Looking back- Miriam Walsh reflects on the highs and lows in a glittering camogie career with Kilkenny

When Kilkenny supporters think of hurling and camogie, a number of names come to mind. The Careys, the Shefflins, the Larkins and so many more just seamlessly roll off the tongue.

But, when recalling any Kilkenny GAA dynasty, a name that never fails to be uttered time and again, is Walsh.

From Tommy and Padraig producing heroic performances in the senior hurling fold, to sister Grace leaving an immeasurable impact in camogie, the county has been blessed by the hard work, determination and skill of this Tullaroan clan.

Those vital winning attributes are shared between them and not exclusive to just one household as a short distance away, another gem from the small rural parish emerged from the .

Fellow Walsh, Miriam, cousin of Tommy, Padraig and Grace, created her own accomplished camogie path, becoming one of Kilkenny’s most admired and decorated players, whose quiet, pleasant manner off the field was only put aside for the warfare of gameday for club and county.

So, it was with great sadness that last October, Miriam called time on her 13-year intercounty career, bowing out with three All-Ireland medals, three All-Stars and as 2022 PWC Camogie Player of the Year.

But why now?

“It was easy for me to make my decision with my two cruciate injuries but, at the same time, I did reach the pinnacle so I look back on my career now with a big smile,” Walsh admitted.

“I don’t think I appreciated it at all at the time but now is the time to reflect and just be grateful of the journey. Sport is all about the highs and lows, plenty of lows but highs as well,” she added.

The intercounty journey for a young Miriam Walsh began in 2011, with many greats and unfortunate lows featuring on the rollercoaster ride since then.

However, a stepping stone on the road to intercounty acclaim was the sharp-shooter’s successful Ashbourne Cup winning season with WIT, under a management team led by former Kilkenny boss, Ann Downey.

“Ann is a brilliant manager, she got Kilkenny camogie on the map,” said Walsh. “Ann is a winner and that’s something she instills into the players so you’d be grateful to her as she is such an incredible leader and ambassador for camogie.

“What you see is what you get, she is an incredible person and manager.”

On the intercounty front, inarguably, 2022 was Walsh’s finest hour as she claimed ‘Player of the Year’ as the Cats under the stewardship of Brian Dowling secured their second O’Duffy Cup in three years.

“I was in my prime and I was unmarkable to be fair but in saying that when I was called into the Kilkenny camogie team, it didn’t happen overnight, it does take time to build that confidence and thankfully in 2022 I got that confidence in me,” the Tullaroan clubwoman said.

“I remember going up to the All-Ireland that year saying ‘no one will mark me today’ and that’s how driven you have to be, to be the best. 2022 definitely stands out for me as a player.”

But when there’s highs, there’s lows and the county’s three consecutive All-Ireland Final defeats in 2017, 2018 and 2019 proved to be a case of so near but yet so far as the players wondered if they would ever get that sweet taste of All-Ireland glory again.

“They were dark years, losing the All-Ireland by one single point, that was really tough to take but you have to give credit to us as a group, we stuck together during the hard times and then we won two All-Irelands since the losses and that’s what sport is all about, and thankfully we didn’t end on a losing note,” the Tullaroan player noted.

And throughout the ups and downs, a constant during it all was the Tullaroan club who watched on with pride as Miriam and Grace represented their small rural club with levels of passion of Gladiator proportions, a constant support that Miriam still holds very dear.

“I’m from a fantastic club and they’d always back you so it’s a great little and the night in Langton’s for me and Grace, I think the whole of the parish was in at that so it’s great to have that local community.”

Fast-forward the clock to 2025 and Miriam is on cloud nine as she and her partner Noel await the arrival of their first child and two become three. But despite the life-changing addition to their family, Miriam still has camogie front and centre in her mind.

“I’m doing my rehab at the moment and I’m hoping to be back on the pitch for Tullaroan in September. As for underage, and where the baby will play? That is a bit more debatable. I’ll have to have a chat with Noel about that when the baby is born,” she laughed.

“The pressure will definitely be off now, playing club camogie. I’m just going to go and enjoy playing with my club and with girls I grew up with and I can just relax and enjoy getting away for an hour in the evenings,” she said, looking forward to a positive family and camogie outlook in the coming years.

Listen to the full interview on the Kilkenny People Sport Podcast below: