'2019 was a special year, climbing the steps of the Hogan Stand alongside your sister'
July 26, 2025
Eimear Byrne of Louth celebrates after scoring her side's first goal during the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Junior Championship semi-final against Longford at St Tiernach's Park in Clones, Monaghan. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
By Daire Walsh
From the three previous TG4 All-Ireland junior football championship finals that Louth’s Eimear Byrne has played in up to this point, there is one that clearly stands out above all others.
Having been part of a side that lost out to Limerick at Croke Park in 2018, Byrne returned to the same venue 12 months later as the Wee County took on Fermanagh in another third-tier decider. While a 3-13 to 2-6 victory for Louth ensured it was always going to be a memorable day, the fact Byrne's sister Aoife lined up alongside her in midfield made it extra special for the St Mochta’s star.
Although Aoife has stepped away from the inter-county scene in recent years, Eimear was a starter when her native county lost out to Fermanagh in last year’s junior showpiece. She has also been an ever-present in the Louth attack during 2025 and is now set to feature in her fourth West County Hotel Cup final against Antrim in GAA HQ tomorrow week (August 3).
“In 2019 I was playing alongside my sister Aoife. She has actually retired from inter-county football now. She has had two kids since, but she is back playing club football. Hopefully at some stage I’ll get to play alongside her this year,” Byrne explained.
“2019 was a very, very special year and climbing the steps of the Hogan Stand alongside your sister and playing in midfield with her is something very, very special. Unfortunately I won’t have her beside me this time around, but she’ll definitely be in the stands shouting me on anyway.”
Next weekend won’t be the first visit to Croke Park this year for the Byrne family as they were previously there on May 11 for one of the most unforgettable days in the recent sporting history of the Wee County.
15 years after another of her siblings (Declan) featured off the bench in a much-discussed provincial decider defeat to the same opposition, Eimear’s brother Ciaran played the final eight minutes as the Louth men’s team collected their first Leinster senior football championship title in 68 years with a final victory over Meath.
The family achievements don't end there, however, as the aforementioned Declan was part of the management team for a Louth U20s side that qualified for an All-Ireland final with a last-four triumph over Mayo on May 16 - two days before Eimear kicked a brace of points for the ladies side in their TG4 Leinster junior football championship final success over Carlow.
“It has been a very special year in our house. I’m sitting here looking out the window and the Louth flags are still flying high, and they’ve been up there for the last couple of weeks. Because ‘Casey’ (a nickname given to Ciaran due to Eimear’s inability to pronounce his name when she was younger) was in the Leinster final and got over the line with that.
“Then Deccie was involved in the coaching team for the Louth U20s. It has been a big couple of weeks in our house and loving every moment of it. I think I said this a couple of times in different interviews, that when I walk through the door, my Dad, there is a massive smile on his face.
“It's the likes of him, you’re kind of delighted he’s getting to live through these moments and seeing Louth football being in a really, really good place.”
What has already been a remarkable year for the Byrnes would be topped off if Louth could claim their fourth All-Ireland junior football championship crown next weekend.
Yet Byrne was very close to not being part of the panel this deep into the competition. A PE and Biology teacher at St Joseph’s secondary school in Drogheda, Byrne is opting to take a career break in the coming months.
She was initially planning to go travelling last month with her other half, but with a burning desire to get Louth back up to the intermediate grade, Byrne eventually altered her plans.
“Originally at the start of the year, I actually had planned to go in June and then I looked at the calendar. I shed a few tears because my boyfriend, he was taking a shorter working year. He’s a guard. He had applied for and got it granted for June,” Byrne recalled.
“We looked at the calendar, I turned to my boyfriend and I said ‘I actually can’t go in June now’. I said ‘I really want to stay and give Louth another rattle’. I had chatted to Kevin (Larkin) the manager and obviously he didn’t want me to go. Then I went in and spoke to my principal, and he actually gave me a bit of confidence to actually go for a career break.
“I decided to take the full year out next year, but I’m only travelling for six weeks in November and a bit of December. I’ll be twiddling my thumbs, looking for a bit of subbing early on next year to fill my time.”
It will all prove to be worthwhile for Byrne if she can secure the second TG4 All-Ireland junior football championship title of her career next weekend. However, when you consider they triumphed at this grade as recently as 2022, there are a number of players in the Antrim squad who will be looking to do the same.
The Saffrons have accrued a Lidl National Football League Division 4 crown and a TG4 Ulster junior football championship title across an unbeaten run of 16 games to date in 2025, and this is more than enough reason for Byrne and Louth to be wary of their challenge.
“Antrim, they’re a strong outfit. They have some great runners all over the pitch. Their midfield and some very, very strong forwards. It's definitely going to be a tough contest. We’re not going to be naïve going in, we’ve met Antrim a couple of times before over the last couple of years,” Byrne added.
“We’re well used to what they can produce as well. It’s going to be very, very tough. Any day in Croke Park is going to be a big occasion for both teams. We’re looking forward to it, nonetheless.”
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