Paula’s surprise event ‘caps it all’
A Dundalk woman who played soccer 11 times for Ireland has finally been presented with her ‘cap’ thanks to the efforts of her family to have her achievement officially recognised more than 40 years on from her debut.
Paula Brennan (nee Gorham) from the Quay area had no idea that a family get-together just before New Year’s Eve was going to be a presentation of a cap by Dundalk FC co-owner Paul Browne.
She played for Ireland from 1970 to 1978 against a number of teams, scoring a hat-trick on her debut against Wales, but never received a cap.
Paula, a former Dundalk FC player who started with Blackthorn Ladies team, was ‘completely surprised and delighted’ and thanked her children - Orla, Mark and Karen - and Oriel Park, for their efforts in bringing the presentation about.
Paula said: ‘I know that Orla tried to get a cap for me for my 50th birthday, but it didn’t work out. So I had no idea that she had done it when I turned up to Clarke’s Bar. I think she spent around 18 months trying to get it sorted and it arrived to her in November but she kept it a surprise.
‘I can’t explain how much having one cap means to me - I’m so happy to have finally got one and I feel my life is complete’.
Orla said it had been difficult to get the cap but she was happy that she had not only managed it, but also that her mum had no idea that she had pulled it off.
Since her retirement from international soccer, Paula has played squash for the Dundalk team that won the League of Ireland trophy and gaelic football for Louth and Leinster. She remained involved in sport all her life, coaching a number of teams. In addition, she set up her own dry cleaning business in Galway, but is now back in Dundalk.
Paula has recently taken up golf, starting with the G&T team, Ballymac and now playing out of Ashfield Golf Club near Cullyhanna, a new sport she loves.