Méabh Cahalane is the current captain of the Cork senior camogie team. Her father, Niall Cahalane, captained Cork in 1985 and secured All-Ireland titles in 1989 and 1990. Méabh clinched her first All-Ireland medal in her first season playing in 2015. In 2024, she was vice-captain of the Cork seniors and shared the honour of lifting the All-Ireland trophy with captain Molly Lynch. The Rebels had a 38-point win over Limerick last weekend in Páirc Uí Rinn. The 2025 captain leading a promising Cork side into this year’s Championship chats to Niamh Coughlan.
Méabh plays with St Finbarr’s GAA on the south side of Cork city. She first picked up a hurley at the camogie street leagues when she was seven- or eight-years-old. “I remember Gemma O’ Connor’s late mother, Ger, was coaching our underage team at the time. Making that connection – even at that age – I think I knew I wanted to play camogie for Cork.”
Méabh grew up in Togher, where she attended Togher girls’ Primary School, before moving on to Mount Mercy College in Bishopstown for secondary school. She later studied at University College Cork, where she completed her degree.
She is the second eldest out of seven siblings, and her parents, Niall and Ailish, are originally from Castlehaven in West Cork. “We spent a lot of time down there as kids – summers, going to games, and visiting our grandparents, John and Maureen Cahalane and Kathleen and Ned Cleary. We still go down as much as we can. It’s a very special place for all of us.”
At the same time as she was playing camogie in Cork, Méabh was also playing football with the Castlehaven boys’ underage teams, continuing up until the age of 13, as there were no girls’ team there back then. “We still laugh at home about the time my dad was involved with my brother Damien’s U12 team. I was about seven or eight, would show up fully togged out, and expect to get some game time. Despite my best efforts – and my dad being involved – it didn’t always work in my favour!”
At 13, Méabh joined Éire Óg Ladies Football Club and has been playing there ever since. “We won an U14 county final in the year I joined. I remember thinking it was mad that you could pick the ball off the ground!”
Outside of camogie and football, Méabh was also involved in Irish dancing, ran with Leevale Athletic Club, and played hockey in Mount Mercy during secondary school – but the GAA always came first. “Camogie and football were always my priority, even as a child.” Much of her childhood was spent out kicking and pucking a ball with her siblings or her dad. “My dad would try to teach me how to kick and solo properly from a young age.”
“Sport has always been something I get so much enjoyment from – it’s where I’ve met some of my best friends. I think that’s the most important part of it: you must enjoy it.”
With her father Niall heavily involved in the GAA, Méabh was always brought to games and introduced to players. “When you are young, you just want to play and train – you don’t really think too much about expectations. But for us, we had so much more exposure to the sport and to the GAA. Being brought to matches around the country made me want to give it a proper go and try to play at the highest level I could.”
As she got older and began to play at adult level, that drive sharpened. “There’s a shift in drive. You start to look at how to improve your weaknesses, build on your strengths, and do that bit extra outside of training – every session, every game, you’re thinking about how to get better’.
“Sport has definitely taught me self-discipline and commitment. It has also shown me the importance of teamwork – how to work with others toward a shared goal, and how consistent effort can pay off when you really want something.”
The training volume is high, with a mix of on-pitch and off-pitch sessions. “We train four times a week with Cork: three pitch sessions and one collective gym session. On top of that, we’re expected to do one individual gym session and some extra ball work during the week.”
A typical weekday is full for Méabh. “I’m up in the morning and straight to work until after 5pm. “She currently works as an accountant at Grant Thornton in Cork. “Then it’s straight to training – we do whatever personal prep we need to before the session, then train for about two hours. I’m usually home around 9 or 10pm, then it’s straight to bed to try to get some sleep and recovery in.”
Being named Captain of the Cork ladies for 2025 is a standout moment in Méabh’s sporting career. “It’s a huge honour to captain Cork – especially when I think of all the role models I looked up to growing up, many of whom I’ve been lucky enough to play alongside, who have worn captain’s armband before me. It’s also a massive honour for my club, St Finbarr’s, and for my family.
“We have an unbelievable bunch of girls in the set-up right now, and to lead them out onto the field is something I don’t take for granted. It really is a special time.”
Camogie matches have only recently resumed after a short break in the playing calendar. On May 22 last, The Camogie Association saw members agree to give players the choice between wearing shorts or skorts during official matches. After more than a century of tradition in skorts and skirts, players can now decide what they feel most comfortable in on the pitch.
Méabh doesn’t feel too much pressure in her role as captain. “There are so many leaders in our squad that you don’t feel the need to take on extra pressure or change who you are. First and foremost, your job is to train hard and earn your place in the starting 15 – which is extremely competitive in our panel at the moment.
“As captain, I just try to lead by example: train hard, be a positive influence around the group, and encourage everyone to get the best out of themselves. Confidence plays a part too, not just in yourself but in the people around you.’
‘To be fair, there are so many leaders in our group at the moment. We’ve all played together for so long now that we really understand what drives each other. One of our biggest motivating factors right now is our bench. They train so hard, night in and night out.
“When you’re handed a jersey – numbers one to 15 – you feel a real responsibility to the entire panel. Before every game, we always remind ourselves that the bench will come in and finish the job. That gives us the freedom to go as hard as we can for as long as we can.
“We know they’ve trained just as hard – if not harder – than those starting, and they’re more than ready to step in. That sense of collective effort is a huge motivator for us before and during games.”
Méabh balances work and life in her routine. “I just try to separate the two as best I can and be efficient with my time. It’s really important to be present – whether that’s in work or at training. If I’ve had a stressful day in the office, I try to leave that behind before stepping into a high-performance environment at training. Likewise, if we’ve lost a game or I’ve had a tough session, I do my best not to carry that into work the next day. It’s not always easy, but I try to manage it that way.”
Méabh had numerous role models to look up to growing up. “We were lucky growing up in the Barr’s to have players like Jenny Duffy, Lynda O’Connell, and of course Gemma O’Connor representing Cork – they were real role models for us. But the team I looked up to the most was the Cork ladies football team from my aunt Nollaig Cleary’s era. That group went on to win ten All-Irelands. They were incredible!”
And now time is repeating itself, as young girls look to Méabh and women alike as their role models. “My advice to any young girl is to work hard, enjoy every minute of it, and take on board whatever advice you get from coaches as you move through the age groups. The more sports you can try when you’re younger, the better – it all helps your development.
“Don’t let losing games get you down either. That’s where you learn the most, and those lessons stay with you.
“And remember, it’s never too late to start. Some of the best players on our squad didn’t pick up a hurley until they were 12 or 13. If you’re willing to commit and put in the work, you can go a long way.”
“What motivates me most is working hard towards something and then seeing it pay off. That feeling of achieving a goal makes everything worth it. In camogie, winning the All-Ireland in 2023 was a huge motivator. It pushed us to challenge ourselves even more to go back-to-back. That was the goal in 2024. Now, heading into 2025, it’s the same – we’re going after another All-Ireland. Every session, every bit of work we put in, it all goes towards that.”
Women in sport has been highlighted more in recent times than ever before. “I think the biggest challenge still facing women in sport is exposure. While there’s more media coverage now than in the past, it’s still not on par with the men’s games. It’s so important that young girls and boys have the chance to regularly see and hear about women’s sport, whether it’s camogie, ladies football, or anything else. The standard of play has risen hugely – the physicality, the speed, the skill level – it’s all gone through the roof. But unless that’s being shown, people won’t realise how high the standard really is. With more exposure, more people will come to the games, and that’s how we’ll keep pushing for equality and progress.”
There are many fond memories in Méabh’s camogie career to date, however one that stands out is winning the Senior Club Championship with St Finbarr’s in 2024. “It was my first time and only the second time ever for the club since 2006. After years of falling short in quarter- and semi-finals, it felt unbelievable to finally get over the line. What made it even more special was winning it alongside my sisters – it was the first year the four of us were on the panel together.”
Looking ahead, the dream is to continue winning as many cups as possible. “Obviously, a big goal for this year is to get back to Croke Park and into another final. That’s the first step, and ultimately, we want to win another All-Ireland.
“At club level, I’d love if we could build on what we achieved last year going into 2025, but for now, the full focus is on Cork.”
When she’s not training or playing matches, Méabh enjoys spending time with family and friends. “A lot of my friends and family are also heavily involved in sport, so everyone’s schedule can be full. We usually get a proper break in November and December to catch up and make time for social things, but during the season it can be hard to fit everything in. I try to make an effort to see friends and family when I can, but I don’t put too much pressure on myself either – downtime is important too when you’re not training. If I have spare time I like to do simple things like, meet up with friends for a coffee, go for walks, go to my siblings matches and go down to West Cork to visit my grandparents.”
Looking ahead, Méabh is focused on staying present and building steadily on personal goals. “I really enjoy the job I’m in at the moment, and it works well alongside my sporting commitments, which makes a huge difference. For now, I prefer to focus on short-term goals that feel realistic and achievable. I just hope to keep progressing and enjoying both my personal and professional life over the next few years – and take things as they come after that.”