Carla Rowe speaks at Croke Park event alongside the likes of Kelly Cates, Keith Earls and Ciara Mageean
Limerick footballer Méadhbh MacNamara, Dublin footballer Carla Rowe, Galway footballer Nicola Ward, Kerry footballer Síofra O’Shea and Fermanagh footballer Shannan McQuade. Photograph: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
But Rowe, of course, is more than merely involved. Over the coming weeks and months she is likely to again be a central character in the story of the Women’s Gaelic Football season.
“It resonated with me that 43 per cent of women's players don’t see themselves as role models. That’s probably something that we need to try and shift and I know I’m guilty of that,” added Rowe. Rowe has seen the impact her profile can have on kids. Along with fellow teacher Sally Moloney, Rowe coaches the girls football team in school.“Some of them will come in and say, ‘Miss, I saw you on TikTok’ and I’m like, ‘I’m not on TikTok, I don’t know how you saw me!’
“It’s important that, as females with a platform in sport, we use our voices to elevate the profiles of women’s athletes and normalise sport as a world where young girls and women can be a part of. The more we do this, the more we can inspire the next generation and challenge societal norms,” commented Cates.
The Dublin women’s side have new joint managers this season with Paul Casey and Derek Murray replacing Mick Bohan at the helm.