Ace Galway defender ready to hit the ground running against Wexford

THE wait for the return of the GAA intercounty season has felt like an eternity for supporters across the country, with the traditional calendar going by the wayside in the unprecedented Covid-19 era.

For Galway defender Emma Helebert, however, the time has flown by in a hectic mix of work and training. Based in the maternity department in UHG, the 23-year-old midwife and her colleagues were busier than ever while the country went through the various levels of lockdown and post lockdown.

‘‘Our role as midwives was definitely brought up a notch when Covid kicked in. You had to feel for the women coming in on their own with no partners or anyone to support them. For first time mothers especially. It’s so hard for them anyway, even in normal circumstances, never mind having to be completely alone. So, there was an extra requirement on us, to give that extra support to the women. I really admire the mothers; it’s been so difficult for them to give birth during the pandemic.”

As a healthcare worker, the implications of returning to play were a major consideration for the Ballinderreen centre back, with the safety of her teammates at the forefront of her mind. However, the stringent regulations within the health system have thankfully been effective and allowed her to safely return to her sporting passion of camogie.

‘‘We are so grateful to the women coming in (to the labour ward), for looking after themselves so well. They are in a high-risk group and they have been minding themselves so well, they wouldn’t have been travelling or anything like that. So that makes our jobs easier. The number of people we’d have in the labour ward would vary every day. So, it’s so far so good anyway.”

One of the stars of Galway’s All-Ireland winning campaign in 2019, Helebert established herself as a key defender in the half back line during last year’s run to O’Duffy cup glory. The experience of lining out alongside some of the greatest players ever to wear the Galway jersey has been an inspiring one for her.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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