Trailblazers: Breaking Gender Boundaries
This week will dive into Women’s rugby in Connacht and will tackle the major leaps forward, as well as the continued struggles the players face. Featuring regional/national players, international players and coaches, and the first female president of Connacht Rugby, topics such as opportunity, inclusivity, and the road ahead will be discussed.
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Featured Speakers:
- Ann Heneghan, President, Connacht Rugby
- Phaidra Knight, Former US Rugby Player
- Eamonn Molloy, Education and Learning, Connacht Rugby and the Irish Rugby Football Union
- Justin Hickey, Program Director, Notre Dame Rugby
- Lisa Caulfield, Director of the Global Centre at Kylemore
Ireland's Rising Star: Béibhinn Parsons
Presented by Eamonn Molloy
Connacht Women’s Rugby player and Irish international athlete Béibhinn Parsons provides audiences with a glimpse into the life of a female rugby player in Ireland, where the women’s sport is still growing.
Koma Gandy: Changing the Game
Presented by Eamonn Molloy
USA rugby player, mentor, and coach for both the men’s and women’s teams, Koma Gandy, shares about how she got into the sport. Gandy discusses being an international female player, funding her own way to games, as well as the ways in which she has grown as a coach, particularly in the men’s scene. Tune in to learn how rugby has shaped her life.
Koma Gandy Fischbein Reflects on Two Weeks with Connacht Rugby
Presented by Eamonn Molloy
Koma Gandy Fischbein, head coach of the Village Lions Rugby Club of New York, had a unique opportunity at the beginning of 2020. She was able to spend two weeks working with Connacht Rugby. Gandy Fischbein got a sense of Connacht and the ins and outs of the organization, including community programs and emerging talent as well as the professional setup.
Additional Resources
Presented by Eamonn Molloy and Justin Hickey
- Connacht Rugby president Ann Heneghan: ‘There’s no reason why a woman couldn’t have done it before now’ by Simon Lewis
- “Integration Not Segregation Is Our Priority & Our Primary Objective” Connacht Rugby Fully Endorse 20×20 Initiative by John O’Sullivan
- Connacht star named Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Women’s Player of the Year
- Now is the time to sow the seeds for women’s rugby in Ireland by Louise Lawless
- ‘In Beibhinn, Ireland have someone who can do things that other people can’t do’ by Murray Kinsella
- Phaidra Knight’s next move: Retired from rugby, pursuing new dreams by Pamela K. Johnson
- Phaidra Knight predicts positive future for women’s rugby in United States by Sky Sports
- “Koma Gandy Fischbein reflects on two weeks with Connacht Rugby”
- Village Lions Names Koma Gandy as Men’s Head Coach by DJCOILRUGBY
Prepare for Next Week
Presented by Eamonn Molloy and Justin Hickey
- Irish Rugby TV: Ireland v New Zealand Tunnel Cam
- Women’s Rugby at Notre Dame by Marie Doyle, ‘21