Emotional night for Tokyo-bound Deirdre Duke
IT WAS a weekend of high drama and emotion for Ireland’s heroic womens hockey team, who overcame Canada in a penalty shoot-out to claim a spot at the Olympics for the very first time.
Central to this historic moment was a player with strong north Wexford connection.
Deirdre Duke, whose mother hails from Ballycanew, played both games for Ireland against Canada over the weekend.
The 27-year-old Duke played a prominent role during the course of both games. She is the daughter of Gretta Duke (nee Carroll), who is originally from Ballycanew.
Deirdre represented her country at Under-16, Under-18 and Under-21 levels before making her Senior debut against Scotland in June, 2013.
She was a member of the Irish team which won the 2015 Women’s Euro Hockey Championship II, defeating the Czech Republic 5-0 in the final.
Educated at Alexandra College, Dublin, Northeastern
University and UCD, Duke graduated from the latter’s Sutherland School of Law in September, 2017, with a BCL with Social Justice degree.
In addition to playing hockey, Duke also played both ladies’ football and soccer in her youth.
She played football for Kilmacud Crokes and was a member of the Dublin team which won the 2005 All-Ireland Under-14 championship.
She has also represented the Republic of Ireland national football team at schoolgirls level.
The small north Wexford village of Ballycanew, who have followed Deirdre’s career with such interest, take great pride in her latest exploits on the hockey pitch.