Growing up as the only girl with three younger brothers, Aoife Dalton learned fairly quickly how to hold her own.
The 23-year-old Ireland rugby star might now have an Olympics and a World Cup under her belt, but back home in Offaly, not all that much has changed.at
Her brothers, she laughs, still see her as ‘one of the lads’, but she reassures us that at the end of the day, they are her biggest fans!
Aoife Dalton. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Aoife spoke to EVOKE ahead of this year’s WXV Global Series, where Ireland will take on USA at home here in Tallaght.
‘I have three younger brothers,’ Aoife admitted, saying there are some perks to being the only daughter in the family.
‘I’m spoiled — I’m the only girl, so I can’t really complain! They are [protective] a bit, but they probably see me as one of the lads, to be fair.’
Her eldest brother Marcus is a devoted GAA man and, for a time, that was very much the sporting language of the Dalton household.
Aoife Dalton. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
In fact, Aoife’s dad needed a little convincing when his daughter swapped Gaelic football for rugby. Laughing, she highlighted how this changed rather quickly when her talent led to an Ireland contract.
Looking back, she said, ‘I think when I said I couldn’t play anymore because I was getting a contract, that kind of made up for it,’ she joked.
Now, she says, her dad is a fully-fledged ‘rugby diehard’ who doesn’t miss a game, even if GAA will always hold the number-one spot in his heart.
Ireland Women’s Rugby Captain’s Run. Pic: INPHO/Ben Brady
The whole family has been swept up in Aoife’s rugby journey. Her brothers know her Irish teammates and immerse themselves fully in her match days. Her dad has found his own community among the other players’ parents, with the away trips to watch their matches.
And while pulling on an Ireland jersey may still feel surreal to Aoife, she knows exactly who will be watching when Ireland face the USA on Sunday.
Dad might just be the most nervous of them all.