‘It was very tragic circumstances. This was kind of another way for me to get out and get back to a bit of exercise. It was just a bit of time for me as well within everything. That was just a nice escape for me as well’
BY DAIRE WALSH
WHILE some of those who become involved in the programme are newcomers to the sport, Pam McDermott brought a lot of experience to bear when a Sports Direct Gaelic4Mothers&Others side was first established within the Bray Emmets club.
A native of Monaghan, McDermott won county and provincial junior titles with O’Neill Shamrocks in 2001 before moving to Wicklow a few short years later. After also winning a junior county championship in the colours of Kilcoole, she went on to join forces with Bray Emmets and helped them to secure a Wicklow senior crown.
She subsequently paused her footballing career when she became pregnant with her daughter Emma (now aged 11) and even though she briefly returned to the Bray fold after giving birth, McDermott eventually drifted away from the playing field.
Yet upon hearing a familiar face speaking about the Sports Direct Gaelic4Mothers&Others initiative, she approached club stalwart Dave Barry about the prospect of starting up a team in Bray Emmets. In the early months of 2020, this particular dream became a reality.
“I think it was just very much that there were a lot of girls who wanted to remain in the sport. We had a lot of girls from that team that I played with that still would play and I think in the club in general, inclusion was being focused on. My friend that I went to school with at home, Paula Prunty, she’s involved in the LGFA,” McDermott explained.
“I had heard her talking about Gaelic4Mothers&Others and I kind of floated it by Dave. I said it to him ‘what do you think about maybe starting it off in the club?’. He was willing to get involved as a coach and the club were really supportive. We just ran a night for people to try it out and I think there were over 40 there.
“Started it off in the January of 2020 and then Covid hit. Everything was going well and then obviously we needed to stop for a while, but we’re back and going strong again.”
Before becoming involved as a player (and one of the principal organisers) of the Sports Direct Gaelic4Mothers&Others team in Bray Emmets, McDermott suffered a deep personal tragedy when her husband Seamus Lawless passed away in May 2019. A Bray native who worked as an assistant professor at Trinity College Dublin, Lawless sadly died in an accident while climbing Mount Everest as part of an eight-member expedition team.
At the time of his passing, McDermott was pregnant with the couple’s second child Shay – who was born in October 2019. As well as having a desire to retain an active role within the LGFA, she acknowledged that participating in Bray Emmets’ Gaelic4Mothers&Others programme served as a form of escape in the aftermath of this tragic loss.
“It was very tragic circumstances. This was kind of another way for me to get out and get back to a bit of exercise. It was just a bit of time for me as well within everything. That was just a nice escape for me as well.
“When we first started out, we trained two nights a week. It just kind of became too much, but actually I lived for those two nights. After having Shay, just getting back to a bit of exercise and having a bit of time to myself.
“Doing something that I really loved and getting out with like-minded people. Just the social aspect of it too. For that hour going down to the club and switching off your brain from everything. Getting to kick a ball is a great release of frustration as well when you need it.”
Since coming on board in 2020, Bray Emmets have fully embraced the Sports Direct Gaelic4Mothers&Others programme and June 21 saw the club hosting a G4M&O South Leinster Blitz for the second year in succession.
There was another big day out for McDermott and her team-mates on August 3 of this year when Bray Emmets took on Down’s Tullylish in a Gaelic4Mothers&Others exhibition game that was held during half-time in the TG4 All-Ireland junior football championship final between Louth and Antrim at Croke Park.
From a club perspective, this was a huge occasion and helped to create an even greater bond between those who are part of the programme in Bray. From a personal perspective, crossing the white line in GAA HQ on All-Ireland finals day was a dream come true for McDermott.
“Absolutely a dream come true. To get that opportunity to go out as a player was absolutely huge. There was just unbelievable excitement about it in the club. Having that mix of people involved.
“We’ve a girl playing from Germany and she had done the Croke Park tour as a tourist. For her to get that opportunity to actually play and to be really involved in Gaelic games, it’s just amazing and it’s just a really special day out.
“We’ve a lot of people who are playing Mothers & Others actually involved with coaching juvenile teams. A lot of those juvenile teams actually came to support their coach, which was lovely as well.”
Despite the fact she was a former senior club player and has been living in the town for the bulk of the past 20 years, McDermott acknowledges there are some people within Bray Emmets and the local community that she got to know better as a result of being involved in the Gaelic4Mothers&Others initiative.
The teacher at Ravenswell Primary School in Bray (who also serves as PRO of Cumann na mBunscol Wicklow) isn’t just restricting herself to the G4M&O section of the club either as she is one of those above mentioned players who has opted to take on a key juvenile coaching role.
“Even from a community aspect and getting to know people. Obviously I’m living here for a while, but I’m not a local. It’s a really good way to mix with people in the community,” McDermott added of the Sports Direct Gaelic4Mothers&Others programme.
“My daughter, she’s on the U11s. I have coached her team as well. There’s a great bunch of us that coach that group. Then my son as well is with the Academy, so I’m down at his as well. Between all of us, we’re there frequently!”
Pam McDermott (No.6) at the Gaelic4Mothers&Others game that Bray Emmets played against Tullylish on All-Ireland finals day 2025 at Croke Park
