"We're always encouraged from home. From my Mum and my Dad"
January 31, 2026
Rachel Dwyer of Kerry gets away from Katie Murray, left, and Cora Murray, 3, of Waterford during the 2025 Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 1 match between Waterford and Kerry at SETU Waterford in Carriganore, Waterford. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
By Daire Walsh
It is a sport she has loved from a very young age and with several members of her extended family having done likewise in the past, Rachel Dwyer is embracing life as a Gaelic footballer with Kerry.
A native of Waterville who lines out for the Southern Gaels club, Dwyer’s father Denis was a two-time All-Ireland winner with the Kerry men’s team in 1997 and 2000. In both of those years, her legendary uncle Maurice Fitzgerald (his sister Michelle got married to Denis in 2001) was also a pivotal figure as the Kingdom claimed the Sam Maguire Cup under the guidance of the late Páidí Ó Sé.
Additionally, another sister of Fitzgerald – Marie – was on the Kerry side that won the All-Ireland senior ladies football championship title in 1993 and also picked up an All Star award in the same year. Having former inter-county stars on both sides of her family is not something that every modern player can say and between tales of the old days and general advice, Dwyer is always willing to lean on those who have gone before her.
“We’ve loads of stories. I have a story of a disallowed goal and everything. With our uncle Maurice as well, he would have played with Dad. They had won All-Irelands as well together, which is nice. It’s nice to have family like that, that have the love of the game as well. It’s great,” Dwyer remarked.
“To be fair, we’re always encouraged from home. From my Mum and my Dad. They’re always pushing you to be the best you can be, but also to enjoy it as much as you can. Because we all have that love of the game and it’s just a great feeling to have that family that encourages you to do that and do what you love.
“To be honest, sometimes you love the advice and sometimes you don’t like the advice! My Dad to be fair would have a brilliant head and he’d be great to give advice. To look back and reflect on a game. Have a good eye for pointing out what you should do here or the runs you should make. Which is great to have that as well.”
While Kerry have won a TG4 All-Ireland senior title since she made her senior inter-county debut back in 2021, Dwyer spent the summer in Chicago when Kerry secured the Brendan Martin Cup with a final triumph over Galway two years ago. This was the Kingdom’s first All-Ireland SFC success in Ladies Football since Dwyer’s aunt Marie helped them to overcome Laois in that 1993 showpiece at Croke Park.
Although it was somewhat 'bittersweet' to be missing out on collecting such a significant piece of silverware, Dwyer was thrilled her colleagues got over the final hurdle after she had been part of panels that lost All-Ireland deciders in both 2022 and 2023.
“I had taken the year out that year. I suppose it was a bit bittersweet, because it was amazing for the girls when you know everyone and you know how hard everyone has worked for it. It was amazing. They reaped the reward of all their hard work, which was great to see. You’d love to have been there yourself, but to see it for them as well.
“It was brilliant that all the hard work came together and they got that All-Ireland. Even to see the likes of Louise [Ní Mhuircheartaigh] get that All-Ireland medal was just amazing. Because she is honestly just such an amazing player and has been putting in the work for years. It was great to see the likes of her get her All-Ireland that she deserved.”
Dwyer wasn’t long away from the inter-county game, however, as she returned to the Kerry panel in 2025 under new manager Mark Bourke. On April 12 of last year at Croke Park, she bagged a point as a substitute in the Kingdom’s Lidl National Football League Division 1 final win against Armagh – earning her a second NFL top-tier winners’ medal in the process.
The defence of their All-Ireland senior title ended in a semi-final defeat to Meath at Glenisk O’Connor Park in Tullamore a little over three months later, but with this disappointment now very much in the rearview mirror, Dwyer and Kerry are focused on making the 2026 season one to remember.
“There is that disappointment there and it’s something that we don’t want to get this year. It’s just kind of taking games as we go and trying to push ourselves. There is great competition in training, which drives the standards up. The main thing for us is to build our consistent performances and build the foundations for ourselves to move us on for championship.
“You have the team-mates that have the All-Ireland, but you have the hunger now to want to do that just like them. They have that hunger now as well because they know that feeling. It’s definitely a driving force to have what we want this year as well.”
Amidst torrential conditions at JYSK Park in Clondalkin last Saturday, Kerry began their quest for a second successive Lidl NFL Division 1 crown with a 2-9 to 0-9 success over All-Ireland champions Dublin. Starting at left half-forward, Dwyer, who works as a primary school teacher at Scoil Mhuire Naofa in Carrigtwohill, Cork, helped herself to a brace of points in an accomplished individual display.
Next up for the Kingdom is their first competitive home game of 2026 against Waterford at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney on Monday (throw-in 2pm). The Deise are a side that have taken huge strides in recent years and with a fine victory of their own at the expense of Armagh in round one of the league, Dwyer is anticipating a tough challenge from their Munster rivals.
“Even from a club point of view, we played against the likes of Emma Murray and they’re brilliant players. As a team, they’ve really come on now in the last few years as well. They definitely wouldn’t be a team to underestimate either and they bring a good physicality to the game. It will be something we’ll have to work on for the next day as well,” Dwyer added.
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