Juliet Murphy: 'We must continue to foster a space where young girls and women can thrive'
Juliet Murphy with Grainne McGuinness (left), editor of The Echo, and Karen O'Donoghue, managing director of the Irish Examiner/The Echo. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Now 20 years since leading Cork to a first Ladies Football All-Ireland, Juliet Murphy reflected on her amazing career at The Echo Women in Sport Awards.
She reflected on her journey with humility, humour and great insight into how she achieved at the highest level.
The Leeside legend did it through her role as keynote speaker, and her speech united a packed room filled with monthly award winners and their families.
“My goodness – how quickly time goes,” she began.
“One moment you are chasing dreams and the next minute you are reminiscing about the chase and that chase is still outstanding for the 12 outstanding athletes here.
“Tonight this is about inspiring, not just about individual achievements but about the collective spirit of greatness that you all share. It is also a wonderful opportunity to celebrate one another and to share the incredible journeys that led you all here.”
With this came a reminder of how Murphy went from growing up in Mid-Cork to playing international basketball for Ireland and winning all there was to be won in Gaelic football.
“My journey began in a small village called Donoughmore,” she looked back.
“We lived on a small farm and I can still see it. There were red steel pillars that provided the perfect goalposts, abet generously wide, and two concrete blocks down at the other side with stakes wedged into them. I often think of my poor grandfather who often retired into the shed for a quiet smoke and how deafening it must have been with the football lashing against the corrugated iron.
“Luckily cousins were plentiful in those days and we often played games long into the night with just the light of the house to guide us. We had glorious fun.
“In 1991, President Mary Robinson arrived to our small little country village to open up a sports complex and before long basketball became a new sport for so many young girls.”
Murphy immediately took to the sport, and it brought her across Europe and to the United States. That adventure was followed by her time as a Gaelic footballer, which led to ten All-Irelands between club and county.
The Donoughmore stalwart is now focused on the next generation and making sure women everywhere stay competing.
“It is crucial that we continue to support women in sport,” she said.
“And in particular - we make sure that we retain our players, our coaches, and officials within our games.
"There has to be every effort to support our female athletes from grassroots level to elite competition, to create an environment where women feel valued, supported, and encouraged to stay in sport and to stay in their game.
“As a community, we must continue to foster a space where young girls and women can thrive. When girls see girls excelling on the field, leading teams, or making decisions at the highest level, it reshapes their aspirations. It tells them that they belong; on the field, on the track, on the court, in the water, in the boardroom, and anywhere else that they dream of being.
“Media plays a crucial role in shaping perceptions. I would like to take this opportunity to say a personal thank you to The Echo. I’m not surprised they cover more women’s sport than any other paper in the world because I have scrapbooks a-plentiful of the many articles down through the years.
“For progress to continue, I passionately believe it is essential that as women we support one another,” she added.
“We must lead by example and challenge outdated gender norms and advocate for each other in every arena. By showing up for one another, as athletes, as fans, as coaches, or decision-makers.
"We can create an environment where women’s sport not only thrives but is celebrated on equal footing with men’s sport.”
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