Munster History - MLGFA Munster Ladies Gaelic Football Association

A Munster Summary
of
Ladies Gaelic Football
1975 – 2007

A preface of Munster Ladies Football
By the History Co-Ordinator Pat Chapman

It is indeed difficult to record a comprehensive story of any organisation where records are not available and minutes of meetings and events of the early years were not treated with the respect that the organisation and those who worked so hard on and off the field deserves.

I suppose should one be allowed an opinion on those early years, ladies football was treated as a novelty and the parish respect from the GAA and the supporters was very much secondary for our game.  Indeed ladies football are not blameless in this factor as they stood back and did not demand respect and indeed that element of playing second class is still relevant today, 34 years on.

In this outline summary of Munster Ladies Football it is unfortunate that the full chronicle of football cannot be fully recorded for prosperity.  However, the province of Munster is indebted to men like Mick Fitzgerald of Kerry, a pioneer of the game in Kerry and Munster for what is recorded of the first decade.  Michael Ryan of Waterford has contributed handsomely to the mid life of the Munster association.

However, pride of place and with no disrespect to all the previous Munster secretaries, one must compliment the high comprehensive Munster annual reports of the secretary Marie Halvey who for the past decade as incumbent of the Munster office has recorded every event and match of the most successful province in ladies football.  

I have no doubt that the future recorders of the history of ladies football will have guidelines set out by Marie that must be followed if ladies football in Munster, both players and administrators, are to get their timescale contributions recorded.  Not to do so would indicate a lack of full development and more so a lack of respect for the association by those entrusted to administer the wonderful game of ladies football.

The history committee acknowledge and compliment Marie Halvey Purcell for her contribution to the Munster history summary.  History researchers are generally accepted as tacky persistent and ‘pains in the arse’ who never give up and keeps coming back despite many varieties of the truth or lack off, offered in excuse by those entrusted to co-ordinate and tender the history to our committee.  However, we can sincerely say that Marie on occasions may not have arrived at the station in time as regards history but one could accept her promise that it would arrive for the next train out and that would be the case and we sincerely thank her.