In the era of Ireland’s World Cup debut, a Dublin women’s football team is left without access to bathroom facilities
In April 2017, 14 members of the Irish women’s national football team made their frustrations known to the Football Association of Ireland (FAI).
Taking matters into their own hands, players addressed the sub-par resources the team had to contend with at a press conference. Those who spoke up included the likes of current Liverpool skipper, Niamh Fahey and now-Ireland captain, Katie McCabe.
At one point during the conference, it was revealed that players had no option but to change in and out of team kit in airport toilets before and after away trips. This was because of tracksuits also being used by underage sides at the time.
This is hard to imagine because, at least from the outside looking in, Irish women’s football has come leaps and bounds from where it was in terms of access to adequate resources. A supposed turning point was when the national team made their first ever appearance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023. However, it would seem that this is only at surface level.
Shockwaves at grassroots level
Newlane FC, based in the west Dublin suburb of Clondalkin are the latest example of how women’s football teams in Ireland are overlooked. Upon securing a local pitch in neighbouring Ballyowen last November following a long campaign for such resources, their senior women’s team soon discovered that they did not have access to bathroom facilities.
No one has been more dedicated to improving grassroots women’s football within the community than Newlane player Shauna Kavanagh. Outside of Newlane, Kavanagh runs the Irish Homeless Street Leagues which saw the Irish women’s national homeless team win the trophy stage of the finals of the Homeless World Cup in South Korea last September.
She outlined the knock-on effects that Newlane are facing as a result of not having access to basic facilities.
“Newlane’s women’s team is likely facing challenges that include health concerns. Lack of proper bathroom access can lead to discomfort, dehydration, and other health risks. Being denied access to basic facilities can be degrading and signal a lack of respect for the team.
“Inadequate facilities can disrupt focus and preparation, affecting the team’s overall performance. The issue may highlight an unequal allocation of resources, with facilities potentially being prioritised for other groups.”
Kavanagh believes that at least in Ireland, men’s grassroots teams are more prioritised when it comes to the bare essentials a football side needs to succeed.
“There’s significant evidence to suggest that men’s grassroots teams often receive more priority than women’s teams”, she affirmed.
“This is rooted in historical biases where men’s sports have been given more attention, funding, and resources. Men’s teams often receive priority for training grounds, locker rooms, and bathroom facilities. Grassroots funding and sponsorships typically favour male teams.
“There’s a lingering perception that men’s sports are more ‘serious,’ leading to systemic inequalities in treatment.”
As was the case with the women’s national team, as Ireland’s governing football body, the FAI may have to rectify the neglect that Newlane women are facing. Kavanagh goes a step further and says that in addition to the FAI, the South Dublin City Council should also take accountability for this.
“The FAI should but not only them, South Dublin City Council should also acknowledge the issue. Recognise the inequalities women’s teams face at all levels and publicly commit to resolving them.”
The numbers don’t lie
It would seem that Newlane’s situation is not an isolated issue. In fact, it was reported by the FAI in November of 2024 that 67% of clubs did not have suitable women’s toilets and even worse, only 23% of clubs had female-friendly showers.
While there is insight on the part of the FAI into the fact that Irish women’s football teams are not well-equipped, after a period of months despite Newlane’s best efforts, the situation has still not changed.
Moving forward
To solve this issue, Newlane started a petition with the intention of reaching 1000 signatures to provide bathroom facilities for their senior women’s team.
Kavanagh sees her role in bringing awareness to the challenges faced by her team as necessary when it comes to preventing the same fate for the next generation of Irish female footballers.
“I hope we will have access to toilets but overall, I hope this won’t be an issue in the future. I hope my future daughter or son won’t have to fight relentlessly for something so basic and I really hope for more funding towards women’s football. Academy level boys teams have more access and facilities than most senior women’s teams.”
For now, it remains to be seen if things will change but one thing is clear, Newlane are emblematic of a larger problem facing women’s football in Ireland.
