Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Louise Quinn after her last game for Ireland last July.Ryan Byrne/INPHO FreeThe mighty quinn End of an era for Louise Quinn and Ireland as another legend bows out 121-cap defensive stalwart retired from football yesterday. 9.01am, 5 May 2025 Share options AS LOUISE QUINN walked around Páirc Uí Chaoimh in celebration after a famous Ireland win last July, little did she think it would be her last time in the green jersey. Her 121st and final cap came in a 3-1 Euro qualifier triumph over France on Leeside. “Special moments in Cork. Historic in every way,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. “Ready to go for the play-offs in the coming months.” A hip injury ruled her out of the business end of the campaign, however, and Ireland’s Euro 2025 dream died after defeat to Wales at the Aviva Stadium in December. Afterwards, Quinn circled the pitch with her Irish teammates one last time; offering an arm around the shoulder, with tears in her eyes, as the failure to qualify hit home. Quinn with Katie McCabe after Ireland's Euro 2025 play-off defeat to Wales.Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO Three retirements followed in January, as Niamh Fahey, Diane Caldwell and Julie-Ann Russell all called time on their Ireland careers. Carla Ward succeeded Eileen Gleeson as head coach that same month, and was hopeful Quinn would return to the fold. The 34-year-old was given time and space: to recover from her complicated hip flexor problem, which was originally misdiagnosed and required surgery; to welcome the arrival of baby Darragh with her partner, Eilish, in March; and to consider her future. Confirmation of her decision was made public at midday last Tuesday. “It is time for me to hang up the boots,” Quinn wrote in an announcement made via the FAI. “There are so many reasons as to why or why not, but it’s one of those things: when you know, you know.” The Birmingham City captain played her final game in yesterday’s Championship title decider against London City Lionesses at St Andrew’s: she was introduced late on for her first appearance since October, but there was no fairytale finish as London City secured the title — and promotion to the WSL — after a 2-2 draw. It was an emotional day, the words ‘legend’ and ‘leader’ uttered and typed many a time. After 121 Ireland caps and a colourful club career, this was the end of the road for The Mighty Quinn. Advertisement Sky Sports WSL / Twitter. Sky Sports WSL / Twitter. / Twitter. It all began in Blessington, kicking a ball in an archway outside the family shop or on the green near their home. She soon joined the local boys’ team, and had “no qualms” being the only girl. “Quite often we’d turn up at a game, maybe an away match, they’d see Louise in the squad and you’d see a few smiles on the far sideline. She’d soon wipe those smiles off their faces!” her former underage coach, Vincent Balfe, once told The 42. Also a talented sprinter and Gaelic footballer, Balfe recalled her playing in midfield. “A real terrier, a box-to-box player. She loved scoring goals as well.” More so with her boot than her head — the major growth spurt arriving at 10 or 11 — though it was drilled into her that the ball is a bag of air, and wasn’t going to hurt her. Peamount United came knocking in her early teens, a visit to the family home the catalyst for her first steps onto the national stage. She soon graced the international one, called up to the Ireland U17s aged 14 in 2005 and climbing the ranks. Quinn made her senior debut in a 4-1 win against Poland aged 17 in February 2008, replacing none other than Niamh Fahey as a late substitute. (Fittingly, Fahey also retired from professional football on Friday, ending her club career five months after her international one.) Success and silverware was plentiful for Quinn at Peamount, where Eileen Gleeson had made her club captain at the age of 16. Among the highlights were leading the Greenogue outfit to Women’s Premier Division glory in its inaugural season of 2011/12, and scoring a hat-trick during their magical Champions League run. Leading Peamount out against PSG in 2011.Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO Her roomate on Ireland duty, Fiona O’Sullivan, encouraged a move abroad, and Quinn soon pitched up at Eskilstuna United in northern Sweden. Across three seasons, she played her part in a remarkable rise: from the second division to Champions League football. A move closer to home almost ended in disaster as Notts County folded two months after she signed ahead of the 2017 season, but Arsenal handed her a lifeline via an initial short-term deal, which was later extended. She helped the Gunners to WSL glory in 2018/19 alongside Katie McCabe, but Quinn recalled a tricky transition period in conversation with The 42. “I was just like, ‘I think I’m just the furthest person away from an Arsenal… I’m not an Arsenal player.’ Even when it came up, I was like, ‘No way. I’ll be a laughing stock.’” She remembered “having palpitations” passing the ball around the six-yard box and getting slagged for wearing long socks and shin guards as she treated every training session as a game, but ultimately, she blossomed in North London. Celebrating WSL glory with Katie McCabe in 2019.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo A whirlwind spell in Italy followed with Fiorentina, before signing for WSL outfit Birmingham City in 2021. She was appointed club captain immediately, but despite an impressive individual debut season, the Blues were relegated to the Championship. They have competed there ever since, and will again next season — despite the Wicklow woman’s best efforts (up top) to sign off on the highest of highs yesterday. While Quinn’s club career was a rollercoaster, nothing quite compared to international football. Her importance to Ireland, and Ireland’s importance to her cannot be understated. “The Ireland team: that is the reason why I always wanted to play this game,” Quinn wrote in her statement. There were no shortage of ups and downs, highs and lows, heartbreak and elation, but qualification for, and playing at, the 2023 World Cup was the pinnacle. Quinn was a mainstay in defence for so many years; a rock at the back, a towering aerial threat from set-pieces and a warrior throughout. One of seven centurions, she is fourth on the WNT all-time top scorer list — behind just Olivia O’Toole, Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan — with all but one of her 16 senior goals coming from her head. In action against Australia at the World Cup.Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO Her leadership was instrumental through the years, both on and off the pitch. Quinn — the 2013 and 2019 FAI Senior Women’s Player of the Year — played a key part in the 2017 fight for fairness at Liberty Hall, and leaves a remarkable legacy behind. The sense of transition around the Ireland squad now heightens. A combined total of 404 caps have been lost since January, though Carla Ward is hoping to keep Quinn, Fahey, Caldwell and Russell involved in some capacity. “There’s four massive leaders that can really help guide people off the pitch as well as on the pitch,” said Ward in March. “For example I spoke to one of them about potentially coming in and being a player liaison, a link between players and staff but being a sounding board for the players, particularly the senior players. That can be really powerful.” The changing of the guard has been most striking in defence, with Quinn, Fahey and Caldwell now fully gone from that department. Anna Patten, Aoife Mannion, Megan Campbell, Jessie Stapleton and Caitlin Hayes are among those looking to nail down places as the 2027 World Cup qualifiers loom next spring. End of an era for Quinn and Niamh Fahey.Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO For now, the focus is on the remaining Nations League group games against Türkiye away on 30 May and Slovenia at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on 3 June. Automatic promotion to League A remains possible, while there are playoffs in October. While this next chapter continues for Ireland, it’s the end of an era for Quinn and co. She’s unlikely to stay away from football for long, with toes dipped into coaching and punditry in recent years. The hope is to see her circle a pitch in a different capacity, at some stage in the near future. Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “End of an era for Louise Quinn and Ireland as another legend bows out”. 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