Abbreviation | FAI Women's |
---|---|
Formation | 1973 |
Region served | Republic of Ireland |
Chairperson | Frances Smith |
Vice Chair | Sean Brodie |
Secretary | Pauline O'Shaughnessy |
Parent organisation | Football Association of Ireland |
Website | www.fai.ie |
Formerly called | Ladies Football Association of Ireland, Women's Football Association of Ireland |
Football Association of Ireland, Women's (FAI Women's) [1] (formerly the Women's Football Association of Ireland) is the governing body for women's association football in the Republic of Ireland. It is responsible for organising the Republic of Ireland women's national football team, the FAI Women's Cup and the Women's National League as well as various county and regional leagues and junior cup competitions.
The WFAI was originally formed in 1973 as the Ladies Football Association of Ireland. It was initially independent of the Football Association of Ireland. In 1991 the LFAI became affiliated to the FAI and in 2001 it adopted the name Women's Football Association of Ireland. [2] As part of the 2015-2018 FAI Women’s Strategic Plan, there was implementation of a new governance structure for women’s association football in the Republic of Ireland. [3] This saw the Women's Football Association of Ireland fully integrate into the FAI and the formation of a national Women's Football Committee as a key FAI Committee. [4] Eight Women’s Regional Football Committees were also introduced, each made up of stakeholders from all strands of the game within their defined geographical area. These committees oversee the development of women's and girls' football in their areas, in line with the FAI Strategic Plan for Women's Football.
The Republic of Ireland women's national football team represents the Republic of Ireland in competitions such as the FIFA Women's World Cup and the UEFA Women's Championship. The Republic of Ireland has yet to qualify for a major tournament. It has, however, taken part in invitational tournaments such as the Algarve Cup, the Istria Cup and the Cyprus Cup. It is organised by the Women's Football Association of Ireland.
Eamonn Deacy Park, formerly known as Terryland Park, is an association football stadium in the Republic of Ireland based in the Terryland district of Galway. It is owned by the Galway Football Association and is the home ground of both Galway United and Galway W.F.C.. It is named after Eamonn Deacy, a former Galway United and Aston Villa player and Republic of Ireland international. In both 2007 and 2008, the ground was voted the best surface by the FAI. It won the same award again in 2015.
The Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for association football in the Republic of Ireland.
The Football Association of Ireland Women's Cup is the senior cup competition for women's association football in the Republic of Ireland. It is commonly known as the Women's FAI Cup, the WFAI Cup, or prior to 2001, the Ladies FAI Cup or the LFAI Cup. Organised by the Women's Football Association of Ireland, like the Women's National League, the Cup is currently sponsored by EVOKE.ie and is known as the EVOKE.ie FAI Women's Cup. Previous sponsors include Continental Tyres, Umbro and Brother International.
Marie Claire Curtin is a former professional footballer who played for Republic of Ireland women's national football team. Curtin played for several clubs in the Women's National League, including Cork Women's F.C., Galway, Limerick and most recently Treaty United. She has also represented UCD in Europe. Curtin has also played at a semi-professional level for Long Island Fury in the Women's Premier Soccer League and for Fortuna Ålesund in the Norwegian First Division. Curtin has also played senior Ladies' Gaelic football for Limerick. In 2013 Curtin and her father, Sean, co-founded a dairy foods company, Temple Dairy Ltd. Curtin retired in January 2021.
Julie-Ann Russell is a Republic of Ireland women's international footballer who currently plays for Western Sydney Wanderers in the W-League.
The Women's National League is the top-level league for women's association football in the Republic of Ireland. It is organised by the Football Association of Ireland and the Women's Football Association of Ireland. The LFAI previously organised a women's national league known as the Ladies League of Ireland or the Woman's League of Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s. The current league was founded in 2011 and the inaugural winners were Peamount United. The winners qualify for the UEFA Women's Champions League.
Women's association football in the Republic of Ireland is governed by the Women's Football Association of Ireland. The WFAI organizes and manages the Republic of Ireland women's national football team, the FAI Women's Cup and the Women's National League as well as various county and regional leagues and junior cup competitions. The most notable county league is the Dublin Women's Soccer League. Organised women's association football has been played in the Republic of Ireland since at least the late 1960s and the national team has been active since 1973. Notable Republic of Ireland women's association footballers include Katie Taylor, Stephanie Roche and Emma Byrne. In addition to representing the Republic of Ireland at full international level, Taylor is also an Irish, European, World and Olympic boxing champion. In 2014 Roche was a FIFA Puskás Award nominee. Byrne is a prominent member of the Arsenal Ladies team.
Dora Gorman is an Irish physician and Republic of Ireland women's international footballer who plays as a midfielder for Peamount United of the Women's National League (WNL). In 2010, she was captain of the Republic of Ireland U-17 squad who were runners-up in the 2010 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship and quarter-finalists in the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. As well as being a medical doctor, Gorman is an all-round sportswoman. She has also represented the Ireland women's national field hockey team at various levels and has played senior inter-county ladies' Gaelic football for the Galway county team.
Shelbourne Football Club is an Irish association football club based in Northside, Dublin. It is the women's section of the League of Ireland club Shelbourne FC. The senior women's team currently plays in the Women's National League. They have also fielded teams in the Dublin Women's Soccer League, the Metropolitan Girls League and the North Dublin Schoolboys/Girls League.
Ciara Grant is a Republic of Ireland women's international footballer who has played for Raheny United and UCD Waves. In 2010, she was a member of the Republic of Ireland U-17 squad that were runners-up in the 2010 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship and quarter-finalists in the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. Grant has also played Gaelic football for the Donegal county team.
College Corinthians A.F.C. is an Irish association football club based in Douglas, County Cork. Their senior men's team play in the Munster Senior League Senior Premier Division. They also regularly compete in the FAI Cup, the FAI Intermediate Cup and the Munster Senior Cup. Corinthians also fields a reserve team and an over 35 team in the lower divisions of the Munster Senior League. In addition the club operates a large youth and schoolboy section and enters teams in the Cork Schoolboys League and schoolgirl teams in the Cork Women's and Schoolgirls Soccer League.
Katie McCabe is an Irish footballer who plays for FA WSL club Arsenal and serves as captain of the Republic of Ireland women's national football team.
The Dublin Women's Soccer League was a women's association football league featuring teams from the Republic of Ireland. While the majority of the participating clubs were based in the Greater Dublin Area, the DWSL had regularly included teams from outside this area. Whilst previously the DWSL was one of the largest women's leagues in Ireland it had been overtaking by the Wexford, MGL and Cork Leagues. In late 2019, the FAI following discussions revamped Women's Football in the Greater Dublin area and the Eastern Women's Football League (EWFL) chaired by the MGL's Tony Gains were granted the only license to run Women's adult football in the Dublin area. The EWFL is ran by committees of the MGL and the Former DWSL
Shamrock Rovers Ladies Football Club is an Irish association football club based in Dublin. It is the women's section of Shamrock Rovers F.C.. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Shamrock Rovers Ladies were one of the most successful teams in women's association football in the Republic of Ireland, winning both the Dublin Women's Soccer League and the FAI Women's Cup five times in a row. In 2002–03 Rovers became the first women's team to represent the Republic of Ireland in Europe and in 2011–12 they were founder members of the Women's National League.
Karen Duggan is an Irish footballer who plays for Peamount United of the Women's National League (WNL). She has previously played for UCD Waves and the Republic of Ireland women's national football team. Between 2013 and 2016 Duggan was selected for the WNL Team of the Season for four successive seasons. She was the only player selected all four seasons. In 2015–16 she was also WNL Senior Player of the Season. Duggan has also played camogie at club, university and county level.
Siobhán Killeen is a Republic of Ireland women's international footballer. She has also played for UCD, Raheny United and Shelbourne Ladies. In 2010, she was a member of the Republic of Ireland U-17 squad that were runners-up in the 2010 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship and quarter-finalists in the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. Killeen has also played senior ladies' Gaelic football for Dublin.
Dundalk Women's Football Club is an Irish association football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. They are the women's team of Dundalk F.C.. They currently play in the Dublin Women's Soccer League. They represented the Republic of Ireland in the 2006–07 UEFA Women's Cup. An earlier Dundalk F.C. women's team also competed in the Ladies League of Ireland during the 1970s.
Limerick Women's Football Club was an Irish association football club based in Limerick. It is the women's section of Limerick F.C.. Their senior women's team made their debut in the Women's National League in 2018. However the club has been organising women's teams, often in conjunction with the Limerick Women's & Schoolgirls' Soccer League, since at least 1973. Limerick have been credited as the inaugural winners of both the Ladies League of Ireland and the FAI Women's Cup.
Sarah Rowe is a dual code sportswoman and a former Republic of Ireland women's association football international. In addition to association football, Rowe has also played two other football codes at a senior level. She has played ladies' Gaelic football for Mayo and women's Australian rules football for Collingwood in the AFLW. At club level, Rowe has played association football for Castlebar Celtic, Raheny United and Shelbourne Ladies in the Women's National League. Rowe was a member of the Republic of Ireland U19 team that won their group at the 2014 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship and qualified for the semi-finals. In 2016 she was also a member of the Shelbourne Ladies team that won a Women's National League/FAI Women's Cup double.