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Tipperary camogie star Eimear McGrath, who juggled studies with success on the pitch, says she made ‘friends for life’ at 51��ɫ despite county rivalries.

The Loughmore, County Tipperary native graduated this Wednesday with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Irish, one of over 3,600 students graduating as part of UL’s Autumn Conferring ceremonies this week.

A National Camogie League winner with her county this year, the Drom-Inch club woman was the top scorer across Tipperary’s league campaign.

A Sports Scholar, Eimear was also an Ashbourne Cup winner at UL this year, following in her sister’s footsteps.

“This year, we were lucky enough to win the Ashbourne Cup, which was really special, especially since my sister won three out of four years when she was here. To finally get one was a big thing for me,” Eimear explained.

While her time at UL was marked by both academic and athletic achievements, it was the friendships she made that left a lasting impression.

“You’re playing with some of the top players from other counties who you’d probably never encounter otherwise. You make friends for life from it. That’s the unique part of sporting life in college,” Eimear explained.

“Tipperary played Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final this year, and at one stage, I was marking Áine Keane, who I have gotten to know very well now in UL. It’s funny because you beat lumps out of each other during the match, and then afterwards you are still friends.”

Eimear said she chose to study at UL because she was already familiar with the university and its strong focus on sports.

“I always had UL in my head as it’s relatively close to home. Two of my siblings had gone to UL before me, and my sister Aoife played with the Ashbourne camogie team, so I was fairly familiar with the campus and how impressive the sports side was. Teaching PE and Irish in secondary school is what I wanted to do, so UL was the perfect fit.

“Sport has always been a big part of my life. I often get a slagging that I’m not up to much else outside of sport, but for me, PE was a lovely opportunity to build something I enjoy into my daily working life.”

Growing up, Eimear honed her camogie skills by playing with Drom and Inch, just down the road from her home parish, explaining that “camogie is a big part of my life, it’s who we are”.

She says her family’s deep connection to the GAA shaped her journey.

“I’ve played with Tipperary panels over the years, from development squads to the senior panel. It’s a big thing in my family, we’re GAA people. My cousins, Noel McGrath and John McGrath, are well-known Tipperary hurlers. I grew up watching them play in Croke Park at the All-Ireland finals.”

Eimear’s dedication to her sport was recognised with a sports scholarship at UL, an experience she describes as hugely positive.

“To be selected is a huge honour and achievement, especially when you see the likes of people who come out of UL and head off to compete at the Olympics. Being in the same category as some of them is a big honour.

“Any kind of help or bonuses you can get to improve your sports performance is great, but the sports scholarship programme at UL is fantastic for anyone lucky enough to be selected,” she added.

Balancing the demands of sport and academics was sometimes challenging, but Eimear managed it with support along the way.

“It can be hectic balancing sport and study. But I was very lucky, especially this year, with the support from my Tipperary manager, Denis Kelly. He was very accommodating, which made it easier to focus on one thing at a time.”

Eimear credits her love for her sport as a key ingredient in her success.

“If you can’t enjoy playing at an elite level, there just wouldn't really be any point. For me, it’s about enjoyment. If I don’t enjoy doing something, I’m not going to give it my all. Sport gives you that balance to achieve as well as you do in academics.”

Stepping into her teaching career at her former secondary school in Thurles this autumn, Eimear brings with her a wealth of experiences and lessons learned during her time at UL.

“I’ve learned an awful lot. I’ve learned a lot about myself and about teaching along the way. Hopefully, some of the lessons I’ve learned will stand to me in my career in teaching, in my sport, and in life in general.”