Sarah Harte: Camogie skorts row exposes deep-rooted sexism in Irish sport

Despite growing participation, women in Irish sport still face entrenched inequality, outdated dress codes, and institutional resistance to change

Kilkenny players wear shorts before the Leinster semi-final meeting with Dublin. Picture: Paul Lundy

We’ve come a long way since my primary school days when girls had to sit inside sewing while, through the window, we saw the boys playing football outside in the field. It was a form of torture, particularly during the summer months.

My clear memory is resentfully threading my needle through a grubby square of material, with my fingers slipping with perspiration in a hot classroom. I wanted to hurl my wicker sewing basket through the window and stick pins in my eyes.