IN A groundbreaking moment for local sports, Barbara O’Brien has become the first female president of her rugby club, Bruff RFC.
Challenging decades of male-dominated leadership, O’Brien’s journey is more than just a personal achievement – it’s a powerful statement about women’s evolving role in sports.
With a background in business development and a passion for community engagement, the Limerick native is bringing a fresh perspective to a traditionally male-only environment, specifically to Bruff RFC, which has always had a male club president in its 55-year history.
“It’s not just about rugby,” O’Brien explains, “it’s about creating opportunities for everyone, especially young girls, my focus is on expanding the club, but also on making sure girls are engaged and celebrated.”
Her vision extends beyond the rugby pitch, advocating for a unified sports approach where different disciplines support each other, breaking down barriers that have long divided community sports.
Bruff was traditionally a hurling parish, but rugby thrived when Munster began winning European Cups, and it has a battle on its hands again to keep up with the GAA, following Limerick’s recent resurgence on the hurling field.
“Every sport should be under one roof,” she argues, highlighting the potential for cross-pollination of skills and resources.
The importance of women’s participation in sports cannot be overstated, and, for O’Brien, a mother, a businesswoman, and now a trailblazing rugby club president, the oval-ball game offers more than just physical activity – it’s a platform for developing crucial life skills.
“It builds resilience, communication, and emotional intelligence,” she says. “In rugby, there’s a place for everyone, regardless of shape or size.”
O’Brien’s appointment, championed by her predecessor Michéal Leahy, comes at a critical time when women’s sports are gaining unprecedented visibility and respect.
The Irish women’s rugby team, soccer squad, and female GAA teams, are gaining on their male counterparts. Across the divide, Sligo-born sports psychologist, Caroline Currid, is regarded as having been a key cog in Limerick senior hurling’s five All-Ireland wins during the past seven years, including the Shannonsiders historic four-in-a-row of 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
O’Brien praises Leahy for laying the foundation for change at Bruff, through a robust youth program which is already boasting significant female participation – the club have girls and women playing and competing from underage to senior ranks every week.
She offers: “It is historic, absolutely yes, to be one of the few female presidents of a senior rugby AIL club – it’s an honour and a real privilege, because there has always been a male president at the club since its beginning in 1970.”
The Cratloe, County Clare, native describes herself as “Limerick through and through”, with her father Michael Allen, from Thomondgate, “who played for Old Crescent in the 1940s and my uncle is Denis Allen (who penned Limerick’s own national anthem ‘Limerick, You’re A Lady’), and my mother from North Circular Road.”
Back to rugby, O’Brien is quick to mention Bruff club secretary Niamh Maher, and club PRO Anna Leonard, and former Ireland and Munster player and provincial head coach, Fiona Steed, as her right-hand women, who, in their “important” executive committee and coaching roles, will help steer the ship onto new horizons.
O’Brien’s place in history is secure, she is one of at least three other women, including Ann Henegan, Debbie Carty, and Deirdre Burke, who all each made history in their own right in 2020, 2022, and 2024, respectively, by becoming the first female presidents of Connaught Rugby, Leinster Rugby and Ballinrobe RFC, marking significant milestones in Irish provincial rugby.
As Barbara O’Brien prepares to take the helm at Bruff, her message is clear: sports are about community, empowerment, and breaking down barriers.
