Cork camogie All-Ireland winner Aisling Thompson revealed that she was the victim of sledging attacks during a club game, when she spoke on Newstalk this week.
Sledging has been a contentious issue in the GAA, and is normally confined to the men's division of the association. But it seems that this reprehensible activity is starting to creep into Ladies GAA.
Thompson told Newstalk's Seán Moncrieff that she was subjected to verbal abuse during a club game in Cork. Thompson has spoken publicly about a dark period in her past, in which she suffered from depression following a car accident, and struggled to cope with the loss of her partner to suicide.
Aisling Thompson shares her success with rang Reiltin @CorkCamogie_ @stmarysmallow pic.twitter.com/sgECRGOC3j
— St. Mary's, Mallow (@stmarysmallow) November 20, 2015
There was a time in Thompson's life, when the psychological effect of those experiences was having a detrimental impact on her temperament on the pitch. She told Moncrieff:
'I was constantly losing my head in games and I couldn't keep my focus. I couldn't keep my cool. But when I started to recover and matured I started drawing plus signs on my hand. They signify that if we're down by 10 points, the plus sign will keep me positive. There's always a way out.'
Munster Final player of the match Aisling Thompson receives the award from Marion Graham Munster Council Secretary pic.twitter.com/nG9HI0CAkQ
— Munster Camogie (@MunsterCamogie) November 15, 2015
And according to Thompson, some players used those upsetting aspects of her life to try and provoke a reaction from Thompson during matches.
'They would yeah. I don't think they were out to get me that much and it happens more at club level than at county level. In fairness to the county girls around the country, they're very professional. They don't harass you or say irrational things to you which is the way camogie should be. But when it came to the club scene, it go dirty. Girls were bringing up my partner who had passed away when I was in my bad place and struggling with depression. It is tough to take, but I'm use to it at this point. It's part of the game now unfortunately and it only comes from one or two clubs.'
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