Helen Conroy

Helen Conroy (Murphy) is one of the famous crew of Murphy’s from Clonadacasey, a family that needs no introduction and is steeped in Town GAA history...

Growing Up

I’m the youngest of three. I have two older brothers and we grew up with our parents in Clonadacasey. Our grandparents lived just a stone’s throw from us so we spent a lot of time there growing up. It was a home from home really and we were very lucky.

I got the school bus from there and used to have breakfast with my late Gaga Ned every morning. Every summer there would have been eight or ten grandchildren there together and it never phased either Gaga or Nana. We were all well looked after.

When the lads would reach a county final Ned and I would get out flags and bunting and decorate both houses and out on the road. He used to love the build-up.

County final mornings were great. Mam would have breakfast on for everyone but she’d be too nervous to eat anything herself. She’d have two sets of jerseys in case it rained, Jaffa Cakes, Wine Gums, Lucozade Sport. You name it, she had it ready.

Grandad Ned

Yes, I come from a family that are hugely passionate about Portlaoise GAA and this stemmed from Ned. He was a great man and ahead of his time. Being a sports physio, he was involved with a lot of teams and introduced us to the GAA Centre at a young age.

My earliest memory is being brought into the senior hurling training. He was involved with them at the time and my uncles were hurling. Myself and the lads would go with him and puck around and watch training. On the way home he’d pull into Bosco’s and get us a 99 ice cream. Great memories.

We soon learnt about Ned and his brothers playing for The Town. We were watching our uncles playing and realised we were the next generation coming through.

I guess that’s why the saying goes: “You don’t choose your club, you inherit it.”

Mam

Mam got involved and was Juvenile Secretary for three or four years and was involved with the ladies footballers as well. She often went between two pitches to keep an eye on two games. The lads would be playing on one pitch and I’d be on the other.

I’d safely say there aren’t too many pitches herself and Daddy haven’t been to with us. When we went to Féiles Dad drove the buses while Mam had everything bar the kitchen sink packed. The whole family were involved and there was no escaping being passionate about Portlaoise GAA.

Mam later went on to be Senior Hurling Secretary and only stepped down in recent years, although she’s still fond of washing jerseys.

Thinking back on it there must have been a lot of juggling to keep it all going as they were both working full time but between her and Dad they kept the show on the road and we never wanted for anything. If I can be half the woman my mother is I’ll be doing alright.

The Games

I was U12 when the ladies had a football team, so I played with them and we had great success. We won everything from U12 up to an Intermediate title in 2006. In recent years the ladies have won a senior football title which is brilliant to see.

Back then there wasn’t much camogie, so I played with the boys until a rule was introduced that girls were no longer allowed play with the boys. I remember feeling so disappointed because I knew no different and found it hard to understand why the rule was being introduced.

Looking back now it makes perfect sense. At the time there were camogie teams in Camross, The Harps and St Brigid’s so I went to Camross and played there for a good few years where we had good success also.

I stopped playing earlier than planned. The matches were always on a Saturday at 2 or 3 o’clock and I couldn’t get off work. The last year I played I really didn’t enjoy it for that reason.

Making a Comeback with "The Town"

I had been thinking about it for a while and thought maybe I’d be as well stay away because I hadn’t played in a few years and the age gap was another factor for me to consider.

One day I picked up the phone and contacted Teresa O’Reilly. I went training and spoke to herself and Lynchy and said I’d give training a go but had no intentions of playing games, thinking that I wouldn’t be able for it.

Lo and behold six months later I won my fifth Junior Camogie medal and played all year.

Magic Memories

Féiles were great weekends. Winning the Minor football championship and the Intermediate title were great days.

The 2021 Junior Camogie success tops it all though, as I’m such a passionate hurling woman.

Best Players

Sinead Collier: A leader on and off the field. I remember going to a junior training session after U14 training one evening and knew very few of the girls. Sinead put the younger girls under her wing and brought us along. She had so much experience and knowledge that you’d learn so much from being in her presence.

Sarah-Anne Fitzgerald: A genius with a hurl and a football. Great to have her back kicking with The Town. She’s a huge addition.

Toughest Opponent

Probably Eimear Delaney from St Brigid’s.

Player I've Admired

Cahir Healy. Definitely one of the best dual stars in the country.

Favourite Aspect of Training

The craic with the women.

Least Favourite

Has to be sprints. Although I need every one of them to try and keep up with the young ones.

Aspirations for Portlaoise Camogie Club

I think the next couple of years we need to work really hard to keep everyone together. If that happens, I’d like to think an Intermediate title will be won in about three to five years’ time.

We are aiming to have a Junior and Intermediate team in the next two to three years and that would be brilliant for the club.

Hopes for Portlaoise Club

It’s great to see the One Club approach. I think that speaks volumes along with the development plans for Rathleague. Hopefully it’ll encourage more parents to get involved and bring their children out to play.

I’d love to see the hurlers getting back up to senior ranks and winning.

Hoping for a double at senior level to be won just like 2004.