Brenda McAnespie (born February 1966) is an Irish sportswoman.[1][2] She played ladies' Gaelic football with her local club, Monaghan Harps, with Emyvale, and with the Monaghan county team.[3]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Breannait Mhic an Easpaig | ||
| Sport | Ladies' Football | ||
| Position | back, goalkeeper | ||
| Born |
February 1966 (age 58) Monaghan, Ireland | ||
| Occupation | FÁS employee, county councillor | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | ||
1991–2006 | Monaghan | ||
| Inter-county titles | |||
| All-Irelands | 2 | ||
| All Stars | 3 | ||
Brenda McAnespie | |
|---|---|
| Monaghan County Councillor | |
| In office 11 June 1999 – 5 June 2009 | |
| Constituency | Monaghan LEA |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Sinn Féin |
| Spouse | Vincent McAnespie |
| Children | 7 |
Early life
editBrenda grew up in Scotstown, County Monaghan. She attended Urbleshanny National School and played Gaelic football on the boys' team at a time when ladies' Gaelic football was not widely played. At 13 or 14 this was no longer allowed and she switched to indoor soccer, playing as a goalkeeper.
She married Vincent McAnespie in 1989.[4]
Sporting career
editIn 1991 ladies' football began in Monaghan and McAnespie was involved from the beginning. They won the 1992 All-Ireland Junior Ladies' Football Championship, and went on to dominate the senior competition in the 1990s. McAnespie played in six All-Ireland senior finals, winning in 1996 and 1997.[5] She won three All Stars, in 1996, 1997 and 1999.
McAnespie retired from county football in 2006.[5]
In 2008, she was on an Emyvale team that won the All-Ireland Ladies Intermediate Club Football Championship, along with her daughters Ciara and Aoife.[6]
McAnespie was named by the Irish Independent on a list of "The 10 greatest women GAA [sic] players of all time" in 2015.[7] She was the subject of a 2020 Laochra Gael episode.[8][9]
Personal and political life
editMcAnespie has seven children.[10] Her son Ryan has played for Monaghan men's team.[11]
She was elected to Monaghan County Council for Sinn Féin in 1999 and again in 2004.[12]
Her husband, Vincent McAnespie, is also a longtime Sinn Féin activist. He was accused of involvement in the attempted murder of an Ulster Defence Regiment member in 1981; he was tried in 2010 and acquitted.[13] His brother Aidan was killed by a British Army sniper in Aughnacloy, County Tyrone in 1988.[14]
References
edit- ^ "DueDil".
- ^ "Magical display from Monaghan". independent.
- ^ "McAnespie eyes HQ retirement". independent.
- ^ Hannigan, Mary. "The big prize beckons for a pioneer". The Irish Times.
- ^ a b Hannigan, Mary. "Twin-win situation as McAnespies team up for club and county". The Irish Times.
- ^ "Emotional year ends with All-Ireland success - HoganStand". www.hoganstand.com.
- ^ "The 10 greatest women GAA players of all time". independent.
- ^ "'Beyond Borders' - Date confirmed for Laochra Gael featuring Monaghan legend McAnespie". 18 February 2020.
- ^ "General". www.emyvale.net.
- ^ "Ladies Gaelic Football Ulster Schools All Stars 2010". 28 May 2010.
- ^ Watters, Andy (7 August 2018). "Tyrone home but a Monaghan heart for Emyvale native Ryan McAnespie". The Irish News.
- ^ "ElectionsIreland.org: Brenda McAnespie". electionsireland.org.
- ^ "Man denies hiding murder bid guns". BBC News. 8 November 2010.
- ^ "Charging of McAnespie and McGeough is scandalous – Ó Caoláin". www.sinnfein.ie.
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