

Kate O’Connor was speaking at the launch of Athletics Ireland’s extended sponsorship deal with 123.ie, a six-figure partnership running until 2030. With big backing and even bigger ambition, the Dundalk native is ready to take on the world.

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