Ballyhale Shamrocks Camogie Club will be represented on the World stage, when Ballyhale native Keira Kinahan Murphy will capitan the Australasia Camogie team in the up and coming Etihad Airways GAA World Games that will take place in Dublin from August 7 to 14. The group games will be played at UCD’s Belfield campus, with the finals being played at Croke Park.
Keira Kinahan Murphy a highly regarded camogie player learned her trade with Ballyhale Shamrocks Camogie Club and went on to play for the Kilkenny senior camogie team for seven years and won an Ashbourne Cup with the University of Limerick in 2006. Keira emigrated to Sydney in 2007 and is a stalwart of the Central Coast Camogie club ever since. Keira camogie’s exploits don’t stop there as she just this year led the New South Wales team to glory in the Australasian State Championships in Wellington where her outstanding performances earned her the ‘Player of the Tournament’ title.
Kiera’s adopted club Central Coast Gaa posted a lovely tribute to Kiera on their Facebook page and outlined the successes she has had with the famous club. “Not only has Keira enjoyed success at state level she has also been instrumental in the ongoing success at club level for the Central Coast Gaa Sydney. Making life extremely difficult for many opponents here in NSW GAA. “ . They continued that her accolades are so vast they were too many too list. “She has a very long list of honours over the past 10 years with the club, too many of which to list here. We could go on for days about this exceptionally talented lady”. A glowing tribute to a highly respected club player.
Recently Kiera spoke about the honour it is to represent her adopted home and that it is one of the highlights of her career to date. “It’s an absolute honour to represent Australia in Ireland, it really and truly is something very special to me and to also be selected as the captain of the team is just the icing on the cake.
She continued by stating the important role that her home club and representing Kilkenny had on her life. “I adored playing with my club Ballyhale Shamrocks back home and also with the Kilkenny seniors for 7 years prior to moving to Australia where I have spent the last 10 years”. She continued that it was a very difficult decision for her to leave her home and the Kilkenny panel. “To leave home and leave the Kilkenny panel was a very big decision for me aged 22. I had no real intention of staying in Australia for longer than 6 months but to have the opportunity to be part of a GAA community so far from home and to have the chance to represent this country, which we now call home, is just amazing and something I plan on making the absolute most of while in Dublin.”
Kiera who met her now husband, Adrian Murphy who hails from Wexford at training for Central Coast, outlined the importance that Gaelic games plays in their life’s and gives a view of how important Gaelic games are for the Irish abroad. “Camogie and Hurling means everything to us, it’s a massive part of our lives. We both grew up in families that enjoyed the game and we had a similar upbringing where we loved to play. We’re both competitive and wanted to do the best we could. It’s what brought us together out here in Sydney.”
Kiera continues by stating the honour it is for them as a couple to represent Australasia in Dublin in August. “We have been through so much together over the past ten years in sport and our personal lives and to have this opportunity and for both of us to be part of it together makes it all the more special.”
On behalf of Kilkenny Camogie we wish Kiera and the Australasia team the very best of luck in the up and coming Etihad Airways GAA World Games.
By kristinagunn Sat 23rd Jul
