Irish families wake up at all hours to watch AFLW and host viewing parties
Irish families are increasingly waking up in the middle of the night to watch their relatives compete in the Australian Football League Women's (AFLW) competition. The trend highlights the growing international reach of the sport and the strong support network for Irish athletes abroad.
Why it matters
It illustrates the globalization of niche sports and the cultural impact of international athlete migration on domestic fan bases.
Giants AFLW and Ireland players Eilish O'Dowd and Grace Kos. ( Getty: Mark Kolbe/AFL Photos )
Link copied Share Share article In the middle of the night in a house in Ballinamore, in the North West of Ireland, Sharon O'Dowd wakes up to put on an Australian broadcast.
Two years ago, her young sister Eilish, who she helped raise with 12 years between them, moved from County Leitrim to Sydney to play AFLW for GWS.
Sharon and Eilish ODowd at a Gaelic game. ( Supplied: Sharon O'Dowd )
When one of two of Eilish's matches haven't been available to stream across the ocean, the mother of two — her kids three and six — has put the commentary on and sat and listened instead while the rest of her house sleeps.
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