Women in Sport Week is marked in Mayo

Women in Sport Week was launched by Sport Ireland on Thursday, February 26, to celebrate, support and amplify women and girls in sport across Ireland under the theme of ‘Same Energy’.

The campaign calls to bring #SameEnergy to women’s sport as they would to men’s sport during the Women in Sport Week, which takes place from March 2 to 8, by attending, watching, streaming or celebrating female sports across all platforms.

This national event coincides with International Women’s Day which takes place on Sunday, March 8, and champions the leadership, participation, visibility and impact of women and girls in sport.

This year’s theme, Same Energy, questions are we giving women’s sport the same support, attention and excitement as men’s sport?

Mayo Sports Partnership is challenging communities to show up, celebrate and get involved in the week-long campaign.

Deirdre Donnelly, Mayo Women in Sport Lead , said: “‘Same Energy’ is more than a theme, it’s a commitment. In Mayo, we want women and girls to feel that energy every day, whether they’re playing, coaching, leading, or cheering from the sidelines.” 

Mayo Sport Partnership is running several different activities throughout the week. From Teenage Girls Self Defence in Ballyhaunis to Buggy Buddies Post Partem Exercise Programme in Ballin,  there is activities for every age and ability. You can find out more at www.mayo.ie.

There are also online programmes in conjunction with Women in Sport from the benefits of strength training for women to coaching teenage girls to women driving change in officiating systems.

Same Energy is laying down the challenge – can the same energy, excitement, commitment and visibility be brought to women’s sport akin to what we see in men’s?

This is a call to everyone from sports administrators, supporters, coaches, officials, organisations and communities to get behind women and girls in sport.

We have seen a stark increase in visibility in women’s sport but there is a long way to go. The Women’s Six Nations clash between England and Ireland, which takes place at Allianz Twickenham Stadium on Saturday April 11, has already broken a record with more than 60,000 tickets sold to date for the clash. This surpasses the previous competition record 58,498 set in 2023 when England claimed a dramatic Grand Slam victory over France.

It is going to be a year of firsts for the Ireland women’s rugby team on the home front as well as they will play an historic game when they host Scotland for the first standalone Guinness Women’s Six Nations fixture in the home of Irish Rugby on Sunday, May 17. There is another first as Dexcom Stadium, the home of Connacht Rugby, will host their first ever Women’s Six Nations game on Saturday, April 18.

While we have seen an increased visibility of women’s sport, we need to continue to ride on the crest of the wave. From Ladies football to rugby to soccer, boxing to athletics, we are seeing more female athletics coming to the fore and becoming household names. From Ella Brennan to Beibhinn Parsons to Katie McCabe, Rhasidat Adeleke to Katie Taylor, these ladies are paving the wave and showing women and girls in particular what can be achieved.

There is an appetite for women’s sport and it is important to keep the momentum going in the right direction.

Nora Stapleton, Director of Strategic National Governing Body Programmes and Women in Sport Lead, said at the launch: “The 'Same Energy' theme encapsulates what women in sport have been calling for consistent visibility, support, and respect.

“Every year, this initiative celebrates the progress made across women in sport but acts as a timely reminder of the challenges and barriers that still exist. We look forward to using this week to spotlight some key insights we have gathered relating to the Sport Ireland Policy on Women in sport.”

As the #SameEnergy campaign encourages individuals, clubs, schools and organisations to get behind the Women in Sport Week by engaging and celebrating women’s sports nationwide, Sport Ireland has also developed a dedicated schools engagement programme to spark the conversation around women’s sport across the island for primary and secondary schools.

The full list of Women in Sport events is available at www.sportireland.ie.

For ladies and girls in Mayo, Women in Sport Week offer the perfect opportunity to register for the Mayo.ie Western People Women's Mini-Marathon, which is being held in Ballina on Bank Holiday Sunday, May 3rd. The Mini-Marathon is the largest participation event for women in the West of Ireland, attracting thousands each year. 

In line with Women in Sport Week, Mayo Sports Partnership aims to launch the 'It's For Girls' teen section of the Mini-Marathon and invite schools in Mayo to get on board.