How one night in Bangkok ended with unexpected tattoo for Storey
There is a lot to sink your teeth into when talking about one of the most enduring, remarkable figures of camogie.
Ciara Storey has stuck with Wexford through the leanest of times, the worst of which arrived in a Division 1 league outing against Galway in 2019, when they could field only 13 players and were pummelled by 45 points.
This was just three years after the Yellowbellies had appeared in an All-Ireland semi-final. It was only seven since they had completed the three-in-a-row, with the teenage Storey having broken through in those halcyon days.
The daughter of former All-Ireland-winning skipper Martin, she valued the purple and gold but after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis eight years ago, no one would have batted an eyelid had she walked away.
Though many did, Storey kept her shoulder firmly pressed to the wheel, making some lifestyle modifications for a disease that has no cure. Then there is the tattoo. A half-crescent moon and star, situated on her right quad.
“The meaning is don’t go on holidays with the Leacys. They’ll cod ya,” details Storey, guffawing and then elucidating.
“Me, Ú na Lea cy, Mary Lea cy and Ni amh O’Connor went away to Thailand and Australia for six or eight weeks. I’d say we weren’t in Thailand six hours, we’d a few of the buckets in, and it was Mary’s great idea to get a tattoo. Mary was on about getting a barbed wire tattoo around her leg. We went into this place on Khao
San Road in Bangkok. Mary was looking them up and it was taking too long and I just said, ‘I’ll go first’.
“We went on and had a good night. We got up the next morning and I was like, ‘What tattoo did everybody else get?’ And they were like, ‘Oh no Ciara, you were the only one who got one.’ So I was codded!”
It was a rare mis-step by the resolute defender, who celebrated her 34th birthday in January and has enjoyed a strong start to the year.
Returning to the Very Camogie League Division 1 B final tomorrow( against Dublin at SETU Carlow 2pm, live on the Camogie Association’s YouTube channel), 12 months after suffering a defeat to subsequent All-Ireland finalists Waterford, feels good.
Colin Sunderland, who guided Storey and Oulart-The Ballagh to their third All-Ireland club title in 2021, built on the gradual improvements overseen by Kevin Tattan. Notably, a number of talented and experienced operators have returned to the fold, including Storey’s clubmate Shelley Kehoe.
It isn’t the headline act Storey got used to, coming on as a sub in 2010 to win her first All-Ireland with that majestic team of Kate Kelly, Ursula Jacob, Mags D’Arcy and the Leacy siblings but it is due reward for her longevity and obduracy.
“I suppose I just wasn’t ready to give it up just yet. I’m still under the illusion that I still have something to offer.
“I worked so hard to try and make the team. Shelley and myself came up through the intermediate. We worked so hard to make it to senior and by the time I got to get the jersey, I wasn’t ready to give it up quickly. And you can’t always be there for the good days. Everybody wants to be there for the good days. But sure to get back to the good days, you have to go through the bad ones.”