“Whatever you’ve got left – 10 minutes, 8 minutes, 15 minutes – empty yourself.”
The words of Dublin boss Mick Bohan at half-time in his side’s All-Ireland Ladies Football final at Croke Park, in September. And empty themselves they certainly did.
Leading by three points at the break, and again by three with 10 minutes remaining, the Jackies ramped it up in the final stages to beat Mayo 4-11 to 0-11. It was Dublin’s first All-Ireland success in seven years and, after a few close calls over preceding championships, the triumph was celebrated with gusto, and no shortage of emotion.
All the while, as Dublin chased glory, their journey was being captured by a documentary crew. Over the course of a long, challenging and ultimately victorious season, the Blues Sisters documentary was given great access to the team as they made their way from the training pitches and gyms all the way through the provincial and knock-out stages to reach Croke Park.
The doc aired on RTE on Monday night and the response was overwhelmingly positive. These footballers had a heap of respect from GAA fans already but the show’s airing gave the wider public a chance to appreciate the toil, tears and tenacity required to achieve success.
Loving the RTE Documentary #BluesSisters, makes you realise how little we see insights into women’s sporting lives #morePlease
— Florence Curley (@RunFlo) November 27, 2017
Great doc showing the truth of football: the commitment, the sacrifice & the humanity. Shame the whiners are bringing it down by focussing on what it isn't instead of what it is: a more than fair tribute to the girl's game. rise up people – see the bigger picture #BluesSisters
— emer howard (@emerology) November 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/Dublinmono/status/935287234152017921
Fair play to Nicole Owens for being so open about her battle with depression! Superb footballer who had a great season #BluesSisters
— Morgan O'Callaghan (@MorgantheBriar) November 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/seanui/status/935276198271356929
There were a few dissenting, online voices asking why Dublin’s victory had been subject of a documentary instead of, say, the dominant Cork team of the past decade but that query was well answered by writer Mary White:
The dog days are over! Congrats to all involved in #BluesSisters 👏 👏 And for those asking, the #Cork ladies declined to do a similar documentary a few years ago. The team voted no, to keep dressing room sacred @LadiesFootball
— Mary White (She/Her) (@mary_white33) November 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/ElaineBucko/status/935282055340019712
Such was the appetite and appreciation for superb documentaries like this that we may be fortunate enough to see one on Cork, Mayo and more county sides over the coming years.
For anyone looking to catch up on Blues Sisters, you can do so here.
