Cork camogie team still intending to wear shorts tomorrow despite commitment to hold special congress
Cork's Ashling Thompson and Ailish O'Reilly of Galway at last year's senior camogie final.
Cork Camogie players are still intending to wear shorts for their Munster final tomorrow, despite the Camogie Association saying they will hold a conference on the issue later this month.
In a statement this morning, the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) said it is in correspondence with Minister for Sport Patrick O'Donovan “to seek his support to ensure tomorrow's Munster Camogie Final, and other weekend inter- county camogie fixtures, go ahead”.
A spokesperson for the GPA said: “Both the Waterford and Cork panels have stated clearly that they intend wearing shorts for their fixture.
“We have asked the Minister to use his influence to call for an immediate, interim relaxation of the rule, allowing for choice until Camogie Special Congress has to opportunity to change the rule.
“The GPA has also written to the Camogie Association for clarification on its position. We continue to fully support any player's choice to play in shorts or in skorts. The focus this weekend should be on the players and the game - not on enforcement.”
The Camogie Association has announced that it will call a Special Congress on May 22 to consider giving players the choice to wear skorts or shorts while playing camogie.
Players from Cork and Waterford had said they intend to wear shorts in this weekend’s Munster Final, even if it means risking forfeiture, and as of yet, they have not announced any changes to this plan, despite the decision to hold a special congress.
A spokesperson told The Echo: “The Association had proposed to deal with this issue at next year’s Congress but having listened to player feedback, the Association recognises that waiting until 2026 is not acceptable for many.” If the motion passes, the new rule allowing the option to wear shorts would take effect from May 24 this year – a motion on the topic was brought before the convention in 2024, but did not pass.
Many people and groups have gotten behind the camogie players, including Cork Senator Nicole Ryan, who alongside the other female TDs and Senators in Sinn Féin wore shorts to the Dáil yesterday in solidarity with the players.
Cork city councillor for the party and camogie coach Michelle Gould has tabled a motion for next Monday’s council meeting calling for the council to write to Camogie Association to outline their support for the players and ask that the rule be amended with immediate effect.
Students from St. Mary’s High School in Midleton have been invited to wear sports shorts to school today, and have invited other schools to take part in the initiative also, saying: “St. Mary’s support all players in having the right to choose to wear shorts as an alternative to the traditional skort.”
Evie Nevin, Labour’s local area representative for Cork South West, told The Echo: “Women should have full autonomy over what they wear while playing sport. This isn’t about tradition. It’s about comfort, dignity and equality.” She has called for immediate confirmation that no player will be penalised for wearing shorts in this weekend’s final.
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