Liverpool captain Niamh Fahey: I look forward to never running a marathon
Niamh Fahey: 'You can't win every time so just be happy with being the best version of yourself.' Picture: Julia Dunin
I am the youngest of eight kids. I have six older brothers, a sister, and loads of nieces and nephews... I lost count somewhere after the 13th.
I grew up in Killannin in Galway — a real GAA parish. It was a very sporty household. I played basketball, soccer, and Gaelic. My sister played basketball, and two of my brothers played Gaelic for Galway. My parents were very encouraging, but not overly so — they let us do our own thing.
I don't know if I was born to be the person I am. I don't really believe anyone is born to be the person they are. But I think the talent I showed when I was younger definitely led me down a certain path. My earliest memory is my dad throwing up a football for me in the sitting room. Everyone's watching telly and I'm bugging him to keep throwing the ball up higher and higher because I wanted to practice catching overhead.
I am a super competitive person. When it comes to sport, that’s probably my greatest quality. I don’t know when I am beaten, which can be a good thing, it keeps me going. But it can also be a negative in my personal life… at Christmas when we’re playing games or doing quizzes, no one wants to play with me by the end because I can spoil the fun with my competitiveness. I am trying to learn how to strike a balance on that one.
My proudest achievement is being part of the Galway team that won the ladies football All Ireland in 2004. Beng from a heavy GAA background where my brothers won All Irelands, that was a massive thing that I wanted to do growing up, to try to be like them. When you're playing Gaelic, you automatically have that pride of place and passion. It can be harder to feel that in soccer — but with my move to Liverpool, I feel that now. When I put on the jersey, I was able to emulate those feelings you have playing GAA for your people.
The biggest challenge I’ve faced in life so far was the year out of football when I was 25/26 after I did my anterior cruciate ligament at Arsenal. I had a lot of doubts in my own head about whether I would be able to come back. There was a lot of catastrophising initially. But, once I was given a plan, it’s actually a good injury to have in the sense that there are a lot of targets to reach. So that kept me focused.
The people I turn to most in life would be my family. They've helped me so much in my career. I turned to them every time and they have always helped me out.
The life lesson I'd like to pass on is something I've probably only learned later in life — just be the best version of yourself. Your biggest competition is yourself. It's not always good to compare. You can't win every time so just be happy with being the best version of yourself.
I've received so much good advice throughout my career, but the biggest thing that sticks in my mind was my dad's advice to make sure I get an education. With all the winning teams I've been a part of, I think the thing he's most proud of is me getting a good education and going to college. He really values that and it's something that I now really know the value of and appreciate. Luckily, I’ve never had a big exam the day after winning something or anything like that, but if I had, I am not someone who would have sacrificed the celebrations!
If you had asked me if climate change impacted my life a few years ago I would have said no, but I'm definitely more conscious of it now, especially with it being in the media all the time. I am more conscious of what and how much I buy, I would have been more frivolous in the past, buying a lot of cheap fast fashion, but I am a lot more aware of that and my choices now.
I'd like to be remembered for being a good person, being a good teammate, and someone who brings a bit of fun, craic and positivity to wherever I go. I am very good at winding people up. I am not sure if that’s a good thing — but I am a messer!
I've never had a grand plan, I don't know where this ends. I've always just gone with my gut and with whatever was going. If I'd taken another fork in the road, maybe I'd have stayed in Galway playing Gaelic football and be working in science somewhere.
I've thought about life after football and what I might want to do. I know that I want to keep working in sports in some way because it's my passion. I'm doing an MBA at the minute and I am hoping to work in sports management down the line. I know what I definitely don't want to do, and that's run a marathon. That's something I look forward to never doing.
- Niamh Fahey, Liverpool FC captain and Revive Active brand ambassador recently earned her 100th cap for the Republic of Ireland, becoming only the fourth player to reach the milestone for the women’s national football team.
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