Another boost for Irish rugby as Aoife hits big time
McCarthy will next week become the first Irish female international referee when officiating at the FIRA-AER European Women’s Tournament in Belgium.
“I’m a Physical Education teacher so I’m well used to blowing a whistle,” she laughs, but her humour doesn’t negate an impressive career at the playing coal-face.
The former Blackrock flanker has represented Leinster 18 times at inter-provincial level. She also played for the Kuwait national team in competitions across the United Arab Emirates, including winning the women’s tournament at the Dubai Sevens.
She explains: “I was living and teaching in Kuwait for two years and played all over the Middle East and in the Dubai Sevens. I was on Sky Television scoring a try in the final.”
Playing in the Middle East had unexpected difficulties.
“The big one was that you were not allowed to be seen drinking water during the religious festival of Rama-dan. So that was especially tough if you were playing a match at that time.”
Once home in Ireland her rugby career continued to sparkle, especially in the tag version of the code in which she lined out for Leinster and Ireland.
“I started playing tag rugby when it started here and a few years later I got into refereeing. It was purely accidental,” she explains.
“I was just given a whistle one day and told to take charge.”
Her fitness and love for the game made her a natural. So impressive were her performances that she was persuaded to make the step up to full contact rugby and soon found herself on a trailblazing mission on the IRFU refereeing path — the first woman to do so.
“Adapting to the different laws was tough but I soon got the hang of it. And since then I have refereed men’s games in Leinster J2 and U20, and the aim is to continue up through the ranks.
“I’ve never had any trouble or abuse. I think that is because there is much more respect for rugby referees than in soccer or GAA.
“I hope everything goes well next week and then the ambition will be to get to the next Women’s World Cup and tournaments like the Dubai Sevens. But you are competing with men as well for tournaments like that.
“I’m doing it because of a love for the sport. In fact, I wish I had started earlier. It is a privilege and an honour to represent Ireland as the first female international referee. I found refereeing games was quite daunting at the start of my career, but with the assistance of the IRFU through the programme of workshops and clinics, I have developed as a referee and my confidence on the pitch has improved immensely. I hope to see more women take up the whistle in the future as there are huge opportunities for female referees in what is a hugely enjoyable and rewarding hobby.”
IRFU referee development officer, David Keane, said: “We were in the position to nominate Aoife to this tournament. She has been refereeing very well and has all the qualities to control a game at this level. She has a great future in the game and we hope that her appointment opens the way for more women to come into refereeing. We wish her luck in this tournament and we are sure she will represent the IRFU with great distinction.”
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