GAA PUNDIT URSULA Jacob says she was “adamant” she was going to step away from her role on The Sunday Game after being the target of online abuse.
The four-time All-Ireland winner says she considered quitting the show in 2022 due to the personal nature of the comments, but is grateful that she didn’t follow through with that plan and instead opted to publish a statement condemning the vitriolic remarks.
“I was adamant [that] I was ringing RTÉ the next day and thankfully, I didn’t go through with that,” she explained ahead of her upcoming Laochra Gael episode, which airs on TG4 tonight at 9.30pm.
“But I probably would have spoken to two or three people involved in RTÉ Sport once I put the statement out. I think they didn’t realise until they saw the statement that I was probably being impacted so much by the negativity. I probably hadn’t voiced my opinion.
“They kind of gave me the reassurance that they weren’t having me there just to make up the numbers. They were fully supportive of and recognizing my role as part of the RTÉ Sport team.”
Advertisement
Jacob adds that the comments focused on her appearance rather than her hurling insight which added to the hurt and frustration she endured at the time.
“All the comments relating to me were quite personal. They weren’t ever commenting on my knowledge or expertise. It was always about my voice, my appearance, my looks, my eyebrows, my clothes, my hair. It was all very personal. And that’s what I had a problem with.
“I never have a problem if someone disagrees with my opinion. I’m open to that. It would be very boring if we were all saying the exact same thing and we all agreed. So I think that was the big message that I was trying to get out there, really.”
Jacob reveals on her Laochra Gael episode that she was also six months pregnant at the time, and was waiting for a scan at the hospital when she published her statement. She says she felt “inspired” to make a public comment that day as she wanted to regain some control over the situation. She also wanted to ease the concerns of her family, and set an example for her baby Brídín, who is now three.
“I don’t know what came over me that day in the hospital. I got nearly inspired that I was nearly saying to myself, “Well I want my children to stand up for themselves in the future and it was nearly like I was using that as a motivation to say, ‘I want to do them proud.’ I have no regrets about doing it.
“I don’t consider myself a victim. I just feel kind of empowered from doing it and standing up for myself and as some of the other female commentators have said to me, ‘You were kind of speaking for yourself, but also for the rest of women as well.” The guys on the panel are exceptional. They’re so, so supportive and they treat me just as they do with any of the lads. But sometimes a woman only truly understands what another woman is feeling. And that’s important for us to kind of support each other, too.
“It’s just frightening that some people think that it’s acceptable and okay to write that kind of stuff about people. There definitely needs to be greater governance to it.”
A combination of injuries and retirements have contributed to Wexford’s difficult start and back-to-back defeats in Division 1A of the National Hurling League, and Jacob says the loss of veterans like Diarmuid O’Keeffe, Liam Óg McGovern and Matthew O’Hanlon cannot be overstated.
“They’ve been stalwarts for Wexford hurling over the last 10+ years. And when you lose leaders and experienced players like that in a setup, it can have a knock-on effect. It forces maybe some of the younger guys to step up and become leaders maybe in a quicker format.
“I’d be hoping that they will get some of the injured guys back, the likes of Lee [Chin] will be returning hopefully in the next couple of weeks, and Liam Ryan.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
'It was all very personal' - GAA pundit Jacob considered quitting Sunday Game due to abuse
GAA PUNDIT URSULA Jacob says she was “adamant” she was going to step away from her role on The Sunday Game after being the target of online abuse.
The four-time All-Ireland winner says she considered quitting the show in 2022 due to the personal nature of the comments, but is grateful that she didn’t follow through with that plan and instead opted to publish a statement condemning the vitriolic remarks.
“I was adamant [that] I was ringing RTÉ the next day and thankfully, I didn’t go through with that,” she explained ahead of her upcoming Laochra Gael episode, which airs on TG4 tonight at 9.30pm.
“But I probably would have spoken to two or three people involved in RTÉ Sport once I put the statement out. I think they didn’t realise until they saw the statement that I was probably being impacted so much by the negativity. I probably hadn’t voiced my opinion.
“They kind of gave me the reassurance that they weren’t having me there just to make up the numbers. They were fully supportive of and recognizing my role as part of the RTÉ Sport team.”
Jacob adds that the comments focused on her appearance rather than her hurling insight which added to the hurt and frustration she endured at the time.
“All the comments relating to me were quite personal. They weren’t ever commenting on my knowledge or expertise. It was always about my voice, my appearance, my looks, my eyebrows, my clothes, my hair. It was all very personal. And that’s what I had a problem with.
“I never have a problem if someone disagrees with my opinion. I’m open to that. It would be very boring if we were all saying the exact same thing and we all agreed. So I think that was the big message that I was trying to get out there, really.”
Jacob reveals on her Laochra Gael episode that she was also six months pregnant at the time, and was waiting for a scan at the hospital when she published her statement. She says she felt “inspired” to make a public comment that day as she wanted to regain some control over the situation. She also wanted to ease the concerns of her family, and set an example for her baby Brídín, who is now three.
“I don’t know what came over me that day in the hospital. I got nearly inspired that I was nearly saying to myself, “Well I want my children to stand up for themselves in the future and it was nearly like I was using that as a motivation to say, ‘I want to do them proud.’ I have no regrets about doing it.
“I don’t consider myself a victim. I just feel kind of empowered from doing it and standing up for myself and as some of the other female commentators have said to me, ‘You were kind of speaking for yourself, but also for the rest of women as well.” The guys on the panel are exceptional. They’re so, so supportive and they treat me just as they do with any of the lads. But sometimes a woman only truly understands what another woman is feeling. And that’s important for us to kind of support each other, too.
“It’s just frightening that some people think that it’s acceptable and okay to write that kind of stuff about people. There definitely needs to be greater governance to it.”
A combination of injuries and retirements have contributed to Wexford’s difficult start and back-to-back defeats in Division 1A of the National Hurling League, and Jacob says the loss of veterans like Diarmuid O’Keeffe, Liam Óg McGovern and Matthew O’Hanlon cannot be overstated.
“They’ve been stalwarts for Wexford hurling over the last 10+ years. And when you lose leaders and experienced players like that in a setup, it can have a knock-on effect. It forces maybe some of the younger guys to step up and become leaders maybe in a quicker format.
“I’d be hoping that they will get some of the injured guys back, the likes of Lee [Chin] will be returning hopefully in the next couple of weeks, and Liam Ryan.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
GAA Hurling Looking Back Sunday Game Ursula Jacob Wexford GAA