The first women to pull on the Ireland jersey to represent the Women’s National Team in official games were reunited on Friday, May 5th at a special event.

As part of the FAI’s 50-Year Anniversary Celebrations of Women and Girls’ Football, the trailblazing women who first featured for Ireland in 1973 were honoured at The Westin Hotel, Dublin.

Representing eight different counties, the women who helped Ireland defeat Wales 3-2 on May 13th, 1973 and who beat Northern Ireland 4-1 on June 30th, 1973 in Bluebell, Dublin were reunited for the first time in five decades.

At a lunch event, each of the players received a special gift to mark the occasion, which was attended by Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Thomas Byrne, Lord Mayor of Dublin Caroline Conroy, FAI President Gerry McAnaney and FAI CEO Jonathan Hill.

Along with the players, there were also a number of key personnel who helped to create the early foundations of women and girls’ football at both domestic and international level in Ireland present at the event.

The players will be special guests of the current Republic of Ireland WNT at their International Friendly against France on July 6th in Tallaght Stadium – their final home game before heading to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.