Karen Monaghan

From the Town Tattler Vol 3 Issue 3.

Meet Karen Monaghan, a diehard Townie who has recently taken up the role of Health and Well-Being Officer in the club. Karen has ambitious plans for this important area and hopes to make it a vital part of the club's future.

The Early Days

I am Karen Monaghan, born and bred a Townie. I spent my formative years on the Ridge Road with a great bunch of girls, spending weekends and summers between the Ridge and Craydon Court.

Despite being christened "Sporty Spice" as part of the Ridge Road Spice contingent, I wasn't particularly sporty myself. However, I have very fond memories of many weekends in O'Moore Park and on the sidelines of the Portlaoise pitches on Father Browne Avenue cheering on various Town teams.

My love for Portlaoise GAA was definitely influenced by my friends Wendy Kingsley and Fiona Conroy in particular, as they had Alan and Bernie as active and proud members of the club.

Rachel

Whilst I didn't play with the Town in any capacity as a child, my sister Rachel was a great player for our underage ladies teams and still speaks fondly of her days playing with the Town.

She speaks highly to this day of mentors such as Joe Wright, Sean Dunne, Trisha Brothwood, Liam Cushen, Liam Dunne, Seamus O'Grady and Martin Sinnott, to name just a few.

Rachel also fondly remembers how Gretta Kelly would always be on the sideline of every training session and match with words of encouragement for the girls.

Rachel has just this week given birth to triplet girls, so no doubt they will proudly wear the green and white of our club just like their mother.

Proud Supporter

I've always been a proud supporter of Portlaoise GAA and our community.

Over the past number of years I've become very good friends with some of the senior football players and, since then, the games I've supported have seemed even more important.

I see and truly understand the investment the players put into being part of a team and their commitment and passion is palpable.

All-Ireland Days

A memory that will always remain with me is the sunny St Patrick's Day in 2005 when we reached the club All-Ireland Final.

The buzz in the town in the lead-up, the scramble to get cars decked out in green and white, the face paint, the jerseys, the plans made to meet supporters in various pubs before the match and the camaraderie from other Laois clubs as we faced such a momentous occasion.

The result didn't go in our favour, but the atmosphere that day is one I wish I could have bottled up and kept forever.

Whiplash in Aughrim

My support for Portlaoise GAA has also cost me at times.

None more so than the Sunday in Aughrim on a cold, dreary November day in 2019 when the footballers played St Patrick's of Wicklow in the Leinster Club Championship.

When Kieran Lillis scored that goal in extra time, I had been so tense that when the ball hit the back of the net I ended up with a whiplash injury to my neck and back.

Was it worth the physio visit? Absolutely.

A Leinster Championship game being decided on penalties is not for the faint-hearted, but what a memory it made for supporters and players alike. The adrenaline and burst of pride on the drive home was unforgettable.

The Pain

Another significant memory as a supporter is that Jody Dillon goal. One that still pains me to recall.

As a teacher in Presentation Primary School in Portarlington, I enjoy the banter that the GAA brings.

I currently teach Sixth Class and this year my class has some die-hard Port supporters. Even now we still have the occasional "Up the Town" and "Up Port" calls in the corridors and classroom.

When we were drawn against Portarlington in last year's semi-final, battle lines were drawn in Room 16. The girls wore their Port jerseys at every opportunity and their copies were vandalised with "Up Port" and "Mon Port" in the margins.

The week of the match, myself and my colleague David Browne had an almost ceremonial flag swap with some of the girls, where we presented them with Portlaoise flags and they gave us the Portarlington colours.

It was a tricky enough Monday when we weren't successful in the game, but myself and David took it on the chin.

Challenges for the Club

As a successful and growing club, we can be faced with the momentous task of bringing all the parts and parcels of our club together as one.

There is great work being done throughout the club at the moment and I feel like we will get there.

I am envious of smaller clubs where the clubhouse acts as the beating heart of the community. That is a tricky task with Portlaoise being such a large club.

However, I can see the work that is going into bringing us together as a town, community and club.

When we have our clubhouse, it will be amazing to have a focal point for our community.

The tremendous work of the Club 25 initiative is incredible and the people involved are so passionate and dedicated in their efforts to make it happen.

Health & Well-Being

I was approached by Richie Coss, another proud member and tireless worker for the club, about becoming the club Health and Well-Being Officer and, to be honest, I was honoured to have even been considered.

Despite not having been a player or trainer, I was delighted to be asked to help our club in a way I hope can do Portlaoise GAA proud.

In my work as a primary school teacher, I have a huge interest in the area of health and well-being. I have used mindfulness techniques with my class and can see the benefits in children.

In my line of work and in my school we are passionate about promoting health and well-being, and this has improved the holistic development of our students.

I think support for children, in whatever capacity is required for their needs, is integral to their development. No doubt it will also reap benefits for the adults of Portlaoise GAA.

I am also very interested in alternative therapies and am a Reiki Master.

I think that as a society, and particularly since Covid, we've become more aware of the importance of being kind to ourselves and looking after our well-being.

What this means on a club level is an area I'm eager to explore.

Firstly, I am keen to continue promoting Portlaoise GAA Club as a welcoming and inclusive asset to our town.

I am eager to learn and up-skill so that I can communicate initiatives, support our players and mentors and promote the health and well-being of all our members.

With this in mind, I am aware that we have many people in our community who are highly knowledgeable in this field and I would be grateful for their ideas and contributions.

It is an exciting opportunity for our club to develop on a supportive and inclusive level for the benefit of all.

From the Town Tattler Vol 3 Issue 3.