I think like for many others it has been hard to think where to start writing a tribute to coach Mcveigh. He suggested the ladies Gaelic team because there were so many of us who’d go to support the guys games. The deal was we’d give it a go as long as he was the one to coach us! Many of the girls that gave it a go had never played on a sports team before let alone played Gaelic football. Some through word of mouth ended up moving over from ladies football and we managed to recruit a few hockey girls as well. Training sessions were always fun and full of laughs generally it was ladies only but at the end we’d have a mixed game where he would always make sure ladies had the advantage so the guys couldn’t just show off, he’d make rules like only ladies can score or it had to have been passed to a lady before someone could score and it really meant a lot to us that we part of the team and being encouraged every step of the way. When we turned up to champs we’d had little to no competitive matches and we were all terrified of all the teams that had Irish girls in them but he just laughed at us, he’d have been proud if we were beaten all day but when we scored he absolutely beamed! He was always positive, always motivating, always there to give anyone a lift to training or matches, he’d always be the first to support any event we were hosting and I remember one of the rugby lads once saying to me ‘I wish our coach would come to our events!’ His encouragement for people to just give it a go will always be remembered, all he wanted was for people to do their best and he’d be proud no matter the result. He was inclusive, and made us all feel valued and for most who were completely out of their comfort zone he got them to face our fears, he spared an interest in a sport that some have continued to play all over the world…  ‘It takes a special person for you to enjoy training in hail’ …a very kind, funny and genuine soul and who seemed to have time for everyone.

Sophie Woodford, Katie Pepper, Helen Orr, Hazel Smith, Romy Levin, Kate Logan, Sigrid Eikeland, Cliona Moore, Mathilda Wahlander, Laura Forrester, Emma Gibson, Jessie Harris, Eleonora Puglisi, Libby Swin, Alex Salvin, Amy Wood, Emily Teesdale, Becky Sheffield, Lucinda Evans