DOWN camogie ace Paula O’Hagan hopes that when some kind of normality returns to life after the deadly coronavirus outbreak people will be kinder to one another – but fears a lot of pain and suffering lies ahead for communities.
With society edging closer to complete lockdown because of the ubiquitous and ravaging spread of Covid-19, the Clonduff player feels the GAA will be at the forefront in picking up the pieces.
“Obviously health is paramount. We want all our friends, our families and communities not to be hit in the worst possible way,” O’Hagan said. “But, it’s the unknown. Material things aren’t important, it’s not about ‘I’ve got this, I’ve got that’. Things are being stripped right back.
“It’s like a reset on life. It makes you look at things and realise what’s important and what isn’t.
“So, when we do get back to some kind of normality, training and playing sport, I hope that a lot more people will come out and support the GAA, and I think people will respect each other a lot more and will probably support local businesses a bit more too.
“When we go to the big franchises online we forget about the person next door. I do think we will all look at everybody and everything and have a lot more appreciation for it.
“There is somebody going to be hit by a tragedy due to Covid-19. The GAA is a community, it is a family and it rallies around those in need. I hope it’s not on any of our doorsteps but the way it’s going some GAA clubs will be hit and I think the GAA will be there to help those families.”
She added: “As a community you see a lot of good that people will do for each other and we’ll try and get through this. It feels like a war at the minute so everybody needs to help each other out.”
Earlier this week, the Down camogs announced they will embark on a fundraising drive with all proceeds going to the Hospice and carers. The players will take part in a run on their own in the hope of reaching a collective 5,000km over the next 40 days.
But the team’s commitment to help front-line workers and those expected to suffer the ill-effects and desperate consequences of the pandemic won't end there.
“We’re also looking at doing something for a mental health charity down the line because in a couple of months there are going to be a lot of people left in a bad way,” O’Hagan said.
“We’re not the people who can help them but if we can get funding to those charities they can help the people affected through their worst days. That’s something as a team we’d like to do as well.
“Nobody has an idea of what is going to hit. I suppose doing a bit of fundraising is keeping our team together too.”
A PE teacher at Assumption Grammar in Ballynahinch, O’Hagan has felt the emotional strain of schoolchildren who have not had the chance to say a proper goodbye to each other.
“I’ve a wee nephew and he is in P7 who had his last school day and he didn’t even know it was his last, none of us knew,” she said.
“I teach a Year 14 PE class and they’ve worked so hard all year and now they’re not even going to be sitting exams and they don’t really know how they’re going to be assessed for definite. And some of them are going to walk out the door without even a goodbye. Hopefully we can do something for those girls next year and have a day for them to come back.”
This time last year O’Hagan helped lead Clonduff to the All-Ireland Intermediate title at Croke Park, edging out Gailltír of Waterford.
“I can’t wait for just a training session never mind a competitive match,” said the club captain.
“I'd say eople will have more respect for the game and what it does for us. People at times complain that they’ve too much on and they don’t have time for X, Y and Z and that the GAA rules their lives. At this moment in time everybody is looking to get back to the GAA and allowing it to dictate our lives.
“A year ago we were lucky enough to be coming off the back of an All-Ireland win – little did we know a year later not one person in Ireland would be playing competitive matches.”
