Úna Uí Phuirséil (Agnes Hourigan-Purcell) was the 17th president of the

Camogie Association The Camogie Association (, formerly ) organises and promotes the sport of camogie in Ireland and around the world. The association has close ties with the Gaelic Athletic Association, but is still a separate organisation. History The Camogie A ...

. Born Agnes Hourigan in Ballingarry,

County Limerick County Limerick () is a western Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Reg ...

, she had three brothers, Dan, Sean, Fr Jack Hourigan, and four sisters ncluding Maisie and Ellen

Introduction to Camogie

She played initially for

Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...

and won an

Ashbourne Cup The Ashbourne Cup is an Irish camogie tournament played each year to determine the national champion university or third level college. The Ashbourne Cup is the highest division in inter-collegiate camogie. The competition features many of the ...

with

University College Dublin University College Dublin (), commonly referred to as UCD, is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 38,417 students, it is Ireland's largest ...

alongside another future camogie presidential candidate Inez O’Kelly and an All-Ireland medal with

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

in 1938 and later wrote on camogie for the

Irish Press ''The Irish Press'' ( Irish: ''Scéala Éireann'') was an Irish national daily newspaper published by Irish Press plc between 5 September 1931 and 25 May 1995. History Foundation The paper's first issue was published on the eve of the 1931 ...

under her own name and simultaneously under the nom-de-plume "‘Taobh Line"‘ for the

Irish independent The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray backgrou ...

. She became president of the colleges camogie council, CCLA, chair of Leinster Colleges Council (1964-73), and secretary of the Leinster Council.Obituary Irish Press 2 December 1983

Pádraig Puirséil

In 1943 she married

Pádraig Puirséil Pádraig or Pádraic ( , ), also Pádhraig or Pádhraic ( , ), are Irish male given names deriving from the Latin ''Patricius'', meaning "of the patrician class", introduced via the name of Saint Patrick. The name is often anglicised as its Engl ...

(1914–79), novelist and GAA correspondent of the

from 1970 to 1979, and author of the GAA history: "‘The GAA in Its Time"‘ based on Puirséal's research and articles about the history of the GAA, was edited by Padraig's sister

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religion * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...

(1906–91), also a writer and archivist, and published posthumously (1982), Their house in Kenilworth Park was an open house for GAA and camogie people.

Presidency

During her presidency in 1977 Comhairle na mBunscoileanna was set up with former president Síghle Nic an Ultaigh as chair. The first Senior National League Final was played and won by a Tipperary team which included as one of its members a future camogie association president Liz Howard. At the time of her death in 1983 she was treasurer of Árd Chómhairle, vice chair of the All Ireland Colleges Council, and PRO for both Leinster camogie board and Dublin County Camogie Board.

Legacy

Corn Uí Phuirséil, the colleges trophy, the

Féile na nGael Féile na nGael (; Irish for "Festival of the Gaels") is an annual tournament comprising the sports of hurling, camogie and handball organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association. Its stated aim is to bond communities, forge friendships, prov ...

camogie trophy and the Purcell Cup awarded for the third level colleges second division competition, are all named in honour of her and her husband.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ui Phuirseil, Una Presidents of the Camogie Association Limerick camogie players 1983 deaths 1919 births Alumni of University College Dublin Gaelic games players from County Dublin Irish schoolteachers Gaelic games players from County Limerick 20th-century Irish people UCD camogie players Irish Independent people The Irish Press people