An unprecedented look at the history of Ladies Gaelic Football is contained in UNLADYLIKE a new book by Hayley Kilgallon, which will be published this September 12. This highly anticipated work chronicles the journey of a sport that began in the 1920s, faced significant opposition, and evolved into one of the nation’s most beloved sporting associations in the LGFA.
UNLADYLIKE delves into the early days of Ladies Gaelic Football, a time when the sight of women playing the sport was deemed inappropriate by societal standards.
Despite these challenges, the sport found a niche as a carnival novelty and gradually gained traction. The founding of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA ) in Tipperary in July 1974 marked a pivotal moment, leading to fifty years of remarkable growth and development.
The first recorded game of ladies' Gaelic football was played in St James' Park, Dublin, in 1920. Players competed in ankle-length skirts, watched by a sizeable crowd. But the game was not authorised by the GAA and, in the decades that followed, the sport was kept to the sidelines, a popular novelty act at local fairs that was branded unsuitable 'for frail feminine fingers'.
The message was clear: Gaelic football was unladylike. But, by the time of the first ladies' Gaelic football final in 1973, the Evening Press was reporting, 'there is a future for this latest craze in the Irish sporting world'. And when, a year later, the Ladies' Gaelic Football Association (LGFA ) was founded in Hayes' Hotel in Thurles, County Tipperary in July 1974, the future for this new craze was undeniably set in motion.
From its carnival origins to record-breaking attendances, from writing the rule book to a membership of nearly 200,000, from the earliest All-Stars to game-changing partnerships, this definitive history of ladies' Gaelic football captures the extraordinary growth of a national sport, one that defied traditional gender norms and exceeded all expectations, to enter the mainstream and travel the world. Lavishly illustrated and drawing from national, club and personal archives, UNLADYLIKE is a book to be treasured by players and supporters alike, and confirms the best is yet to come.
Hayley Kilgallon, author of Unladylike said it is a record of the incredible journey of ladies’ Gaelic football and, for the first time, it puts the story of the LGFA officially into the history books.
"I am so grateful to New Island Books and the LGFA for their support and I hope that this book will inspire those involved in ladies’ Gaelic football from the past, present, and the future to celebrate their part in making history.
"As a member of the LGFA, it has been an honour to delve into the archives and write this history of ladies’ Gaelic football" she added.
The book is lavishly illustrated and meticulously researched, drawing from national, club, and personal archives. It captures the essence of the sport’s evolution, from the creation of its rule book to the establishment of a robust membership nearing 200,000. UNLADYLIKE is a tribute to all who have contributed to the sport—players, fans, kit-washers, sandwich-makers, and supporters. It not only celebrates the past but also looks forward to the promising future of Ladies Gaelic Football.
Mícheál Naughton, President of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, said that Hayley Kilgallon has spent many years researching the history of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, and the fruits of her labour are to be seen in this wonderful piece of work.
"In what is a very special year for the LGFA, as we celebrate our 50th anniversary, ‘Unladylike’ is the definitive story of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, tracking our history from humble beginnings on July 18, 1974, right through to the present day.”
Aoife K. Walsh, Commissioning Editor at New Island Books said: “It has been a gift and a privilege to work with Hayley Kilgallon on her first book, the first definitive history of Ladies Gaelic Football. We were amazed the story had not already been told, but the 50th anniversary of the LGFA is the perfect moment to finally tell it.
"As one of the fastest-growing sports in Ireland, Ladies Gaelic Football is far from the sidelines these days, and we hope readers will treasure this beautiful tribute to their beloved game and the players, founders, organisers, and game-changers who have gone before.”
Unladylike: A History of Ladies Gaelic Football by Hayley Kilgallon is available for preorder via Dubray Books and is published on September 12.
Link https://www.dubraybooks.ie/product/unladylike-a-history-of-ladies-gaelic-football-9781835940037
