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A Landmark Year for UCD Ladies Football and Camogie
This article is sponsored by UCD Student Services & Factilities.
It has been a significant year for women’s sport in UCD, with strong performances and steady growth evident across multiple codes, particularly within the university’s GAA community. From silverware to renewed competitiveness at the highest level, UCD’s female athletes have continued to build momentum both on and off the pitch.
The scale of activity within UCD GAA reflects this upward trajectory. The club now has over 900 members, fields 19 teams across four codes, and has played more than 200 competitive games this season, travelling in excess of 11,000 kilometres across the island of Ireland. These figures point not only to high participation levels but also to an increasingly competitive and structured environment.
UCD Ladies Football has been central to this success. Captained by UCD graduate sports scholar Lucy Dunne, the senior team secured the Giles Cup this season, earning promotion back to the top tier of third-level football, the O’Connor Cup. The result marks a return to elite competition and highlights the continued development within the programme.
That progress is reflected across all levels. UCD fielded four ladies football teams in their respective championships this year, while the Freshers Ladies Football 7s side claimed a first-ever title for the university. Together, these achievements underline both the depth of the squad and the strength of the pathway for emerging players.
The Donaghy Cup campaign also illustrated the increasingly international nature of UCD GAA. Among those involved were Jenna Ryan and Catherine O’Neill, the inaugural recipients of the Brian Mullins Ambassador Award.
Ryan, a graduate student in Veterinary Medicine from Chicago, only began playing Gaelic football five years ago, having initially joined a local team without prior knowledge of the sport. Since arriving in UCD, she has become an active member of the setup and credits the team with helping her integrate into university life.
“Playing at UCD has helped me feel connected on and off campus, and I’ve made a lot of great friends through the team,” she said.
O’Neill, a first-year Bachelor of Civil Law student from New York, has a long history with the game. A first-generation Irish-American, she grew up playing with Shannon Gaels and Kerry/Donegal Ladies in Queens. Representing UCD’s third team, she featured in their Donaghy Cup campaign earlier this year.
Alongside ladies football, UCD Camogie has also re-emerged as a contender at the top level. The team reached the Ashbourne Cup final this season, facing a strong UCC side. Although they were ultimately defeated, their run to the final marks a return to the latter stages of a competition UCD has historically competed strongly in, including a title win in 2007 and a final appearance in 2022.
Across both codes, the broader trend is one of sustained development rather than isolated success. From freshers to senior level, participation continues to increase, while performances at the top end suggest that UCD is once again firmly competitive in women’s GAA.
As the university continues to invest in sport and student life, women’s GAA is playing an increasingly visible role on campus. This year’s results suggest not only progress, but the potential for further success in the seasons ahead. UCD Women’s GAA is, clearly, on the rise.