Rugby star Ciara Griffin’s best laid plans on hold
Ciara Griffin has seen her rugby career, her teaching job, and her wedding plans all disrupted by the Coronavirus restrictions. Con Dennehy spoke to her about life under lock-down
LIFE has changed dramatically for Irish rugby hero Ciara Griffin in recent weeks. The Coronavirus has curtailed her rising star status in International rugby which has resulted in isolated training in the middle of an exciting and hectic rugby season. Her life has also changed in her career path as a primary school teacher, from the controlled mayhem of the class room in the CBS Primary School in Tralee, she now interacts with her students via the internet.
There are also other uncertainties in her life at present. Her plans for her dream wedding in July, where she will tie the knot with her fiancé, Damien O’Sullivan from Currow, and the qualifying games in September for the Rugby World Cup. These are all dependent on successful outcomes in the global fight against the Covid-19 virus.
Ireland’s latest rugby sensation, and Irish captain, is following in the herculean footsteps of her Currow and Castleisland neighbours. Mick Galwey, JJ Hanrahan, Moss Keane and the ultra talented Siobhan Fleming all have their sporting roots in Currow while a vocal battle still rages regarding the home base for Tom Doyle and Mick Doyle with both Currow and Castleisland claiming their birthrights.
Ciara is passionate about rugby. Had she embarked on any other sport she would have also tasted success through her dedication, commitment, training and the single mindedness vision she adapts to any given task.
A native of Ballymacelligott, she played handball and Gaelic football successfully at a young age with the local clubs. However it was her father, Denis, who has been a guiding light in her sporting life.
“Rugby was always a topic of conversation in our house. My father was actively involved in Castleisland Rugby Club and I was lucky the barriers to playing were removed in time for me to get involved in the Under 14 and Under 16 teams for girls in the area. This gave me a great foundation in the sport. I got the opportunity to play and learn the basics in addition to making new and life long friends,” Griffin said.
Playing with Castleisland was a very special time for the young Ballymacelligott girl.
“I just loved the game from the first time I set foot on the field. You were also playing with the other girls you grew up with. One element of rugby at the time appealed to me, the discipline and the respect for match officials and for our opponents. This respect came naturally to me. It was always drilled into us at home to have respect for yourself and other people. At the conclusion of my time at underage level with Castleisland, and with no ladies team, I joined Tralee RFC for a few years. Again the experience I gained here would prove invaluable at a later stage,” she told The Kerryman.
Following her Leaving Certificate, Ciara got the opportunity to train for the one career she had a burning passion to pursue, teaching.
In 2011, then a first year student at St Mary’s Immaculate Teacher Training College in Limerick, she joined St. Mary’s of Limerick and then moved to Young Munster where she played senior rugby. Lady Luck smiled on the talented flanker and she was invited to attend Munster trials in Cork and ultimately her progression on the ladder of rugby success. This proved to be an adventure of sorts and she relied on her father for support.
“At the time I was just 18 years of age and had no driving licence. My last lecture in the College each day was in the late afternoon so travelling by bus to Cork was out of the question. My father was incredible and would drive from Ballymacelligott to Limerick, collect me and then drive to Cork for the trials. When the trials were over it was back into the car for the return trip to Limerick and Dad would then drive home to Kerry. It was a magical time for me and on those trips we discussed my progress and how I played in the trials. He was amazing.”
Ciara’s selection on the Munster Under 18 quickly resulted in a call up to the Munster senior squad. Between 2012 and 2020 she was a tour de force on the senior team winning an incredible five Inter Provincial medals with Munster. At the start of the 2016-2017 season she moved clubs to UL Bohemian and helped the Limerick side lift the Women’s AIL, defeating holders Old Belvedere in the final.
In 2016, following disappointment in 2014 and 2015, Clara was accorded the highest honour in sport, her first cap playing for Ireland. The game against Wales was played in Donnybrook and it was a magical and fairy tail experience for Ciara.
“This was special in so many different ways. It was the culmination of all the training and sacrifice, the years of hard work and the years of having a dream, a dream to play for your Country on the world stage. You share the moment with so many people but particularly with my parents, Denis and Kathleen who are my greatest supporters. The first cap is always special and the one you will remember long after you retire from the sport. I still remember where I sat in the dressing room, who sat beside me, the emotional experience of putting on the Irish jersey, the feeling of running out on the field and looking up at the stands and in essence soaking it all up. It’s a day I will never forget no matter how long or short my career might last.”
However, the dream of being selected on the Irish panel in 2016 turned into a nightmare as the team prepared for the 2016 Six Nations. Disaster struck when she broke her leg during the first training camp. “Luckily it was the fibula I broke and was out for just five weeks between October and December when I returned to full training. During that time I still trained doing cardio sessions on a bike.”
Ciara was determined to train and to train hard despite the injury. She contacted her sister, Eimer, to purchase a skateboard which would assist her training.
“I came up with a novel plan. My right leg was strapped to the skateboard and I was able to put the other leg on a rowing machine and this enabled me to roll the leg back and forward on the board which enabled me to have a good workout. It worked a treat and each day I was getting stronger and more determined to shake off the injury.”
The call to captain Ireland came in January 2018. She rang Denis straight away: “I was absolutely thrilled and shocked to get this massive honour. The support I receive from the other players was
phenomenal and continues to be so. In fairness this current crop of players are all natural leaders in their own right. As captain I have instilled in them a healthy respect for match referees. If we are penalised then it’s our fault and not the referee. One key rule is no back chat to match official and a healthy respect for our opponents after games.”
Ireland are currently on two wins from three games in this year’s Six Nations campaign. They defeated Scotland and Wales but lost to England with two games still on the fixture list. The last time Ireland won the championship was in 2015.
“It’s a strange time for me being unable to play rugby. I have gone from speeds of 100mph to just 10mph with no sport and no school life. In a way I have more time for training at present. I have my own gym at home and each week all the Irish players receive an individual training plan for the week that includes sessions in strength, core and running. Currently I train six days a week and each Wednesday twenty-five of the Irish squad turn to zoom for a collective training segment. Last Wednesday for example, over an 8 minute period, we did 100 squats, 80 lunges, 40 press up and some other activities. This is supervised by Orla Curran, our Strength and Conditioning Coach.”
Apart from teaching and training, Ciara’s other love is farming. She admits working on the land is a great way to get away from the pressures of rugby and teaching.
“Farming for me is a form of mindfulness. You can switch off and focus on what you’re doing. It is also a form of gym free strength and conditioning which helps on the rugby field.”
Ciara has had many memorable milestones in her career. On special memory is the day her boyfriend Damien proposed to her on Banna Strand.
“That was during Christmas 2017. A very special moment for us. He has been my rock during the good and not so good times. We are planning to get married in Ballymacelligott Church in July with the reception in Ballyseedy Castle. It is something that we are looking forward to. However, we are in uncertain times and the best plans are sometimes changed.”
Ciara has the best of both worlds; she always wanted to be a teacher and always wanted to be a rugby player.
“As a teacher I try to make every child’s learning experience meaningful. The same principals I apply on the pitch, such as respect, obeying rules and motivation, I apply to the class room to ensure the children in my care go on to be happy and contented teenagers and adults. I teach Second Class and they are a joy to work with. They are brutally honest if I have a bad game or do something wrong. I don’t know if I fear them of my coaches the most.”
For Ciara Griffin - a talented sportswoman, a dedicated teacher, a loving daughter and sister and fiancée, and an inspiration to many - the best has yet to come.