Cathy is filled with optimism
IT’S a shame we can’t clone Cathy Forde. Exceptionally talented as a camogie and football player, hugely respected as a referee at county and national level, renowned as a coach and mentor, very intelligent and a lovely person as well. If we had more Cathy Fordes we’d be flying!
As part of our Women in Sport feature we chatted to Cathy about her life in terms of sporting endeavours, hopes for the future, thoughts on the role of women in sport, the coverage of women’s sports in the media and such like.
There’s few people involved in GAA in Wicklow who don’t know Cathy Forde. A Wexford native (we can’t all be perfect, in fairness) and proud of it, Cathy moved to Wicklow when she was around 21 for work purposes and it wasn’t long before an enterprising individual knocked on her door and asked her if she would care to play camogie with Avoca.
It was highly unlikely this was just a chance visit. Cathy had already acquired a serious reputation in the Model County. Born and raised in Clonee, Cathey started playing camogie competitively at 14, but had always been pucking around and playing with her brothers at home up to that point.
Such was her ability and potential that she broke on to the Wexford Senior team when she was 16. She played football for Wexford team Shels and from there she was selected for the Wexford Senior football team while also 16. Cathy played in a Leinster final, only to be beaten by a few points by one of the big guns. So, when Francis Hurley knocked on Cathy Forde’s door that fateful day, it wasn’t a case of trying to recruit someone just to make up the numbers.
“I knew nobody (after she had moved to Arklow), and one day there was a knock at the door and Francis Hurley asked me if I would be interested in playing camogie for Avoca and I said, “I’d love to”. I was isolated after coming up from Wexford,” recalls Cathy.
The talented Wexford woman had tried to maintain her place on the Model county teams, but the travelling proved too much so her decision to play for Avoca made sense and as she readily admits herself opened a whole new door for her in terms of her sporting career.
Nine Senior county camogie titles would follow in the black and amber, seven in a row, a defeat to Glenealy and then two more back to back. A Leinster crown was also secured.
Avoca drifted apart after that golden era and Cathy moved on to Aughrim where she assumed the role of captain and guided the club to a wonderful three-in-a-row in the late 90s, with Forde dominating from midfield as always.
Cathy recalls never really having difficulty making a team and she recalls that in the most modest
way that is humanely possible.
A long and enjoyable career in the Wicklow jersey was also achieved by Cathy Forde, with a league title being the highlights in terms of success.
A career in coaching in the schools of Wicklow followed. 19 years Cathy spent trying to pass on her knowledge of the games of camogie and football, trying to instill in her students the passion and the pride for their clubs and county and for the games.
She guided the Wicklow Minor footballers to an All-Ireland final where they succumbed to Armagh in 2011.
Eight of Cathy’s Minors went on to help Wicklow claim the All-Ireland Junior football crown that same year when they defeated New York in Croke Park. Names such as Lucy Mulhall and Jackie Kinch are just two that benefited from the tutelage of Cathy Forde.
As well as coaching, Cathy has enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a referee at club and county level, with Leinster finals being the highlights for the Wicklow resident, while manning the lines in the All-Ireland deciders is a role she takes immense pleasure from, with last year’s showcase being one of the best experiences of her life in terms of women’s sports in Ireland.
Like every aspect of life, Cathy feels that there is room for im- provement in how women’s sports are protrayed and publicised and supported.
She feels that massive improvements have been made across the board, with last year’s All-Ireland final, with a crowd of 46,500 swelling Croke Park being one of the best days she has ever witnessed in ladies football.
“To see that crowd, to see the top section of Croke Park opened (for the ladies final), that’s never opened, the attendance was amazing from everyone’s point of view, and now it’s starting to draw major advertisers with Lidl and the likes and the support is growing,” said Cathy, who incidentally was on the line for that All-Ireland final.
One issue in terms of women’s sport, particularly ladies football and camogie, is the lack of recognition and coverage they get for their efforts.
Cathy feels that the women pursuing their sporting dreams are giving as much time and effort as any man, but she feels they rarely get the recognition they deserve, believing that a woman or women’s team would have to do something exceptional to get the coverage or recognition a man or man’s team would.
“If you go out to play a match and you’re a young girl of 14 or 16, just to see your name in the paper, to read about you playing well, that’s the encouragement that is needed,” she added.
Referee has given Cathy Forde immense pleasure and achievement over the years since she took up the whistle and provided her with a means to stay in sport after retiring from playing.
“I would encourage everyone to give it a try when they are finished playing. I thought I was going to be finished with sport, but (as a referee) I’ve had four or five trips to Dubai, Philadelphia, and Manchester and all over Ireland. This is a fantastic sport to be involved in, it takes you places you wouldn’t dream of,” she said.
Cathy says that she has never encountered negativity during her time as coach or referee, nor has she ever experienced sexism. She says that she has always been accepted in Wicklow and beyond and there has never been any issues.
Overall, Cathy says that sport for women is improving but that the recognition and coverage could be better. She also feels that in terms of mental health and friendships, there is no better place than a sporting field or club or arena.
“For mental health sport in general is excellent, and fitness and socialising, it’s always good for women to be involved in sport. The friends you make, whether you’re playing or refereeing, are amazing. I have friends in every corner of Ireland,” she said.