Lawlor has long view for Camogs

29th president of the Camogie Association Aileen Lawlor with Liam O'Neill, incoming President of the GAA

At last weekend’s annual camogie congress, Laois native Aileen Lawlor took over the reins from Joan O’Flynn to become the 28th elected President of the Camogie Association. This week, Ciaran Woods caught up with the incoming Uachtarain to find out her views on the role, and what her philosophy will be as she starts her three-year term…

Ciaran Woods: After a year in the role as president-elect, I’m sure that the first feeling is one of relief to finally be able to get on with the task in hand?

Aileen Lawlor: I don’t know if relief is the right word, but I’m certainly glad to be getting underway in the role. The year as President-elect is invaluable, and I really don’t know how previous incoming Presidents managed without it, going straight into the role. The year has flown in, I learned so much. It was great to be able to go into the committees, get a feel for what they’re doing and the personnel involved, so it puts you in a much better place when you do actually take the next step into the role as President.

CW: For any role we go into in life, be it sport or work or whatever, there are certain ambitions, aims or areas of particular interest which we intend to focus special attention on. I’m sure heading into the presidency, you are no different?

AL: Obviously increasing our membership is always paramount. If we don’t have the players, we don’t have anyone playing camogie. We have added 30 new clubs in the past year and a half, which is something I don’t think any other sport can boast. But we have to keep increasing it, we can’t stop here, we have to keep developing camogie at grassroots level. We have camogie in 32 counties, although one county only has it in schools at the moment, so we have to keep pushing at all levels.

The full story is in the current issue of Gaelic Life – published April 5 – buy your copy in your newsagent, or online, by clicking the subscribe button on this page