Six daughters and six University of Limerick degrees for sporting family
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Former Limerick Ladies football star Niamh McCarthy is one of six daughters to graduate from UL
Former LGFA star Niamh McCarthy is the eldest of seven children, six of those being girls, who all graduated from UL from 2017 to 2026.
The accomplished footballer married Limerick hurling star Gearóid Hegarty in August of this year in the sunny Algarve.
Originally from Dromcollogher, she captained the Limerick Ladies Football team in 2020 and 2021, while simultaneously playing for her local club Dromcollogher-Broadford.
Niamh was the first in her family to graduate from UL in 2017 with a Bachelor of Education in biological sciences with chemistry and now is a science, chemistry and biology teacher.
The second eldest sister Aisling graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in new media and English in 2018.
Then in 2020 came Ciara, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in general nursing. She is now working as a nurse in University Hospital Limerick.
Meadbh, following in her eldest sister’s footsteps, graduated in 2022 with a Bachelor of Education in biological sciences with chemistry.
Meadbh also played football with Limerick alongside Niamh.
Caoimhe and Saoirse both graduated in 2026, Caoimhe graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in humanities and social science.
While Saoirse is the third sister to graduate with a Bachelor of Education in biological sciences with chemistry.
The youngest and only son of the family, Muiris McCarthy, is currently in Transition Year. His ambition is to follow his sisters to UL, to study Engineering. He also hopes to play either football or hurling with the university.
Outside of their studies, all the girls play with their local LGFA football teams.
They all enjoy travelling and going to the gym.
All of the McCarthy children attended Dromcollogher National School and Hazelwood College Dromcollogher for secondary school.
Their parents Moss McCarthy and Siobhán Reidy McCarthy, are grateful to both schools for helping to “mould and shape” their daughters and for “giving them the foundations that have helped make them the wonderful women they are today.”
The girls definitely inherited their sporting talents from their parents, as Moss and Siobhán McCarthy have coached ladies’ football for over 20 years. Síobhán co-founded the Dromcollogher- Broadford Ladies football club in 1999.
Six daughters, six degrees and one family with a special connection to the University of Limerick.