“I started to bring my camera to matches our son was playing in and soon discovered my love of photography was with sports photography, over the years I have started to attend as many of our club matches as possible in hurling, football, Camogie and Ladies Football.”
Wanda is the Public Relations Officer (PRO) for Mungret St Pauls GAA club.
“I married a Birr, Co. Offaly man who was very much into GAA while I never played, through being brought to matches I fell in love with the game, when our son became old enough I brought him to the local club.
“When our oldest (turning 23 in May) started hurling training at 5 years old I noticed the coach was trying to set up the training session and take €2 from the parents for the rental of the pitch so I offered to help collect the money the next week and that progressed to picking up the cones then the drills were finished.
“I moved to Limerick from Moneygall, Co. Offaly for a job with a photographer so I started to bring my camera to matches our son was playing in and soon discovered my love of photography was with sports photography, over the years I have started to attend as many of our club matches as possible in hurling, football, Camogie and Ladies Football.
“My main job is to publish the weekly club newsletter, this is available on our club website every Wednesday morning. I write up the reports on the boys and men’s hurling and football matches while our Camogie and Ladies Football PROs send in their reports. Mungret St. Pauls are a one club model one of the first in Ireland. It was decided four years ago that the best way to get important information to our club members would be through a club phone which I look after, it works out to be a great point of contact for people to ring. I send out the match fixtures through whats app to club members. This club phone came in very useful during lockdown as the club phone was the point of contact for club covid volunteers.
“My favourite part of volunteering is meeting all the great people, majority of my friends are members of the club. One of my best friends is the wife of the first coach I helped out. I have really enjoyed watching the players grow and develop their skills through the years, I feel as if I am a mother to a lot of the players.
I get great joy in taking photos at matches and then when I get home downloading the photos and looking back on the match again.“
This National Volunteering Week, we’re celebrating the diversity of volunteers who make Ireland what it is. No matter your age, race, abilities, or status, we honor your place in the community and the volunteering that you, uniquely, do.
Thank you to Wanda for sharing her story. Please email [email protected] if you’d like to share yours!
