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Vote to be held over wearing skorts in camogie

Eve Rosato
BBC News NI
BBC Eimhear Costello, standing on a grass pitch, she has long brown hair and is wearing sunglasses on her head. She has a dark blue and light blue trimmed short-sleeved jersey/t-shirt on with Bourke written on one side, E.C in the middle and the clubs crest on the other side. BBC
Eimhear says girls are "fed up" wearing skorts

A special congress is being held later to vote on whether or not female camogie players will have the option of wearing shorts or skorts.

Players across Ireland have staged protests by turning out for matches in shorts, rather than the regulation skorts, leading to match postponements and delays.

The rules dictate that camogie players must wear a skort, or a divided skirt, for matches, though many players train in shorts.

The Camogie Association, which governs the sport and is made up of both male and female committee members, is holding the meeting at Croke Park on Thursday.

The skort has the appearance of a skirt but has built-in shorts underneath.

Camógs at St John's in west Belfast spoke to BBC News NI during their training this week.

Captain Eimhear Costello, who has been playing camogie for almost 20 years, said players are "just fed up" with skorts.

"It's not comfortable to play in, and they much prefer to wear shorts. Almost all the girls here tonight are wearing shorts.

"It's much more practical, and that's what they feel comfortable playing in."

'Outdated regulation that needs to be updated'

Ms Costello added that if anyone was having their period or were using a period product, it "would be so uncomfortable".

"I don't think it's sexist, I just think it's an outdated regulation that needs to be updated with the times. The change in the style of play is very modern; it's more physical, it's faster," she added.

Ms Costello said that if the game has changed, the "uniform needs to match that," adding that female Gaelic football players can already wear shorts for their matches, and she believes that option could be why women stay in the sport.

Getty Images Two players in navy skorts and black trainers playing camogie on a grass pitch.Getty Images
If the change is adopted where players can choose between skorts and shorts it will come in to effect within days

A recent Gaelic Players Association survey said 70% of players had experienced discomfort while wearing skorts and that 83% of players believed they should have the option to choose.

If the change is adopted, it will come into effect within days.

Camogie is closely linked to the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and alongside the Ladies Gaelic Football Association is due to integrate into the wider GAA in 2027.

It's hoped this will foster equality and more recognition for women's Gaelic sports.

'It's a bit nuts'

Paula McGivern has long wavy brown hair and is standing on a grass pitch. She is wearing a dark green short sleeved jersey with white and yellow trim. The top says o'neills in white and GAA on one side. A yellow club crest is on the other side.
Paula McGivern says the are many issues facing the sport

Paula McGivern is the other team captain of St John's camogie team and said there are many issues facing the sport.

"The fact that we're here today, chatting about a skort or a short, it's a bit nuts."

"You'd like to think things will get better if everything came under one umbrella.

"I think it goes without saying; I don't think girls get many opportunities or even just funding, something as simple as subsidised boots or hurls; we don't even get a pair of socks. There's definitely a gap; it would be nice to see those things addressed."

The skorts issue has caught the attention of many interested in Gaelic sport; the taoiseach has even weighed in, with Micheál Martin saying camogie players "should be allowed to wear shorts".

'Empowering young women in sports'

Una Simpson has long light pink hair, half tied up and is standing on a grass pitch. She is wearing a black, white a red patterned jersey t-shirt. She is also wearing a nose ring hoop.
Una Simpson says there are plenty of barriers to women and girls in sport

Una Simpson is passionate about playing camogie but said she tries to avoid the skort at all opportunities, and she worries for younger players coming up.

"We would have someone taking pictures of matches, and you can see that some of the girls are quite anxious about whether the pictures might be revealing, because that has happened in the past.

"There was actually a joke that they'd censored out pictures in the past, you know, when you're going for the ball.

"I get the tradition, but I feel like we need to step away from the tradition and look at empowering young women in sports and taking away the barriers, because there's plenty of them."

Ms Simpson added that the fact a discussion is happening about skorts over shorts "seems ridiculous".

'Choice' is important

Emma Duffy is standing on a grass pitch as women play football behind her. She has long brown hair and is wearing a dark blue and white trimmed t-shirt.
Emma likes wearing a skort but said having a choice is important

Emma Duffy was the only player on the team who showed up to training in a skort out of choice.

She said: "While I'm comfortable, not everybody on my team might be. So, if they feel that they want to wear shorts I think it should be down to them what they want to do.

"I think it's important to keep girls wanting to play the sport and motivating them to play. The tradition of the sport is staying motivated and being at one with your team."

Ms Duffy said if you feel good in what you wear, you're likely to play better.

The National Museum of Ireland Three images of a camogie dress (front, back and side) on a mannequin. The dress is peachy orange in colour with a black belt and a white polo shirt underneath. The National Museum of Ireland
A camogie dress worn by Maeve Gilroy when she won her second All-Ireland Senior camogie title with Antrim in 1967 is on show at the National Museum of Ireland

Previous attempts to change the current skort rule have failed, but many involved in the sport believe things might be about to change.

Getty Images Three women jog off a pitch in a stadium. They are each wearing a helmet and hold a camogie hurley. They are wearing matching white t shirts that say '#united for equality'. Getty Images
In 2023, the Antrim and Tipperary teams left the pitch at Croke Park together wearing United for Equality t-shirts to highlight and protest at the ongoing disparities between male and female Gaelic games players

In 1903, camogie rules were first introduced for established women.

The rules meant women had to wear skirts no more than six inches above the ground; hemlines have gotten shorter over the years as fashions and culture have changed.