This week I sit down with All-Ireland winner and new GWS Giant recruit Éilish O’Dowd.

Éilish’s story is an interesting one as she is the only All-Ireland winner to have transferred to her adopted county of Dublin and won the championship in the same-season!

Following a stellar year last year, she’s swapped the Gaelic football field for the Australian Rules oval and has just begun her journey with the Giants in the AFLW.

Éilish provides us with unprecedented insights into the complexities of adapting to new teammates year after year as she fills us in on her journey.

Éilish discusses the challenges of mastering a new sport and how her Gaelic prowess gives her an edge in some aspects of AFLW.

Having just beaten the Giant’s previous record in the 1.6km time trial, she goes into depth on why she enjoys the aspects of the game that allow her to run in open field.

Her anecdotes paint a vivid picture how she aims to grasp the sport's intricacies and the parallels between the elite athleticism demanded in both AFLW and Gaelic football. 

Advice from fellow Irish players who've navigated this path into Aussie rules has had a profound impact on Éilish. With the standout message being the journey is as much about patience and joy as it is about skill and strategy.

Transitioning isn't just about learning the sports tactics; it's a full-on emotional rollercoaster. 

Uprooting from Dublin to Sydney is no easy decision and Éilish goes into detail on the many variables that she had to consider before taking her next step.

We also touch on her beginnings in Leitrim, her love of her home county and her initial concerns with transferring club from Ballinamore to Na Fianna. Her candid insights into the realities of burnout in sport paint a real picture of why many athletes have chosen to change clubs in recent years and highlight the dangers of pursuing a route that doesn’t serve you for too long.

This podcast provides fantastic insights for any young athletes that are struggling with similar issues or are venturing on similar journeys.

Time-Stamps

0:00 - Transitioning into the GWS Giants

7:26 - Learning a New Sport

19:15 - From Dublin to Sydney

28:32 - Club Transfer & Culture Shock

43:10 - Community, Athletics, and Family