Sue Ramsbottom (born 11 July 1973) is an Irish ladies' Gaelic football and rugby union player.[2][3][4][5]

Sue Ramsbottom
Personal information
Irish name Sosaidh Ramsbottom
Sport Ladies' Football
Position full forward, left corner forward, centre forward
Born 11 July 1973 (1973-07-11) (age 51)
Ireland
Occupation soldier
Club(s)
Years Club
The Heath
Timahoe
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
1988–2003[1]
Laois
Inter-county titles
All-Irelands 1
All Stars 7

Early life

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Ramsbottom attended Timahoe National School and played Gaelic football on the boys' team. She attended the Brigidine secondary school in Mountrath.[6]

Sporting career

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Ladies' football

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Sue Ramsbottom began playing ladies' football with The Heath, scoring in an all-Ireland club final at the age of 12.[7] She was later part of the founding of a ladies' team in Timahoe.[8] She won several Laois Ladies' Senior Football Club Championship with both clubs. Her early heroes were Colm O'Rourke and Barney Rock.[9]

Ramsbottom lost six All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship finals with Laois before finally winning in 2001. She also won seven Ladies' Gaelic Football All Stars Awards, in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1997.

In a 2020 ranking by the Irish Independent, Ramsbottom was named as the fourth-greatest player of all time.[7] Jenny Grennan named her among her best opponents, saying she was "powerful and seriously strong on the ball. Protected the ball really well and very difficult to dispossess."[10]

In 2022 she was featured in a Laochra Gael episode, the first Laois player in any sport to be so honoured.[11]

Rugby

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Ramsbottom also played rugby union, appearing for Galwegians and winning three caps for Ireland. She was in the Irish squad for the 1998 Women's Rugby World Cup.[12]

Personal life

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Ramsbottom is an officer in the Irish Army, currently holding the rank of commandant.[8][13] She has served as aide-de-camp to President of Ireland Mary McAleese and has taught at the Defence Forces Training Centre.[14][15] She has two daughters.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "Mayo get 11 Ladies All Star nominations". Irish Examiner. 22 October 2003.
  2. ^ Miller, Steven (19 November 2020). "Laois ladies football legend Sue Ramsbottom features in brilliant TG4 video as she recalls 2001 All Ireland success, fallen friends and the love of the game".
  3. ^ "Sue Ramsbottom". The Irish Times.
  4. ^ Scally, John (14 October 2021). 100 Great GAA Teams. Black & White Publishing Ltd. ISBN 9781785303722 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Corrigan, Eoghan (16 October 2009). The History of Gaelic Football: The Definitive History of Gaelic Football from 1873. Gill & Macmillan Ltd. ISBN 9780717163694 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ Miller, Steven (17 May 2020). "Sporting Memories: Sue Ramsbottom on All Ireland glory after all the heartache, early days with The Heath and playing rugby for Ireland".
  7. ^ a b Reporter, LaoisToday (17 August 2020). "Three Laois players feature in the Irish Independent's top 50 ladies footballers of all time".
  8. ^ a b "Laois ladies football legend Sue Ramsbottom features in brilliant TG4 video as she recalls 2001 All Ireland success, fallen friends and the love of the game". 14 November 2020.[self-published]
  9. ^ O'Duffy, Martin (14 August 2017). A 'A Bit Of A Shemozzle': GAA Quips & Quotes. The O'Brien Press Ltd. ISBN 9781847179838 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ Gunn, Louise (20 April 2020). "Monaghan's Jenny Greenan picks her top Ladies Football 15". The Irish News.
  11. ^ "New Series Of Laochra Gael To Feature Legendary Laois Footballer". Midlands 103.
  12. ^ "Archived copy". www.worldrugby.org. Archived from the original on 13 September 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ^ "S2EP5 - Gaelic Games and the Defence Forces". www.military.ie.
  14. ^ Mánais, Ray Mac (14 January 2004). The Road from Ardoyne: The Making of a President. Brandon. ISBN 9780863223334 – via Google Books.
  15. ^ Eglish, Jim O’Sullivan and Eoin (6 March 2004). "Mourners bid farewell to a rare footballing talent". Irish Examiner.
  16. ^ Browne, P. J. "Cracking New Laochra Gael Season Coming To TG4". Balls.ie.