Amy Boyle shared what uniting the four Gaelic sports under one organisation could mean for camogie.
The Antrim player explained that it would be a major positive for the sport, with the hope that it brings women’s sports in Ireland in line with men’s sports in terms of opportunities.
Her team has been enjoying success in recent years and that comes down to many talented ladies vying for limited senior spots.
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The year 2027 was listed as the deadline for the four sports organisations for camogie, hurling, Gaelic football and ladies football to amalgamate.
Reflecting on the prospect, Amy told RSVP Live: “It would be great to see them come together under the one code. It’s amazing that it’s taken that long before it happens. There will be more increased coverage for camogie, equal opportunities and bringing camogie plus ladies football inline with everything that the males get as well. It would be really great - hopefully I’ll still be playing by 2027.”
Looking ahead to another campaign, this time with Ulster, she reflected on how she and her team will approach another year.
“You would have goals that you would love to reach, but you would nearly take it a match at a time,” she said.
“Now that we’re on this Ulster campaign, it will be the same thing. We’ll just go out, set to win the next match. If you do then you’re in an All-Ireland final. We’ll treat it like any other match. Each one is as important as the next.”
The camogie star shared that the key to their success is the players on the team.
She said: “We have great girls who started that off. I wasn’t on the panel when they won the first one. When we were younger, we were looking up to those girls. That’s the thing - success breeds more success.
“With that success, more people wanted to get on the senior team. Hopefully, that will continue because it drives it on every year. You’ve got new younger girls coming on and fighting for their place. It keeps it fresh.
“With the team going on as long as it has, it may be hard to do, but that’s the main thing that drives it on - there’s such a push for places on the team.”
She believes that having that drive, with younger players vying for senior spots is a great way of maintaining high standards on the Antrim team.
“You can become a bit complacent if you don’t have people pushing for a place, but because we do and we have a very successful intermediate team that feeds through to our senior team,” Amy said.
“Everybody is always pushing for a place. It means trainings are more competitive. If people were complacent in their places, it would probably mean that trainings aren’t as good.
“It’s better that it’s that way. You know you have to be playing at your top level otherwise somebody else will come in and take your place the next day.”
Amy is encouraging communities in Ireland to ‘Step Up Together’ and take part in the GOAL Mile this Christmas for a chance to win one of the ten €1,000 prizes for their GAA, Camogie, or LGFA club.
“You can get out with your friends and family,” she said. “People are sitting in, so it’s an excuse to be social and get out and you’re adding on exercise on top of that. With AIB giving the prizes back to the clubs, that’s another great incentive to get involved at this time of year.”
Amy teamed up with AIB to support the GOAL mile. As part the campaign AIB is offering people who register for the GOAL Mile the chance to win one of the ten €1,000 prizes for their GAA, Camogie, or LGFA club. To win, people need to register for their GOAL Mile and then enter the AIB GAA GOAL Mile competition at www.aibgaagoalmile2024.com.
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