Prominent ladies dual player joins staff of Offaly Sports Partnership

Cloghan native, Mairéad Daly has been appointed as the new Child and Youth Coach with Offaly Sports Partnership marking a new chapter for youth sport development in the county.

A standout figure in Ladies Gaelic games, Daly brings a wealth of experience both on and off the field. She was honoured as Offaly Ladies Footballer of the Decade (2006–2016) and earned spots on the Lidl Division 3 Team of the League in 2013, 2016, 2017, and 2018. A pivotal player in Offaly’s All-Ireland Junior Championship win in 2013, she was named Junior Footballer of the Year that same season. At club level with St Rynagh’s, she captured three senior county football titles.

Daly's playing success also extends to camogie, where she was awarded Offaly Camogie Player of the Year in 2020. She played a leading role in St Rynagh’s back-to-back All-Ireland Intermediate Club Camogie Championships in 2020 and 2021, cementing her reputation as a dual-code athlete of distinction.

Off the pitch, Daly holds a Business degree in Sport and Recreation Management and a Masters in Marketing. These qualifications underpin her strong grasp of programme delivery, strategic planning, and community outreach—critical skills she now brings to her coaching role.

In 2019, Daly broke new ground as Offaly GAA's first-ever Games Promotion Officer appointed directly by a club. In Edenderry she left a lasting legacy by launching a local camogie club, increasing youth participation through school engagement, and founding “GAA For All,” an inclusive programme for children with additional needs.

Speaking about her new role, Daly said: “I’m very excited to step into the role of Child and Youth Coach with Offaly Sports Partnership. I’ve always had a great interest in coaching, and this role allows me to coach several different sports with participation and inclusion at the forefront. Sport has given me so much in life and I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to give back and help the next generation find their passion and place through sport.”

She added: “I’ve been lucky to experience sport as a player, a coach, and a development officer — and I’m excited to bring all of that into this new position. I’m especially passionate about making sport inclusive and enjoyable for every child, regardless of ability or background.”

As Child and Youth Coach, Daly will collaborate all the various initiative of the Sports Partnership which target children, young people and those under-represented in sport. She will champion inclusive sport, promote lifelong participation among young people of all backgrounds and abilities, and build on the Sports Partnership’s committed aim of improving youth fitness.

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The management committee and existing staff of Offaly Sports Partnership have extended a very warm welcome to Mairéad and look forward to the positive impact she will continue to make on youth sport in the county.