Leah Caffrey cooking up a storm and relishing Royal rumble

It might only be the beginning of April, but Dublin footballer Leah Caffrey has already packed a massive amount into 2023.

In addition to starting all seven games for the county in their Lidl National Football League Division 1 campaign, Caffrey has spent the last 12 weeks on a Certificate Course at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Shanagarry, County Cork.

Whereas Dublin rounded off their NFL journey last Saturday with a convincing victory over Waterford, the past week saw Caffrey bringing the curtain down on her time in Ballymaloe. While she will soon be returning to collective training on a more regular basis, it won't be until 30 April that Dublin’s TG4 Leinster Senior Football Championship odyssey begins in earnest against All-Ireland champions Meath.

Not many of the Dublin panel have been based outside of the county for an extended period (her former team-mate Noelle Healy’s own spell on the Leeside in 2019 being an obvious exception), but former DCU student Caffrey was more than happy to do so for something she feels passionately about.

"I suppose it’s the norm for anybody from any other county really," said Caffrey, speaking in relation to the LGFA's 'Take a Second’ campaign. "For me, it has been great. I’ve been able to do my own bit of training myself and then I’d be back on the weekends.

"It’s great that the management have been so supportive of the decision to do the course. It has worked out well. I’m looking forward though to getting back out with the girls full-time.

"It’s definitely a change of pace. It was just a career decision that I made and I’ve always wanted to do the course. When the opportunity came around, I was very glad and lucky that the management were just there to support me as well with it."

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