'It's like a group of sisters': Mothers & Others teams are taking the GAA by storm

Gaelic4Mothers & Others is a fast-growing movement in the world of Gaelic football. While its obvious benefits centre around encouraging women to participate in sport, its impact is far-reaching, into the clubs themselves, and making a difference in women’s lives.

Some members of the Midleton Wagpies team

“Mothers & Others is the best thing that’s happened to me in my forties,” says Ciara Speight, founder of Mothers & Others Midleton GAA, a.k.a The Wagpies.

In early 2023 Ciara was helping out with her daughter’s camogie/football team and during her time on the sidelines it struck her that she’d love to get back into playing a team sport. “I was always sporty and wanted to be able to play sport again. There was no Mothers & Others team in Midleton at the time so I briefly joined the Carrigtohill Cougars, but I really wanted to be playing with my own crowd in Midleton. So I told the club I’d organise everything and I begged and cajoled people to come along on the first day, and so on April 2023 we launched the team – we haven’t looked back since.”