HANNAH LOONEY IS forced to field the same questions every year, and every year her answer remains the same: the dual code life is the only one that makes sense to me.
It’s not an easy road to walk, of course. There are plenty of reasons for the Cork GAA star to drop either her football or hurling commitments, and concentrate solely on the other.
But after all the pros and cons are calculated, there’s just no other way for her to live.
That might be a hard truth for others to accept. Work colleagues, or those without a connection to the GAA, sometimes question her choices. But they’re not the ones she has to justify her choices to. The only folks that occupy her mind are the teammates that live on either side of that dual code border.
The pioneers of that life in Cork were her inspiration for walking the same path. Winning All-Ireland medals across Ladies football and camogie gave her the belief that a similar future was possible.
“We’re so fortunate down in Cork to have so many role models. I looked up to Briege [Corkery] and Rena [Buckely] growing up, what they achieved and what they were able to do. I’ve always wanted to replicate that so it’s all I’ve ever known.
“I’m not going to step away from it now. I’m going to keep going as long as I’m enjoying it.”
Looney is carving out her own space in that Cork Mount Rushmore. She enjoyed All-Ireland success with the Cork camogie team last year, scoring one point from play as her side defeated Waterford in the final to become champions for the 29th time.
As part of the celebrations, Looney took the O’Duffy Cup for a spin down the River Lee. It was an homage to a famous landmark in Cork, and the realisation of a promise she made to the group if they ever won the All-Ireland again.
It was her teammate, and Cork camogie goalkeeper Amy Lee, who put the wheels in motion to help Looney realise her ambition once the cup was in their possession.
“If you ever need anything, ask Amy Lee,” Looney begins. “The next thing, it was organised and it was some laugh.
“I get asked more about it than I do about the All-Ireland, which I don’t mind. It goes back to having a bit of craic at training a few years ago in Covid time.
“We’re a very proud people down in Cork. You’d be strolling around the city with the girls thinking that we’re blessed to be from Cork and to have the River Lee.
And I think I just made a comment that if we ever get over the line, that I want someone to row me down the Lee. I still think that was one of the best days of my life.”
The 2024 season signalled the dawning of a new era with Cork camogie following the departure of Matthew Tierney as manager. Ger Manley, who previously served as a team selector, has taken charge.
“Ger’s been around a lot with us for the last few years so it’s been a seamless enough change,” Looney explains.
With the Cork Ladies team however, recent seasons have not been as fruitful. Their last All-Ireland triumph was in 2016 and losing players like Róisín Phelan and O’Sullivan sisters Doireann and Ciara to inter-county retirement removes considerable winning experience from the squad.
Looney knows that it is a long season and there’s still plenty of road left to travel.
“Look, there have been a lot of changes, you can’t deny that.
“It can be hard for a team when you’re not getting the results but I still wouldn’t not put down winning a football All-Ireland in 2024 as my goal. That has to be the goal when you’re from Cork.
“When you’re playing league matches week in week out, you don’t really have time to sit down and really get a grasp of our game plan. Everyone is looking at the bigger picture and still putting one foot in front of the other as much as possible. Backing management, backing the team plan, and backing each other.
“Football is a bit different. Not that it’s not a good camp to be a part of, but we’re not getting the results on the board at the moment which is unusual in a Cork dressing room.
“At the same time, I try not to overthink anything at this time of year because it’s about putting one foot in front of the other for me.”
Winning All-Irelands is a core part of legacy for Ladies football in Cork, but their current downturn won’t discourage Looney from the only way of life that has ever made sense to her.
You might say the easiest thing for me to do would be to drop football at the moment and just focus on camogie but I just can’t. Whatever is in me that drives me, I want to be successful at both.”
