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Michelle O’Neill
On July 20th, 1978, in Enniscorthy, Ireland, an outstanding human being was born. This person would grow up in a small village called Bree and then get introduced to the game of soccer which would ultimately change their life. This person’s name is Michelle O’Neill, and she has broken barriers in the game of soccer, the world of refereeing, and Irish politics. From being the first woman to referee a major soccer match to running for Mayor in Wexford Town, Ireland, Michelle has been opening doors for many throughout the past couple of years.
As mentioned before, Michelle was born in Enniscorthy, Ireland but she spent the majority of her childhood in rural Ireland in a small village called Bree. While living in Bree, Michelle was introduced to a multitude of sports including Irish dancing, rugby, hurling, and soccer. The game of soccer caught Michelle’s eye at a young age, and she became fascinated with all forms of the game and found her love for the sport by refereeing. Before Michelle became fully invested in the world of soccer, she grew up in the middle of a large Irish family with three brothers and two sisters. She says that she remembers having “a half-acre of land” where her family grew “fruits and vegetables.” Growing up in rural Ireland, Michelle was exposed to the beautiful countryside of Ireland and their obsession with sports in rural Ireland inspired Michelle to pursue a degree in Sports Education. Michelle received her degree from Southeastern Technical College in Waterford, Ireland where she was a commuter student.
In addition, Michelle states that the LGBTQ+ community has been making strides in Ireland “since the “yes” vote.” People like Michelle who are members of the LGBTQ+ community are making Ireland more acceptable by getting involved in politics and allowing the community to have a platform to speak on. While speaking about the acceptance of the LGBTQ+, Michelle also touched on the topic of how inclusivity is everywhere in Ireland. Michelle told a story of the most recent St. Patrick’s Day parade and how there was a “silent street.” The whole parade would go silent on a particular street and this street was meant for the neurodiverse community and members who may be sensitive to sound. This story by Michelle just shows how fast Ireland has become an inclusive country in just the past 50 years. When asked about her main goal of her time in politics, Michelle states she wants to “change the face of politics and make it more reachable for all.” She also wants to remind all politicians that “we are the voice of the people” and the whole message of her campaign is to make “sure everybody has a voice.” Michelle is a prime example of a woman who is breaking glass ceilings everywhere and opening doors for the women behind her.