LGFA, GAA integration can’t be left on back burner - Niamh McLaughlin

Donegal captain Niamh McLaughlin says integration between the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, the GAA and Camogie Association ‘will have to be followed through now’.

The Moville woman’s comments come in the wake of a historic vote at the LGFA Congress on Friday night in Belfast.

Delegates at the Europa Hotel voted 67-8 in favour of uniting the three bodies. This vote followed the passing of a motion by the GPA on integration which was passed at GAA Congress the previous week.

The motion to the LGFA Congress, tabled by Galway, sees a commitment to ‘unite with the GAA with the aim of becoming a partnership of equals’.

“It’s all well and good saying things in meetings, but this can’t be put on the back burner now,” McLaughlin told Donegal Live.

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“There was always mentions of integration, but it seemed so far off. There was probably a bit of frustration with an ongoing lack of formal progress, but it’s out there now for all to see.

“It’s something now that is committed to in public. It will have to be followed through now. The men’s congress passed a motion the week before so now there’s real momentum behind it.

“The biggest thing for us was just getting it on the road. A motion like this signifies that integration is being prioritised. People are louder with it now.”

McLaughlin was one of 31 captains who last week wrote a letter to the County Board and the LGFA hierarchy urging them to support the motion.

McLaughlin said: “All the captains got together on a Zoom call to get something collective, just to make it louder from a player point of view. When it comes from the players, it makes the call louder as it’s coming from the people on the ground.

“There is a lot of work behind the players with the GPA and our two county boards in Donegal came out in support of it.

“We need to make sure to get the right people in the room now for a proper, open-minded process related to all matters of integration.”

McLaughlin was an All-Ireland Intermediate winner with Donegal in 2010 under the management of Micheál Naughton, who is now the LGFA President.

She has been the Donegal captain since the start of the 2021 season and has seen some big changes over the last decade and a bit.

“Probably one of the biggest things we are looking for is that we don’t have to compromise,” McLaughlin said.

“We sometimes get shifted around to suit the men. We’ve seen and heard of All-Ireland finals having to be pushed back.

“On the ground level, pitches have been a big issue. We’re very lucky on that in Donegal. We have access and we are well looked after here at senior level, but it’s not the case in every county.

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“When Micheál was in with us in 2010, he brought things up a level and it was a big transition.

“Dad (Davy McLaughlin) came in around 2015 and he took it a level as well. We just asked to be treated like the men in terms of what was demanded of us and we bought into that.

“Maxi (Curran) is managing us now and he has experience from the men’s side so he’ll have seen the difference. We’re very lucky here in Donegal that we have good supports with food after training, mileage, expenses. We don’t get them every week, but it’s a lot better than when girls used to be out of pocket.”