It’s 20 years since Louise Quinn made her Irish debut when, at just 14, she was called up the under-17 squad. She’s been a permanent fixture on the international scene ever since, so her announcement on Tuesday that she is retiring from football will leave a mighty big void in the Republic of Ireland set-up.
Following Niamh Fahey and Diane Caldwell’s decision to end their Irish careers in January, and Julie-Ann Russell retiring from the game altogether in the same month, Quinn’s departure means that 404 caps worth of experience have been lost to the senior team in that time.
With 121 caps, Quinn was behind only Emma Byrne and Denise O’Sullivan in the all-time caps list, her final appearance, as it proved, coming in the 3-1 win over France in Cork last summer. A hip injury ruled her out of action since, including from the crushing European Championship playoff defeat by Wales, the central defender only returning to the Birmingham City squad a week ago.
“When the time arrives that you need to write your retirement statement, they are the hardest words to find,” she said. “But it is time for me to hang up the boots. There are so many reasons as to why or why not but it’s just one of those things – when you know, you know.”
Quinn’s Birmingham contract is due to expire in June, and neither the player nor the club revealed if she had been offered a new one, but the timing is rough on the 34-year-old with Birmingham one win away from promotion to the WSL. They play Championship leaders London City Lionesses, who are two points clear at the top of the table, in the final game of the season on Sunday.
Birmingham paid tribute to their former captain, saluting her “passion, consistency, and leadership” over her four seasons with the club, as did outgoing FAI chief football officer Marc Canham.
“Louise deserves her place in Irish football history as one of our best defenders and most consistent performers,” he said. “She has been an excellent player and a brilliant ambassador for women and girls’ football.”
A vocal, eloquent and impassioned promoter of the women’s game, Quinn was one of the central characters in the squad’s stance against the FAI’s treatment of the players back in 2017 when they turned up at Liberty Hall to air their grievances.
Her club career took her from Ireland to Sweden to Italy, and spells with three English clubs, the most successful with Arsenal where she won the league. “I have had the honour of playing with some incredible clubs, Blessington FC, Lakeside, Peamount United, Eskilstuna United, Notts County, Arsenal, Fiorentina and Birmingham City,” she said.
“I’ve been through it all – I’ve won, lost, been promoted, relegated, experienced liquidation, reached the Champions League with many headers scored and many tackles missed. But they all have given me a chance to prove how much I love the game. And that’s it, I love the game and I’m going miss it.”
“The Ireland team ... that is the reason why I always wanted to play this game. Some of the best moments of my life have been in the green jersey. I’ve been part of something so special. The foundations were laid by legends of the women’s team before me and for a short period I was lucky enough to play with a few of them too. Then it was up to us to continue that fight to put the Ireland team on the map on the international stage. We built, we fought ... and the World Cup proved that dreams do come true.”
What’s next for Quinn remains to be seen, but between doing her coaching badges and punditry work, it’s highly unlikely that the game has seen the last of her. For now, she’s looking forward to spending time with her partner Eilish O’Gara, who gave birth to their son Daragh Keane Quinn last month.
“I can let Daragh know his mam did well. She used to play football for Ireland, and she’s been to the World Cup. There’s really something special about being Irish and I’m incredibly proud of our little country and so proud to have worn that badge on my chest.”
