Limerick Pride have a fantastic lineup of events for this year’s Pride festival, which runs from Sunday July 4 to the 11! On Thursday July 8, they will join forces with Sporting Pride and GCN to host ‘Trailblazers of Women’s International Sport‘, an evening discussion with three of Limerick’s finest athletes – Grannie ‘Crossie’ Cross, Sinead ‘Cossie’ Cosgrave and Jackie McCarthy-O’Brien.

All three women are well known in the local community and spent a number of years playing women’s sports at the highest level, breaking down barriers and leading the way for other female athletes in rugby and football.

Chairperson of Limerick Pride, Lisa Daly, says they are “delighted to partner with Sporting Pride and GCN this year to bring you what promises to be an insightful discussion with three well known Limerick women who excelled in sports throughout the 1990’s. I know all the women, with two of them having been former coaches of mine, so I’m very excited to make this event happen”.

Female athletes have faced a number of challenges over the last few decades in terms of equality. It is therefore important to recognise the hard work of those who stood up and fought for equality that has not always been so readily available.

Lisa believes this event “is a great way to respect the important women who are now trailblazers in highlighting the changes they brought about in women’s sport. They will discuss a broad range of topics, including their positive experiences in sport, challenges they faced in relation to sports participation, barriers facing both women and members of the LGBTI+ community in relation to taking up sports and present day sports experiences and the changes that have come about over time.”

This event will be hosted by Emma Loo, an avid sports fan and a wearer of the number 1 jersey. She currently plays Senior camogie with Whitehall Colmcille GAA club and is the Vice-Chairperson of Na Gaeil Aeracha, Ireland’s first LGBTI+ inclusive GAA club. Emma works in the Diversity and Inclusion sector and is passionate about the promotion of LGBTQI+ inclusion in sport.

This event will be streamed live on both the Limerick Pride Facebook page and GCN YouYube page at 7pm next Thursday, July 8th. Viewers will have the opportunity to leave questions for the panellists on both platforms so do join us for what promises to be a first-class women in sport event!

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