KERRY HAS BEEN on Paris McCarthy’s mind this week.
It’s understandable that her thoughts would amble towards home at this time. Something major, potentially historic, is happening in Ireland concerning her home county. She could have been involved, possibly playing an important role too, but instead, she is miles away. On the other side of the world. A supporter rather than a player.
She’s happy with her choices though. Being in Ireland right now for Kerry’s third All-Ireland final appearance in-a-row would mean she would have had to decline opportunities to explore new paths. McCarthy did play in the first of those All-Ireland finals, scoring a point from corner-forward as Meath overcame the Kingdom to become back-to-back champions.
Last year, she was in Australia preparing for her debut season in the AFLW with Sydney Swans. And that remains her main address. McCarthy has been on the road for the past few years, and while she does hope to resume playing for Kerry at some point, she has business abroad for now.
With her second AFLW season looming, there isn’t even time to get home to support her home county.
“In the back of your mind, you’re always going to have that,” she says when asked if the she has thought about what she is missing out on at home this week.
“But you sacrifice stuff and you can’t be in both places. I’ll relish what I have here and I’m focusing on my All-Ireland final here which is the Grand Final. Our goal is to get there.”
At just 20, McCarthy knows that she can hit the reboot button on her ladies football career again in the future. She was 19 when she first left these shores to pursue a basketball scholarship at a Division 1 College in Tennessee University with a view of one day breaking through to the WNBA.
It didn’t work out, however. McCarthy’s coach was dismissed from the position ahead of her arrival and the replacement never warmed to the Kerry prodigy coming in. The time differences with her friends and family at home resulted in a bout of homesickness. There were cultural clashes too that didn’t help with the adjustment.
“My university wasn’t in the middle of like an amazing spot. It was literally an industrial city. So, there was nothing around it. It was very, like, Texas vibes. You know when you see those tumbleweeds? It was very quiet and isolated. I think I just preferred Ireland at that stage and it was just tough.”
The original plan was to play basketball throughout her academic year and return to Ireland for summer football in Kerry. That arrangement worked for her first year in Tennessee, allowing her to clinch a league title with Kerry as well as playing in the 2022 All-Ireland final. But within a year, a new road unfolded before her.
We've signed three promising Irish talents in Paris McCarthy, Jennifer Higgins, and Julie O'Sullivan ☘️
— Sydney Swans AFLW (@SydneySwansAFLW) March 15, 2023
📝 READ MORE: https://t.co/k6iOTeLKmR
This news was brought to you by @ELMO_Software, the club's official list and recruiting partner. pic.twitter.com/htc4AZGZc0
Mike Currane, a talent ID and skills coach with AFLW Ireland, was the first to suggest a switch in sports to her in early 2022. She put his recommendation to one side, preferring to focus on basketball at the time. But the more she thought about it, the more she felt drawn to it.
“I decided that this was a message coming out of nowhere at the right time. The more I spoke to the Swans, the more I wanted to go there.”
By March, McCarthy was one of three signings for the Swans. Her Kerry teammate — and Castleisland Desmonds clubmate — Julie O’Sullivan was also snapped up. Roscommon veteran Jenny Higgins completed the trio, although she suffered an ACL injury ahead of her competitive debut and is now on the comeback trail.
McCarthy had a good feeling about the move from the beginning. The rich contingent of Irish people at the club gave her a familiar feeling coming in. Tipperary’s Colin O’Riordan is part of the coaching set-up after retiring as a Swans player in 2022. Their S&C coach, Stephen Kelly, is from Dublin.
The Sydney environment reminded her of playing for Kerry in ways too. They facilitated her in the same way that Declan Long and Declan Quill work for the Kerry team.
“Coming from Tennesse to here [Sydney], it was like Declan and Darragh. They were so welcoming. It just made me feel like this was a good opportunity and I decided to take it. I knew that it meant I wouldn’t be able to play Gaelic for a while, which is tough. I think about it a lot. But I just think the fact that I am very young, I can go back to it. I just have to take these opportunities now to see how they go, and go from there.”
Season One was about learning the skills of the sport, and understanding how to kick the oval Sherrin after years of punting the O’Neill’s ball. She made her debut in Round 3 against Brisbane, picked up a slight knee injury which sidelined her for one game, and returned to face Gold Coast Suns in the Elimination Final.
Season Two is about furthering her skillset and establishing herself in the team. Their campaign begins at the end of August, meaning a quick trip home to take in Kerry versus Galway in the All-Ireland final simply wouldn’t be possible.
“I knew that it was either in for all or in for nothing,” McCarthy explains.
Watching Kerry play this weekend is certainly the focus for McCarthy, but she has been keeping a keen eye on the Olympics too. Competing at a Games is a major ambition of hers, potentially through the Rugby Sevens event. She played rugby briefly when she was younger after getting some encouragement from another Kerry Ladies player who was proficient in the Sevens game.
“It started when I first played against Louise Galvin. I think it was a county final between St Senan’s and Castleisland. She was coming back for the game and I knew who she was because of the Sevens.
“We were marking each other during the game and she said to me, ‘You’re strong. Have you thought about playing rugby?’ So I’ve always been interested in it. I’d have to get recruited by them to play but you never know in the future.”
Like many other athletes who had an aptitude for multiple sports, McCarthy was forced to quit rugby as she had too many activities on the go. But the Sevens project at an Olympics is still something she wants to pursue. Meath double All-Ireland winner Vikki Wall is living proof that the pathway is there for others to try.
“Vikki is an insane athlete. Maybe she wasn’t picked for the team right now but I think next time, she definitely will be. She has the power and strength so it would be exciting to see her get picked for that. So, there is a pathway.”
McCarthy and O’Sullivan are housemates in Sydney. They will watch the All-Ireland final together this Sunday. Galway have a former player on the AFLW circuit too in the form of Áine McDonagh. She was part of the team who contested the 2019 All-Ireland final before joining the Hawks in 2022.
McCarthy has sent around some good luck wishes to her former Kerry teammates this week in preparation for the game. No regrets though. She’s hoping only for a win from afar.
“You can’t be sad about missing it. You just have to be happy for them. They’ve worked so hard for it.
“I was talking to Declan during the week, which was nice. I saw Declan and Darragh when I was home at Christmas too, and some of the girls. They were just so welcoming and I’m really excited for them.”
“We’ll put on the VPN and try to change it back to Ireland.”
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